Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

For: Sunday, August 16, 2009

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From: Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom's invitation to her banquet
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[1] Wisdom has built her house,
          she has set up her seven pillars. 
[2] She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine,
          she has also set her table.
[3] She has sent out her maids to call
          from the highest places in the town,
[4] "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!"
          To him who is without sense she says,
[5] "Come, eat of my bread
          and drink of the wine I have mixed.
[6] Leave simpleness, and live,
          and walk in the way of insight."

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Commentary: 

9:1-6. The introduction to the book of Proverbs ends with an invitation from Wis-
dom to attend a banquet she is holding at her house. This meal is a symbol for
the teachings of the wise men; those who listen to them assimilate those tea-
chings, which become part of them (cf. Sir 24:26-29; Ezek 3).

This nourishment prefigures the true Bread of Life (cf. Jn 4:14; 6:35) that God
will give mankind -- the Body of the Incarnate Word, of Wisdom made man. An
ancient Christian writer puts these words on Jesus' lips: "To those who are lac-
king in the good works of faith as well as to those who desire to lead a more
perfect life, he says: 'Come, eat of my body, which is the bread that will nourish
and strengthen you; drink my blood, which is the wine of heavenly teaching that
brings you delight and makes you holy; I have mixed my blood with my divinity
for your salvation'" (Procopius of Gaza, "In librum Proverbiorum", 9).

The "seven pillars" of Wisdom's house (v. 1 ) may be a reference to its perfection
(seven was a symbol for perfection), but it is more likely to refer to the seven col-
lections of proverbs that go to make up this book -- those of Solomon (10:1-22:
16). the wise men (22:17-24:22), another collection of words of the wise (24:23-
34); Solomon again (25:1-29:27); Agur (30:1-14); the Numerical Proverbs (30:15-
33) and the words of Lemuel (31:1-9). The fact that there are seven means that
the wisdom taught in the book is perfect (it includes, we know, wisdom of Israel,
and wisdom from the countries round about).

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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries".  Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.  We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."  --  St Jerome

"The Father uttered one Word; that Word is His Son, and He utters Him forever
in everlasting silence: and in silence the soul has to hear it.
   --  St John of the Cross