Catholic Hermit Keeps Vigil for Wisdom....

Sunday's Mass selection for the First Reading was from the Book of Wisdom.  I found it encouraging yet also challenging.  Do I love wisdom?  Have I even thought of wisdom as a gift, at least all that often, or something to love, to seek in a conscious way?

Lately, though, I've come to a conscious recognition that I desire wisdom, that I need wisdom, want wisdom, and that I must seek wisdom and love wisdom with a love wisdom deserves

Do I watch for wisdom at dawn?  I'm trying to do so.  Often some more temporal thought flutters in upon waking, and for this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit, it often enough is the recognition of bodily pain.  And with that recognition, my thoughts turn to Jesus for mercy.  Or, I have an immediate reminder of someone who has asked my prayers; or there might be a song being sung or played out in my mind which in turn reminds me of how I've turned that song into a love song for Jesus.

Or, there are temporal thoughts of something I must remember to "do" relative to the responsibilities that we have in being alive in our current times.  Some bill that needs to be paid on time, a birthday to be remembered or card mailed, or something such as to remember to check under the hermitage in the dug-out cellar to see if the sump pump is properly removing water that leaches in during the storms.  Or, I am reminded of what I am to do in some way to make progress in finishing the hermitage.

Today I woke up thinking about a couple who have suffered as much or more ailments and calamities as Job.  I was reminded of how horrid the fact of the man's huge blisters that have formed on his legs---one the size of grapefruit--and the many hemorrhages under his skin on arms.  All this is the effect of the massive dosage of prednisone he has had to be on in order to simply breathe in the oxygen from tanks and to be able to continue life.  Their finances in ruin, the wife has very little sleep and is worn from all the responsibilities upon her, including now being nurse for insurance will not pay for the visiting nurse practitioner to change the man's wound bandages.


But after thoughts and prayers, and of then remembering I had to put away some provisions still in truck during the brief respite from storms, and then to get a charity package ready for the mail pick up--and in praying for (and trying to keep my emotions calm!) for our country's congressional political charades and stage-show effect--I sought and desired and prayed once again for wisdom.

I did this while painting a second trim coat on some closet baseboards and shelving--all laid out on the sawhorses set up inside the hermitage.

And when that task was completed, brushes cleaned and other temporal tasks tended, the body needed to flop on the mattress, as my heart longed to re-read this excerpt from 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."

Is wisdom sitting by my gate?  (I have two gates on the property, and I pray wisdom is by each one!)  Of course, seriously, wisdom will be by the gate of our mind, heart, and especially our soul.

I ponder that wisdom is the perfection of prudence.

And I want to keep vigil, such as perhaps this morning I kept thinking about wisdom off and on, and of wanting and, in truth, needing wisdom.  Is this keeping vigil, when the mind and heart think and feel and desire what is known to be prudent to possess as a gift of the Holy Spirit?

I hope so!

Wisdom will keep us from care; wisdom goes in her own manner and format, as one would realize given the Holy Spirit is the bequeather of wisdom.  So wisdom, we are told, seeks those who are worthy of wisdom.

Am I worthy of wisdom? Lord, I pray  I am, sinner though I be, weary and undisciplined in most endeavors!  Will wisdom appear graciously in the ways?  Will wisdom meet me with all solicitude?  (Has wisdom come to me with care and concern?)

I do not know for sure.  I'd like to think so--that wisdom is here with me now, by the gate of my soul, guiding, informing, encouraging, perfecting.

Perhaps I can begin asking Wisdom if she is in this or that thought, emotion, action--one by one, moment by moment.  Will I then listen and be able to discern Wisdom's answer?  Or will I at least then be turned, formed, in whatever it is I am thinking, feeling, doing--toward Wisdom, with Wisdom informing my soul through, with, and in God the creator and bequeather of Wisdom?

Catholic Hermit: Quote from St. Syncletica (Hermit, Female, Ascetic)

I was just praying for Wisdom to come sit at my gate (alluding to the Book of Wisdom's wording), and I was also praying for guidance as to what God wants of me right now for my pain limits me, and particularly injured right thumb is keeping me from the manual labor necessary to make progress in finishing this place as it needs to be sold before long.

So I was wondering what other the Lord wants of me right now, and if I should remain here through the stormy season or accept a family member's offer to fly me away to better climate, as this weather increases spinal pain--which has nothing to do with the thumb.  Since I have no idea of knowing how long I will be hindered from manual labor, I hesitate to leave, for what if I could even paint a little trim now and then?  It would be progress.

Or such as today, there were brief hours of break in the storms, and I was given the energy needed to bathe.  (The suffering the past ten days has been rather brutal and fatiguing.)  And I know that it is not all just weather-related, for the Lord is behind and in and above all aspects of creation.  For whatever reason or more, He has me hamstrung, essentially.  Slowed down to near stop.

For whatever reason, also, I did a little online search of hermits, and I came across an online offering of a book of orthodox hermits.  The dedication includes the following quote from a hermit new to me: St. Syncletica.  I appreciate what she wrote a long time ago.  It reminds me of hope and of the joy that comes after the battles, after the suffering, and through hard work. (I realize reading this book when in pain and tired will be hard work, but probably what the Lord also wants of me currently, at least in bits and pieces while I am on the mattress, suffering.)

So of the hermit life, this female hermit and ascetic wrote:

"In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God, and afterwards, indescribable joy.  It is like those who wish to light a fire; at first they are choked by the smoke and cry, and by this means obtain what they seek.  So we also must kindle the divine fire in ourselves through tears and hard work."  --St. Syncletica

I am not at the beginning of my hermit journey, but as I have reflected recently about phases of the hermit life (and of the spiritual life, of course), there are always beginnings of phases, of degrees of depths, of the transitions and metamorphoses into new phases and levels of the hermit's spiritual journey.  These are so both in the spiritual realm as well as our being yet in the temporal space of our earthly existence.

I'll see what the various orthodox hermits share through their writings, but perhaps more so, it is their friendship as fellow hermits and children of God that will help inspire and illuminate and give direction.  Now is yet another of my time being physically hindered--yet on the cusp of a new phase, whatever and wherever that will be--even if on the other side of the "veil" and the "vale."

God bless His Real Presence in us; and thank you, Wisdom, for being at my gate today, and offering me this book as an answer as to how to spend some of the time while incapacitated with suffering!

Catholic Hermit: Birthday Novena Thoughts on Wisdom

Day #6 of Birthday Novena day's thoughts written to a friend: on wisdom, based on The Book of Wisdom, Chapter 9.

Amazing that simply by God's word (and Word), all things are and were created.  And, we are to rule and govern with wisdom--and holiness and righteousness.  Plus, without wisdom, no matter how marvelous a mortal we might be, we are nothing.  Without wisdom we are nothing.

Taking a back pain break, and I see that wisdom has been with God from the beginning and is seemingly inseparable and is one with God, and foremost and primary, not to be reduced in function.

Wisdom can be sent from God, and I am convinced He sent it to you a long time ago, perhaps a gift when you were in your mother's womb, or sent with on-going updates and additions to the power and breadth of wisdom.

Regardless, I find it fascinating how crucial is wisdom and that union with God could not occur without the person seeking union having wisdom, as God is Love but wisdom right in there, deep in and exuding from God in All Three Persons.

Also, wisdom is so integral with God that wisdom understands what pleases God; and wisdom always conforms with God's will and desires.  So this makes it marvelous, and I have observed the fruits of wisdom in your life and person over the now ten or nine years, I think it is, that we have known each other.

Wisdom guides a person, and wisdom lets the person know what is pleasing to God so that the person then pleases God and understands more of God's will.

Since wisdom knows and understands all things and guides the person prudently, wisdom in a person lends to a peaceful and tranquil life--a life pleasing to God and to others, with the peace of Christ and remaining in His love very solid.

Just a few more thoughts.  I admit that I, about fifteen or so minutes ago, did pray and ask God to send wisdom to me through the Holy Spirit.  I'd love to have even an ounce of the wisdom you've been given!  I need wisdom, I realize very much, and it is kind of ironic how the coming upon the ninth chapter of wisdom, as a result of feeling the nudge to look at the Book of Wisdom for this novena, that wisdom came to the fore of gifts and attributes you possess--and no doubt God wanted me to see my lack thereof!

He has such a sense of humor, does God!  Keeps things light and flowing, does God's humor.

I find it amazing that until this and thinking of you in overall virtue and of how wisdom so stands out, that I did not realize how vital is wisdom.  It is from wisdom sent by God through the Holy Spirit, that "paths of people on earth" (who possess wisdom!) are made straight, that people know what pleases God, and that they are saved by "Wisdom."  So is Wisdom that ultimately integral with God?  Must be!  It is the first gift, I think, that is mentioned as a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Those without wisdom, though, have a rough time of it.  Wisdom does seem necessary in order to have union with God, Christ--in the Holy Spirit.  Wisdom is very supernatural as a gift, it surely seems.  it is important to ask for it and to really desire to have wisdom, and then if one is blessed to receive wisdom, to appreciate and put it into holy effect.

Wow, you are so blessed, K!  Thanks to you and seeing the wisdom in you, my path might be made more straight and I will better know how to please God and to be saved by Wisdom, by realizing how important to ask for Wisdom and wait for the Holy Spirit in faith to receive Wisdom!

Thank God and thank you!