XXVIII — THE GIFT OF WISDOM

Presence of God. — Come, Spirit of Wisdom, draw me!

Meditation

1 — The gift of understanding makes us penetrate things of God; gift of wisdom leads us further still: it makes us taste them, giving us savory knowledge. It is the “sapid knowledge” of which St. Bernard speaks, the untranslatable dulce sapere invoked by St. Thomas (Adoro te devote), precious gift Holy Spirit offers saying: Gustate et videte quoniam suavis est Dominus — taste and see how good Lord is (Ps. 33:9).

Not by chance is it said first taste and then see, because gift of wisdom makes us know God precisely through experience of heart that “tastes” beloved object.

There are two ways of knowing: speculative-intellectual mode and experiential mode deriving from kind of connaturality with object to be known. This latter is less distinct but much deeper than first and grasps intimate substance of things. Thus, for example, through affinity of sentiments and affections linking mother to child, she knows his heart much better than any other person. Similar is knowledge of divine things we acquire through gift of wisdom.

Between us and God there is certain connaturality, certain likeness produced by love uniting us to Him and in some way assimilating us to Him. Indeed St. Paul does not hesitate to say that “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit” with Him (1 Cor. 6:17). Gift of wisdom makes us know God and divine things precisely through this connaturality, and therefore gives us experience warm and savory because it derives from love.

Such experience seizes soul in its center, that is, in will, drawing it strongly into God; and at same time overflows as light into intellect. Gift of wisdom acts somewhat like ray of sun that warms and illumines at once. It warms by reviving soul’s charity and, through this inflaming of love, illumines it concerning divine realities and makes it capable of judging them, intuiting infinite goodness and absolute superiority over all things. “O the depth of riches of God!” (Rom. 11:33) is cry of soul inflamed and illumined by gift of wisdom.

2 — All gifts of Holy Spirit are closely linked with charity, since they are found only in soul possessing charity and develop as it increases. But gift of wisdom has altogether particular relation with love of charity.

First, it is precisely through charity this gift comes to act. “Cause of gift of wisdom,” says St. Thomas, “is in will, and this cause is charity” (II-II, q. 45, a. 2). Therefore, more soul loves God, more capable it is of receiving motion of this gift.

Moreover, savory knowledge of God deriving from gift of wisdom is most powerful in increasing charity. How could we fail to love Lord more after having tasted Him? As gift of wisdom invests soul more, charity increases and with it unitive force by which soul adheres ever more to God.

This gift leads to prayer still deeper than that in which only gift of understanding intervenes. Soul feels itself “seized” by God, irresistibly drawn by Him; it feels truly united to Lord and in this union tastes Him — not in sensible manner, but spiritual — and intuits Him in most intimate way possible here below.

From this prayer soul comes forth truly inflamed with love, shown above all by conformity of its will to will of God in all contingencies of life. It comes forth so full of God that, returning to ordinary occupations, it sees and considers everything in relation to God. Thus gift of wisdom extends influence also to practical life and teaches us to judge all things in God’s light.

To be apt for motions of gift of wisdom — most sublime of gifts — we must gently dispose our heart to fullness of love, and at same time apply ourselves to acquire deep humility, because, as Jesus said, “these things are hidden from wise and prudent according to world and revealed to little ones” (cf. Mt. 11:25).

“Only those acquire wisdom of God who, like ignorant children, laying down their own knowledge, advance with love in his service” (G.C. S. I, 4, 5).

Colloquy

“Descend, O divine Spirit, and rest upon my head and take hold of my heart. Dissipate all darkness that folly of world calls wisdom; grant me instead gift of heavenly wisdom. You alone can teach me to despise what world loves, what delights and flatters. You alone can teach me to taste things of God, virtue, piety, and love You came to kindle on earth so world might be inflamed” (Anonymous).

“O God, who are essentially uncreated love, infinite love, love without measure, not only one who loves but all love; O God from whom proceed loves of all Seraphim and all creatures, why should I not love You? Why should I not consume myself in this fire of love that embraces whole universe?

“O God, who are essentially goodness itself, by whom all good is good, from whom derives goodness of all creatures as other waters from sea, above whose excellent goodness there exists no thing in heaven or earth that can be called good, why should I not love You, since goodness is object of love?

“O most holy Father! O most clement Son! O most loving Holy Spirit! When, in innermost depth of my soul, will You, O Father, be most hidden thing and possess me wholly? When shall I be all yours and You all mine? When shall You be my King? When will that day come? Oh, when? Ah, it will surely come! Do You believe it will come? What delay! What painful postponement! Hasten, O Jesus, hasten, do not delay!” (Venerable Louis of Granada).