CHAPTER SIX
EARNEST DESIRE OF DIVINE WISDOM TO GIVE HIMSELF TO MEN
64. The bond of friendship between eternal Wisdom and man is
so close as to be beyond our understanding. Wisdom is for man
and man is for Wisdom. "He is an infinite treasure for man,"
(Wisd. 7:14) and not for angels or any other creatures.
Wisdom's friendship for man arises from man's place in
creation, from his being an abridgement of eternal Wisdom's
marvels, his small yet ever so great world, his living image
and representative on earth (cf. Nos. 35-38). Since Wisdom,
out of an excess of love, gave himself up to death to save
man, he loves man as a brother, a friend, a disciple, a pupil,
the price of his own blood and co-heir of his kingdom. For
man to withhold his heart from Wisdom or to wrench it away
from him would constitute an outrage.
[1. Eternal Wisdom's letter of love]
65. This eternal beauty, ever supremely loving, is so intent
on winning man's friendship that for this very purpose he has
written a book in which he describes his own excellence and
his desire for man's friendship. This book reads like a
letter written by a lover to win the affections of his loved
one, for in it he expresses such ardent desires for the heart
of man, such tender longings for man's friendship, such loving
invitations and promises, that you would say he could not
possibly be the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth and at the
same time need the friendship of man to be happy.
66. In his pursuit of man, he hastens along the highways, or
scales the loftiest mountain peaks, or waits at the city
gates, or goes into the public squares and among the
gatherings of people, proclaiming at the top of his voice,
"You children of men, it is you I have been calling so
persistently; it is you I am addressing; it is you I desire
and seek; it is you I am claiming. Listen, draw close to me,
for I want to make you happy" (Prov. 8:4).
And the better to attract men, Wisdom says to them, "It
is through me and through my grace that kings reign, princes
rule, monarchs and sovereigns bear the sceptre and crown, I
inspire legislators with the ability to enact just laws for
the good of their people. I give magistrates the courage to
administer justice fairly and fearlessly."
67. "I love those who love me and those who seek me
diligently find me," and in finding me they will find good
things in abundance. "For riches, glory, honours, dignities,
real pleasure and true virtue are found in me; and it is far
better for a man to possess me than to possess all the gold
and silver, all the precious stones, and all the wealth of the
whole universe. Those who come to me, I will lead along the
paths of justice and prudence. I will enrich them with the
inheritance due to rightful children and fulfil their greatest
desires (cf. Prov. 8:15-21). Rest assured, it is my greatest
pleasure and purest delight to converse and to abide with the
children of men" (cf. Prov. 8:31).
68. "And now, my children, listen to me. Happy are those who
keep my ways. Hear my instructions, be wise and do not ignore
them. Happy is the man who listens to me, watching at my
gates every day, waiting beside my door. He who finds me
finds life and obtains salvation from the Lord, but he who
sins against me, wounds his own soul. All who hate me love
death" (Prov. 8:32-36).
69. Even though eternal Wisdom has spoken so kindly and so
reassuringly to win the friendship of men, he still fears that
they, filled with awe at his glorious state and sovereign
majesty, will not dare approach him. That is why he tells
them that "he is easily accessible, is quickly recognised by
those who love him and is found by those who seek him; that he
hastens to meet those who desire him and that anyone who rises
early to look for him will have no trouble, for he will find
him sitting at his door, waiting for him" (Wisd. 6:13b-15).
[2. Incarnation, Death and the Eucharist]
70. Finally, in order to draw closer to men and give them a
more convincing proof of his love, eternal Wisdom went so far
as to become man, even to become a little child, to embrace
poverty and to die upon a cross for them.
How many times while here on earth could he be heard
pleading, "Come to me, come to me, all of you. Do not be
afraid, it is I. Why are you afraid? I am just like you; I
love you. Are you afraid because you are sinners? But they
are the very ones I am looking for; I am the friend of
sinners. If it is because you have strayed from the fold
through your own fault, then I am the good shepherd. If it is
because you are weighted down with sin, covered with grime and
utterly dejected, then that is just why you should come to me
for I will unburden you, purify you and console you."
71. Eternal Wisdom, on the one hand, wished to prove his love
for man by dying in his place in order to save him, but on the
other hand, he could not bear the thought of leaving him. So
he devised a marvellous way of dying and living at the same
time, and of abiding with man until the end of time. So, in
order fully to satisfy his love, he instituted the sacrament
of Holy Eucharist and went to the extent of changing and
overturning nature itself.
He does not conceal himself under a sparkling diamond or
some other precious stone, because he does not want to abide
with man in an ostentatious manner. But he hides himself
under the appearance of a small piece of bread - man's
ordinary nourishment - so that when received he might enter
the heart of man and there take his delight. Ardenter
amantium hoc est - Those who love ardently act in this way.
"O eternal Wisdom," says a saint, "O God who is truly lavish
with himself in his desire to be with man."
[3. The ingratitude of those who refuse]
72. How ungrateful and insensitive we would be if we were not
moved by the earnest desire of eternal Wisdom, his eagerness
to seek us out and the proofs he gives us of his friendship!
How cruel we would be, what punishment would we not
deserve even in this world, if, instead of listening to him,
we turn a deaf ear; if, instead of loving him, we spurn and
offend him. The Holy Spirit tells us, "Those who neglected to
acquire Wisdom not only inherited ignorance of what is good,
but they actually left in the world a memorial of their folly
in that their sins could not go unnoticed" (Wisd. 10:8).
Those who during their lifetime do not strive to acquire
Wisdom suffer a triple misfortune. They fall (a) into
ignorance and blindness, (b) into folly, (c) into sin and
scandal.
But how unhappy they will be at the door of death when,
despite themselves, they hear Wisdom reproach them, "I called
you and you did not answer (Prov. 1:24). All the day long I
held out my hands to you and you spurned me. Sitting at your
door, I waited for you but you did not come to me. Now it is
my turn to deride you (Prov. 1:26). No longer do I have ears
to hear you weeping, eyes to see your tears, a heart to be
moved by your sobs, or hands to help you."
How great will be their misery in hell! Read what the
Holy Spirit himself has to say about the miseries, the
wailings, the regrets and the despair of the fools in hell
who, all too late, realise their folly and misfortune in
rejecting the eternal Wisdom of God. "They are now beginning
to speak sensibly - but they are in hell" (Wisd. 5:14).
[4. Conclusion]
73. Above all else let us seek and long for divine Wisdom.
"All other things that are desired are not to be compared with
Wisdom" (Prov. 3:15). And again, "Nothing that you desire can
be compared with him" (Prov. 8:11). You may desire the gifts
of God and even heavenly treasures, but if you do not desire
Wisdom you desire always something of far less worth.
If only we could realise what Wisdom actually is, i.e. an
infinite treasure made for man - and I must confess that what
I have said about him really amounts to nothing at all - we
would be longing for him night and day. We would fly as fast
as we could to the ends of the earth, we would cheerfully
endure fire and sword, if need be, to merit this infinite
treasure.
But we must beware of choosing a wrong wisdom, because
there is more than one kind.
