The Persons Who Possess Wisdom

The Persons Who Possess Wisdom.—The Gift of Wisdom, as said above (see 1610), is given with sanctifying grace, and hence only those and all those who are in God’s friendship have this supernatural endowment.

(a) Only those in the state of grace have divine Wisdom, for without love of God it is impossible to have that right judgment of things that is consequent on the relish for and connaturality with divine things. Hence, it is said: “Wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins” (Wis., i. 4).

(b) All those who are in the state of grace have the Gift of Wisdom, for man is so weak and the supernatural virtues are so far above him that, even when he has received these virtues, he is unable to make proper use of them or to preserve them in time of temptation, unless he has received the supplementary forces that will enable him to obey more easily and promptly the voice and impulse of the Holy Ghost. Thus, Charity destines man to beatitude, but, unless he has Wisdom to value this virtue and privilege, to spurn the false wisdom of the world, to think on the love of God with delight and to make it the norm of his judgments and decisions, he will not progress in Charity, nor retain it, nor arrive at the beatitude to which it destines him.

Though all who are in the state of grace possess all the Gifts of the Holy Ghost, these Gifts are not had in the same way by all their possessors. Thus, the following points should be noted with reference to the Gift of Wisdom:

(a) The Gifts, like the infused virtues, are possessed habitually by baptized children and insane persons, and actually by adults. Just as infants have the possession but not the use of certain natural gifts (such as reason and responsibility), so likewise supernatural life and powers are granted them through baptismal regeneration, but the exercise of this life and of these powers is prevented by their inability to realize what they possess and to make use of it. The lack of bodily development, which impedes the use of natural reason, also impedes the use of supernatural Wisdom.

(b) The Gift of Wisdom is had in itself by all who are in the state of grace; but in its extension, which is the “word of Wisdom,” it is possessed only by highly gifted souls who have a special mission from God (see above, 1610 sqq.). With sanctifying grace, each one receives the supernatural Gift of judging rightly about heavenly things and of regulating his conduct by them in so far as is necessary for the attainment of salvation; otherwise, we should have to say that grace is inferior to nature, and does not provide what is necessary for its end. But the ability to explain heavenly things so as to draw others to the truth, and to apply heavenly doctrines to the guidance of others so as to lead them to good, is one of the gifts freely given, which the Spirit divides according as He wills (I Cor., xii. 11): “To one by the Spirit is given the word of Wisdom, to another the word of Knowledge, etc.” (ibid, 8).

The Gift of Wisdom in itself (i.e., as intended directly for the benefit of the recipient and not for the benefit of others) is also had in varying degrees. (a) Thus, different persons do not possess this Gift in equal measure; for to some is granted the contemplation of loftier mysteries not granted to others, and suprahuman Wisdom plays a greater part in the direction of some lives than in that of others. (b) The same persons do not possess Wisdom in an equal degree at all times. Thus, in Baptism all the Seven Gifts are received, but in Confirmation they are in some way perfected, either in themselves by a greater refinement or sensibility to the action of the Holy Spirit, or as regards their possession by their subject through a firmer hold of them.

The Exercise of the Gift of Wisdom.—(a) The external magisterium (i.e., revelation and the teaching Church) conveys the truths of faith to the mind of the believer. (b) The internal Teacher, the Holy Ghost, illuminates the soul with Wisdom, so that it ponders on the first principles of faith and makes the love of them control its judgments, Words, and actions: “You have the unction from the Holy One and know all things” (I John, ii. 20), that is, all that is needed for salvation.

The Holy Doctor observes that Wisdom is found through cognition; but possessed through love; through cognition, indeed, to be seen; through love, however, to be embraced and tasted. To see pertains to the intellect; but to embrace and taste to the will, as Richard says lib. 4. de contempl. cap. 15.: As God is heard through memory, seen through the intellect: so he is embraced and tasted, or bound, through affection, and thus held: And this indeed is more perfect than merely to see, which St. Augustine shows lib. 9. de Trinitate, cap. 12., where he says that the act of embracing is the proper act of the will.

Therefore the wise man teaches to seek Wisdom, Prov. 2.: If you shall seek Wisdom as money, and shall dig for her as for treasures: then you shall understand the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. Expounding which words Jerome says: He who digs for treasures casts aside the earth, digs a pit deep down, diligently persists, until he finds what he seeks. So he who desires to find the treasures of wisdom, let him cast off from himself every earthly weight, make in himself a pit of humility, and not rest, until he finds. These are his words: For wisdom itself is easily seen by those who seek her: and to think of her is a sense brought to perfection. Wisdom, therefore, is to be sought, for as she herself says, Prov. 8.: He who shall find me, shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord.

But how you may recognize that wisdom has been found by you, St. Bernard teaches in his Sentences: You have plainly found wisdom, if you weep for the sins of your former life, if you esteem lightly the desirable things of this age, if you desire eternal beatitude with your whole desire. You have found wisdom, if each of these things tastes to you as they are, so that these indeed are bitter, and altogether to be fled; those also, as it were falling and transitory, to be despised; but these, as perfect goods, to be desired with the whole desire, which you judge and discern with a certain deepest savor of the soul.

Therefore this gift, which is a supernatural habit, is to be earnestly asked of God, as James says, cap. 1.: If any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

He adds, however, four conditions: First, indigence in the one asking: If anyone wants. Second, Petition, which is that of sons, as is said Psal. 2.: Ask of me, etc. As asking is of a servant. Hence you have that wisdom is not infused except to sons adopted by grace. Hence Sap. 7. says: God loves no one, except him who dwells with wisdom. Third, the liberality of the giver: Who giveth abundantly to all, whence 3. Reg. cap. 3. it is said to Solomon, who was asking for Wisdom: But even these things, which you did not ask, I have given you, riches and glory. Fourth, the confidence of the one asking: nothing wavering. These things the Holy Doctor says concerning Wisdom. See many Holy Fathers in St. Bonav. lib. 3. Pharetrae, cap. 32.