Wisdom

For wisdom is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness.
Although she is but one, she can do all things,
and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
in every generation she passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;
for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.
She is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light she is found to be superior,
for it is succeeded by the night,
but against wisdom evil does not prevail.
She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.
Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1


Wisdom

Carrying the heaviest load
laughing with delight in the sun
she bends for love and children
and breathing for the passing elders
she lights a candle in their night rooms.


She watches and sings lullabies
knowing love and tender nurture conquers all
she leans into the winds and smiles
for God breathes with her morning and night.


Dancing when the morning begins
tears flowing for the fallen
taking aim at all the shallow
truth ignoring power mongers
she huddles with the homeless on the street.


She watches and sings lullabies
knowing love and tender nurture conquers all
she leans into the winds and smiles
for God breathes with her morning and night.


Wisdom dark and brooding she
waits anonymous in the crowd for the clarion
the cry of need and hope to sound
lighting again the torch of joy and peace.


She watches and sings lullabies
knowing love and tender nurture conquers all
she leans into the winds and smiles
for God breathes with her morning and night.


There is no light of morning without wisdom
who teaches us to sleep and rest
who shows us how to skip stones and wait
and holds us as we wail and mourn.


She watches and sings lullabies
knowing love and tender nurture conquers all
she leans into the winds and smiles
for God breathes with her morning and night.


There are kisses on her lips forgiveness
in her heart she is willing always
to make one more journey with another soul
always walking to the light.


She watches and sings lullabies
knowing love and tender nurture conquers all
she leans into the winds and smiles
for God breathes with her morning and night.


Might and power she understands
and setting them aside she sits down
with the children in the dust and dirt
and bends in the field with day laborers.


She watches and sings lullabies
knowing love and tender nurture conquers all
she leans into the winds and smiles
for God breathes with her morning and night.





The Collect

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.