WISDOM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 208, 30 March 1877, Page 3

WISDOM.

"Wisdom," says the -wise man in Scripture, "is an estimable treasure, which they that possess it become the friends of God." Now, my brethren, yon are aware that theology is a science which sounds and investigates, interprets and expresses, the Divine utterances of God in the Scriptures. The greatest of theologians, St. Thomas of Aquinas, asks himself this question, " What is wisdom ?" And his answer is, " Sapientia est scientia per causas altisshnas"—Wisdom is knowledge springing from the highest causes. We must not exclude any form of earthly knowledge. The Chui eh demandß and seeks for it. But wisdom is kuowledge, which first of all comes from the Supreme Cause — the knowledge which lets Godinto the soul ; the knowledge which purifies the intelligence }Jj (fe truth of Divine faith, which man can never reach by his natural powers. Unless the very hand of God be there, the intelligence of man, by its natural powers, can never come to have a knowledge of the things of heaven. The arrow lies motionless upon the ground, but when the archer takes it up, puts it to .his bow, and draws it, he sends it flying through the air. So the intelligence of man in its natural sphere, only helped by the natural knowledge of which I have spoken, lies tbere dead. It has its natural circle around it. It can go through that circle, and master everything within that circle of natural truth. Beyond it never can go unless, like the arrow in the archer's hand, the Almighty God takes it, bends it to the bow of Divine inspiration, and sends the arrow of human intelligence into the depths of Divine knowledge. Therefore that knowledge is only the knowledge which is circumscribed when graced by nature ; but comes in the form of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity — when o-race comes in which purifies the heart, as well as illumines the mtnd — then, my dearly beloved, that which before was knowledge becomes wisdom, because wisdom is the knowledge which asptres to the Lord through the highest causas. And this is the reason why although the world was so highly instructed, educated, and civilised before the coming of our Lord, yet the Apostle of the Gentiles does not hesitate to Eay, " The world by its knowledge knew not God." They refused to recognise God in their

knowledge, and therefore God turned their knowledge into folly. Yet knowledge, human knowledge, is esteemed — nay, is sought by the Church of God. It is esteemed and sought for as a preparation of the soul for those high truths, for those high practices, which the Church teaches and imposes upon her children.— Father Burke.