The Love of Eternal Wisdom by St. Louis De Montfort

[Stone]

THE LOVE OF ETERNAL WISDOM

CHAPTER 2. ORIGIN AND EXCELLENCE OF ETERNAL WISDOM

Here, with St. Paul, we must declare, "O the depth, the immensity and the incomprehensibility of the Wisdom of God" (Rom. 11:33): Generationem ejus quis enarrabit? (Is. 53:8; Acts 8:33). Who is the angel so enlightened, who is the man rash enough as to attempt to give us an adequate explanation of the origin of eternal Wisdom? For here all human beings must close their eyes so as not to be blinded by the vivid brightness of his light.

All should be silent for fear of tarnishing his perfect beauty by attempting to portray him. Every mind should realize its inadequacy and adore, lest in striving to fathom him, it be crushed by the tremendous weight of his glory.


1. Wisdom in reference to the Father

Adapting himself to our weakness, the Holy Spirit offers this description of eternal Wisdom in the Book of Wisdom which he composed just for us.

"Eternal Wisdom is a breath of the power of God, a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty. Hence nothing defiled gains entrance into him. He is the reflection of eternal light, the spotless mirror of God's majesty, the image of his goodness" (Wisd. 7:25,26).

He is the substantial and eternal idea of divine beauty which was shown to St. John the Evangelist in his ecstatic vision on the island of Patmos, when he exclaimed, "In the beginning was the Word - the Son of God, or eternal Wisdom - and the Word was in God and the Word was God" (Jn. 1:1).

This is the eternal Wisdom of which Solomon often speaks in his book (cf. Sir. 1:4,8; 24:14) when he says that Wisdom was created - that is, produced - from the very beginning before anything was made or even before the beginning of time.

Speaking of himself, Wisdom says, "I was begotten from eternity, before the creation of the world. The depths did not exist as yet and I was already conceived" (Prov. 8:23,24).

God the Father was well pleased with the sovereign beauty of eternal Wisdom, his Son, throughout time and eternity, as he himself explicitly testified on the day of his Son's baptism and his transfiguration, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased" (Mt. 17:5; cf. Mt. 3:17. Cf. Nos. 55, 98). This splendour of dazzling and incomprehensible light of which the apostles caught a glimpse in the Transfiguration, filled them with delight and lifted them to the heights of ecstasy:

Illustre quiddam (cernimus)
Sublime, celsum, interminum,
Antiquius caelo et chao:

This eternal Wisdom is
Something resplendent,
Sublime, immense, and infinite,
More ancient than the universe.

My words fail to give even the faintest idea of his beauty and supreme gentleness, and fall infinitely short of his excellence: for who can ever form an adequate idea of him? Who could ever portray him faithfully? You alone, great God, know who he is and can reveal him to all you wish (cf. Mt. 11:27; Lk. 10:22).


2. The activity of Eternal Wisdom in souls

This is how divine Wisdom himself describes in the twenty-fourth chapter of Ecclesiasticus the effects of his activity in souls. I shall not mingle my poor words with his for fear of diminishing their clarity and sublime meaning.

1. Wisdom will sing her own praises. She will be honoured in the Lord and will proclaim his glory before his own people.

2. In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth; she will glorify herself in the armies of the Lord.

3. She will be raised up in the midst of her own people and will be admired in the assembly of all the saints.

4. In the multitude of the elect she will be praised and will be blessed by those who are blessed by God. She will say:

5. 1 came forth from the mouth of the Most High; I was born before all creatures.

6. 1 made an unquenchable light appear in the sky and I covered the whole earth like a mist.

7. 1 had my dwelling in the heights and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.

8. Alone I compassed the vault of heaven; I penetrated into the depths of the abyss; I walked on the waves of the sea,

9. and travelled all over the earth.

10. 1 held sway over every people and every nation.

11. By my power I have trodden underfoot the hearts of all men, great and small; and among all these things I searched for a resting-place and a dwelling in the heritage of the Lord.

12. Then the Creator of the universe commanded me and spoke to me: he who created me rested in my tent.

13. And he said to me: "Dwell in Jacob, let Israel be your heritage, and take root in my elect."

14. In the beginning, before all ages, he created me and through the ages I shall never cease to be, and in the holy tabernacle I ministered before him.

15. 1 fixed my abode in Sion; I found rest in the holy City, and Jerusalem became my domain.

16. 1 took root in the people whom the Lord had honoured, whose heritage is the portion of the Lord. I fixed my abode in the assembly of all the saints.

17. Like a cedar on Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Sion I have grown tall.

18. 1 raised my branches high like a palm-tree in Engedi and like the rose-bushes of Jericho.

19. 1 grew tall like a beautiful olive-tree in the field,like a plane-tree planted along the road near the water.

20. 1 gave forth fragrance like cinnamon or the most precious balm; I gave forth perfume like the most exquisite myrrh.

21. 1 have filled my house with sweet fragrance as of galbanum, onycha, myrrh and with the sweet smell of incense; I exude the scent of the purest balm.

22. 1 spread out my branches like a terebinth and my branches are glorious and graceful.

23. 1 have grown sweet-smelling flowers like the vine; my blossoms are the fruits of glory and wealth.

24. 1 am the mother of pure love, of fear, of knowledge and of holy hope.

25. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth; in me is all hope of life and strength.

26. Come to me, all you who desire for me, and be filled with my fruits.

27. For my spirit is sweeter than honey and my inheritance more delightful than the sweetest honeycomb.

28. My renown will endure down through the ages.

29. Those who eat of me will hunger for more; those who drink of me will thirst for more.

30. Those who listen to me will not be put to shame; those who work with me will not sin.

31. Those who make me known will possess eternal life.

32. All this is the book of life, the covenant of the Most High, and the knowledge of the truth."


Eternal Wisdom compares himself to all these trees and plants, characterised by their varied fruits and qualities which illustrate the great variety of states, functions and virtues of privileged souls. These resemble cedars by the loftiness of their hearts raised up towards heaven, or cypress trees by their constant meditation on death. They resemble palm-trees by their humble endurance of labour, or rose-bushes by martyrdom and the shedding of their blood. They resemble plane-trees planted along river banks, or terebinths with their branches spread out wide, signifying their great love for their fellow-men. They resemble all the other less noticeable but fragrant plants like balm, myrrh and others which symbolise all those retiring souls who prefer to be known by God more than by man.

Divine Wisdom shows himself to be the mother and source of all good and he exhorts all men to give up everything and desire him alone. Because, as St Augustine says, "he gives himself only to those who desire him and seek him with all the zeal such a lofty aim deserves."

In verses 30 and 31 divine Wisdom lists three degrees in holy living, the last of which constitutes perfection:

(1) Listen to God with humble submission;

(2) Act in him and through him with persevering fidelity;

(3) Seek to acquire the light and unction you need to inspire others with that love for Wisdom which will lead them to eternal life.