Welcome to the Pauline Family's "Year of the Bible"! I'm reading the Bible clear through this year, and I invite you to read along with me. But first, let us pray:
God of my fathers, Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word
and in your wisdom have created people
to rule this world that you have made,
and to render judgment in integrity of heart:
Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne,
nd reject me not from among your children;
for I am your servant, the child of your handmaid,
a weak human being,
and lacking in comprehension of your Word and your will.
Send your Wisdom from the holy heavens,
from your glorious throne,
to be with me, to guide me,
to enlighten me, to lead me to you.
(Based on Wis 9)
Today's chapters are Proverbs 7-9.
Today's image builds on what we have already read. Remembering that Wisdom is imagined to be a beautiful woman, the person who has built up a strong relationship with Wisdom will be able to recognize the snare of temptation, no matter how alluring.
The vamp image in Chapter 7 is almost comical today, but we can all be seduced by words and images that feed into our vanity or that play on our insecurity. Crafty social media agents take full advantage of our lack of wisdom. I am thinking of Catholics who have been drawn step by step away from basic faithfulness to the Pope, and trust (and financially support!) YouTube teachers in matters of faith and doctrine. This isn't what "Solomon" was warning about with the image of the femme fatale, but it comes close enough!
By Chapter 9, we are back to the wholesome image of Lady Wisdom. Now she has "built herself a house," from which she sends forth the invitation: "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed." This will be fulfilled beyond all imagining in the Eucharist: the gift of Incarnate Wisdom.
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