A MEDITATION ON WISDOM (O SEPIENTIA) FOR DECEMBER 17TH

The Wisemen Discover the Holy Theotokos and Child as All Christian Wisemen Seek for the Holy Wisdom of God, the Sophia of the Word of God, Hidden in the Holy Trinity

“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.”

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

The first of the O Antiphons, “O Sapientia”, opens the final days of Advent with a cry for Wisdom. It calls to Christ as the eternal Wisdom of God, who proceeds from the mouth of the Father before all ages, the Logos through whom all creation was made. This same Wisdom “reaches from one end to the other mightily” (Wisdom 8:1), bringing order to chaos, light to darkness, and divine harmony to a fractured world. In invoking Christ as Wisdom, the Church acknowledges that all true knowledge and prudence find their source in Him who is the Word made flesh. 

The image of divine Wisdom, the Holy Sophia of God, ordering all things “sweetly” is a profound mystery. In human life, we experience chaos, disarray, and confusion, yet the Wisdom of God does not impose itself harshly. Instead, Christ’s ordering of all things is mighty in power but gentle in manner. He does not force us into submission; rather, He calls us to walk the way of prudence with Him, gently leading us through the wilderness of sin and ignorance. In this season of preparation, we must ask ourselves: have we allowed His Wisdom to order our lives? Have we sought the sweetness of His presence amid the clamor of the world? 

The King Hosting Queen Wisdom, Flanked by Charity and Hope - Three Ladies Who Come to Bestow Blessings From God Almighty Upon the Habitation of Man

Christ, the Wisdom of God, fulfills the longing expressed in the Hebrew Scriptures. In Proverbs, Wisdom is described as being with God “from the beginning” (Proverbs 8:22-31), rejoicing in the creation of humanity. In the Book of Wisdom, it is through Wisdom that kings reign, the righteous are guided, and the humble are exalted. When the Church prays “O Sapientia”, we proclaim that this Wisdom is no mere concept but a person: Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word, who took on flesh to dwell among us. He came to restore the harmony lost through sin and to guide us to the knowledge of the Father. 

As we meditate on this antiphon, let us consider the way of prudence to which we are called. Prudence is not mere caution; it is the habit of seeing all things in the light of God’s truth and acting accordingly. To walk in prudence is to live wisely and faithfully, discerning God’s will amid life’s complexities. It is to place Christ at the center of our thoughts, words, and actions, allowing His Wisdom to guide every step. In a world dominated by noise and distraction, the way of prudence is a call to return to silence, stillness, and reflection, that we might hear the voice of divine Wisdom speaking within our hearts. 

Tonight Begin the Antiphons that Lead Into the Season of Holy Incarnation, Showing Everything to be Founded in the Wisdom of God 

This Advent, let us pray with longing: “O Wisdom, teach us the way of prudence.” Teach us to see the world not as it is in its brokenness but as it might be in You. Guide our restless hearts to Your truth, and order our lives with Your sweet and mighty hand. May we receive You with humility and joy when You come, the Wisdom of God made flesh, to dwell among us and lead us into the eternal light of the Father. 

“O Wisdom… come and teach us the way of prudence.”

COLLECT

O God, who art the eternal Wisdom proceeding from the mouth of the Most High, and by whom all things are sweetly ordered and governed: Grant us, we beseech Thee, to walk in the way of prudence, that, being guided by Thy heavenly light, we may discern Thy will and ever follow in Thy paths; through Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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