Meditation for June 7, The Gift of Wisdom

What we understand by Wisdom would be more correctly termed Counsel, Knowledge or Understanding.

According to the Latin sense of the word, wisdom, sapientia, is less the ability to see God than to taste God. Wisdom meaning savor or relish would be much more in accordance with the origi­nal sense.

It is a question not so much of sensible tastes and consolations of divine realities - we may or may not enjoy them - but rather of a more or less lively and profound attraction toward the things of God; a practical habit of looking always toward the heavens, toward the large horizons, toward grandeur; a thirst for contentment, but at the same time a deep-seated inability to be satisfied with insignificant things; a joyous and imperturbable indifference before all that is nonessential, with this limitation, however, that we never hesitate, through charity or another similar motive to ex­pend energy, to interest ourselves in what is not naturally appeal­ing, or to give attention, with the condescension of Our Lord, to the most insignificant details.

St. Thomas points out a relationship between the gift of Wisdom and the seventh Beatitude, Blessed are the peacemakers. On first thought that is astonishing. But is not peace closely connected with Wisdom and Wisdom with peace?

Can the soul which has singularly tasted divine things ever be troubled?
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Adapted from Meditations for Religious
by Father Raoul Plus, S.J. (© 1939, Frederick Pustet Co.)