1st Reading – Wisdom 6:12-16

Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,
and she is readily perceived by those who love her,
and found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;
Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,
for he shall find her sitting by his gate.
For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence,
and whoever for her sake keeps vigil
shall quickly be free from care;
because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her,
and graciously appears to them in the ways,
and meets them with all solicitude.

All societies have some type of Wisdom tradition, and ancient Israel was no exception. Wisdom is the perfection of knowledge of the righteous as a gift from God showing itself in action. As anyone who searches for the meaning of life soon realizes, human wisdom alone cannot plumb the depths of reality.

In the tradition of Israel, this wisdom is personified as a woman. Wisdom in this feminine personification is not exactly a divine characteristic, but she is very close to it (Wisdom 7:25-26).

In today’s reading, the author describes how accessible Woman Wisdom is to those who seek her.