Friday, December 17, 2010

O Wisdom

Pavel returned from Oxford Uni. to present his seminar today. He's a brilliant chap. He's completing his MA in Oxford while researching his doctorate here in our school. Interesting topic he chose, using classical intertextual approach.

The weather is still cold and it was sunny. Had to do some last minute shopping before the Sabbath begins. Always the problem that when I reach the supermarket, I forget what I want to buy. It's getting more and more frequent. I think I'm losing my mind real fast.

As Christmas approaches, today I was thinking about God's gift to us - his Only Son. It's difficult to find true friends in this world ... some people always have a hidden agenda; they make friends only if they can get something from you, milk you and sponge off you. God showed that his gift of his Only Son was not for self-interest; he gave totally and asked nothing in return. God is a true friend. He gave us his Son so we can become better ... to the extend that his Son had to die, so we can become better persons. As St. Paul says, He made us friends even while we were sinners. It takes alot of wisdom to learn from that and live it.

Today we begin the O antiphons for Mass and Vespers. Today is "O Wisdom" (below taken from Wikipedia)

Latin:
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
English:
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other mightily,
and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Isaiah had prophesied:
  • "The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord." Isaiah 11:2-3
  • "[...] he is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom." Isaiah 28:29
This prophecy is also relevant in that it describes the Messiah as "coming forth from the mouth of the Most High", which is very significant in light of the Christian doctrine, rooted in the first chapter of the Gospel of John, according to which Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is the Incarnate Word of God the Father.
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