Our Venerable Father Benedict of Nursia (547)
Isaiah 8:13-9:7; Genesis 6:9-22; Proverbs 8:1-21
Great Fast Day 15. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read Proverbs 8:1-21
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
| Lay hold of instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than tested gold, And choose perception rather than pure gold. For wisdom is better than precious stones, And every costly thing is not worthy of her. Why would it be better to chase after instruction, knowledge, and perception rather than silver, gold, pure gold? If we look at this life only, that is, the life we live at this time, from our birth to our death, silver and gold, precious as they are, may serve to better this life. However, if we look at the bigger picture, and realise that our life is not just that which is lived between our birth and death into this world, that there is an unimaginable eternity still yet to come, we may not want to put the focus on the precious stones that we cannot take with us and lose all value at our death. Rather, we would choose those things that last. Wisdom is that thing we ought to chase. And this is not just forming personal wisdom through learning and experience; no, this Wisdom is that which the Lord bestows. Cyril of Alexandria writes: “It is written that “wisdom is better than precious stones, and every costly thing is not worthy of her.” For the wisdom that comes from above, from God, is an incomparable blessing. When we attain to it by means of the holy Scripture, which is inspired of God, and gain the divine light to dwell in our minds, we then advance without wandering, and we come toward whatever is useful for our spiritual profit. Come, therefore, and let us now also scrupulously examine the meaning of the Gospel lessons” (Commentary om Luke, Homily 133). |