Summary of the Morrow's Meditation
After having considered the nature and excellence of Christian wisdom, we will meditate tomorrow upon its signs or characteristics, and we shall see: 1st, what it is in itself; 2nd, what it is in its relations with our neighbor. We will then make the resolution: 1st, often to ask God for Christian wisdom, and to examine ourselves frequently during the day, especially when the clock strikes, to see whether our actions, our words, and our sentiments bear the characteristics of it; 2nd, to maintain ourselves in an habitual spirit of recollection, in which alone true wisdom dwells. Our spiritual nosegay shall be the invocation to the Blessed Virgin, as the seat and throne of true wisdom: "Virgin most prudent, seat of wisdom, pray for us."
Meditation for the Morning
Let us adore Our Lord filled with the spirit of God, which is a spirit of wisdom, of understanding, and of counsel (Is. xi. 2). Let us admire His constant attention in following, in all His actions and in all His words, the light of divine wisdom, and let us ask of Him grace to imitate Him.
FIRST POINT
What Christian Wisdom is in Itself.
The Holy Spirit describes it admirably in the epistle of St. James, chapter the third. Above all, he says, it is watchful over itself, that it may always keep itself pure (James iii. 17); it flies occasions which are likely to corrupt it, on that account courageously mortifying its senses, its imagination, its mind, its heart, and keeping itself on its guard against idleness. It is orderly in all things, does everything in the manner which it deems to be the most conformable to the will of God, never anything from caprice; and this makes it live in that heavenly peace which consists in the tranquillity of order (James iii. 17). This beautiful, well-ordered life has as its background a perfect modesty in its behavior, its deportment, and its manner of doing everything; a modesty founded upon the respect of the presence of God, and the desire of leading others to what is right; a humble and docile modesty, which delights to obey, to submit to others its judgment and its will, to take counsel and to follow the good advice given to it (Ibid.). It has great respect for the words of the Holy Ghost: "A wise man shall hear and shall be wiser" (Prov. i. 5); "My son, do thou nothing without counsel" (Ecclus. xxvii. 24); "Counsel shall keep thee, and prudence shall preserve thee" (Prov. ii. 11). Let us examine ourselves, and see whether we possess these characteristics of Christian wisdom.
SECOND POINT
What Christian Wisdom is in its Relations towards our Neighbor.
Christian wisdom, the Holy Spirit also tells us by the mouth of St. James, studies to be on a pleasant footing with every one; with persons who are full of faults, by bearing with them without allowing them to see wherein they are displeasing to it; with the wicked, by trying to bring them over to what is good by its amiable manner of proceeding; with the good, by venerating and cherishing them as the friends of God, rejoicing to see them filled with graces and talents, doing greater things than itself, and excelling in all kinds of virtues; for it does not know the base jealousies which are annoyed by the merits of others and are wounded by the praises given to them. Severe towards itself and indulgent to others, it is ignorant of the spirit of criticism and censure, and is so far from condemning others that it does not even stop to examine their conduct in order to judge them, unless it is obliged to do so (James iii. 17). Lastly, simple in all its relations with its neighbor, it loves candor and frankness, and has a horror of duplicity, slyness, and concealment (Ibid.). Let us examine ourselves by these characteristics, and see if we have Christian wisdom.
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.