In the traditional liturgical calendar, Friday in the 20th week after the Octave of Pentecost presents us with readings that are rich in wisdom and contemplation. Today, we reflect upon the relationship between divine wisdom and the Holy Family, focusing on Sirach 24:23-31 and Luke 2:43-51. These passages offer profound insights when considered in light of the teachings of the Church Fathers, shedding light on the nature of Christ and the role of His mother, Mary, within the economy of salvation.
Sirach 24:23-31: The Overflow of Divine Wisdom
The passage from Sirach speaks of divine wisdom, which “pours out instruction like prophecy and bestows a heritage on those who love her” (Sirach 24:31). In this sacred text, we hear Wisdom herself proclaiming her manifold blessings, likened to rivers and streams that flow into the ocean of God’s boundless grace. She plants herself in Israel and takes root in the chosen people, flourishing with life-giving abundance.
St. Ambrose, commenting on the nature of divine wisdom, writes that Wisdom is the “eternal Word of God, through whom all things were made.” The Church Fathers frequently identified this wisdom with Christ Himself, who is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24). In Christ, divine wisdom is not only revealed but also made incarnate, dwelling among us. This passage in Sirach, therefore, foreshadows the Incarnation, where wisdom takes flesh in the Virgin Mary and brings salvation to mankind.
St. Augustine, in his reflections on wisdom, explains that “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ” (Col 2:3), emphasizing that to love divine wisdom is to love Christ. In Sirach, wisdom flows abundantly, signifying how God’s grace overflows to those who seek Him. Just as a river’s waters enrich all they touch, Christ’s wisdom nourishes the souls of believers, granting them knowledge, holiness, and eternal life.
Luke 2:43-51: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
The Gospel passage from Luke recounts the episode where the twelve-year-old Jesus remains in the Temple after the Passover pilgrimage, unbeknownst to Mary and Joseph. Upon finding Him three days later, Mary says, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress” (Luke 2:48). Jesus responds, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).
This scene is pivotal, revealing both the humanity and divinity of Christ. As a child, He participates fully in the human experience, even in causing His parents concern. Yet, in His divine wisdom, He remains unwaveringly committed to His Father’s will, foreshadowing the obedience that will culminate in His Passion.
The Church Fathers saw in this episode profound theological significance. St. Cyril of Alexandria emphasizes that Christ, even as a child, is conscious of His divine mission. His “being about His Father’s business” refers not merely to His presence in the Temple but to His entire life’s purpose: to bring salvation. St. Bede the Venerable, in his commentary on Luke, observes that Christ’s staying behind in the Temple symbolizes His role as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. The Temple, as the earthly dwelling place of God, becomes the setting where Jesus first publicly acknowledges His divine Sonship, pointing forward to the time when His Body will become the true Temple through His death and Resurrection.
The three days of searching also foreshadow the three days between Christ’s death and Resurrection. As Mary and Joseph searched in sorrow, so too would the disciples mourn before finding Christ gloriously risen on the third day. St. Ambrose speaks of Mary’s sorrow in losing Jesus as a prefiguration of the sorrow she would experience at the foot of the Cross. Yet, just as her joy was restored in finding Him in the Temple, so would her joy be complete in His Resurrection.
The Intersection of Wisdom and the Holy Family
When we meditate on these two passages together, we see the intertwining of divine wisdom and the mystery of the Incarnation. Sirach presents wisdom as flowing abundantly to those who love her. In the person of Christ, this wisdom becomes incarnate, dwelling not just in the Temple of Jerusalem but in the very flesh and blood of Jesus. The finding of Christ in the Temple, therefore, is not merely a reunion of a mother and son, but a revelation of divine wisdom living among us.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, who embodies the love of divine wisdom, is shown in her unique role as the Mother of God, participating in the mysteries of her Son’s mission. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, meditating on Mary’s wisdom, teaches that her searching for Jesus was not a lack of faith but a deepening of understanding. He writes that “Mary sought Him with her whole heart, and so she found Him.” Her search is symbolic of the soul’s longing for union with Christ, which can only be fulfilled in total submission to the divine will.
In the liturgical spirit of Feria Sexta, we are invited to contemplate how Christ, the wisdom of God, is made manifest in our lives. Like Mary, we are called to seek Him with our whole hearts, trusting that even in moments of sorrow and confusion, He is ever-present, guiding us to the fullness of truth. Wisdom, as Sirach teaches, pours out upon those who love her—just as Christ bestows His grace upon those who seek Him.
Let us, therefore, align our hearts with Mary and Joseph, ever seeking Jesus in the temple of our souls, and trusting in the overflowing wisdom and grace that He so generously gives to those who love Him.
As St. Augustine reminds us, “Let us search for Christ, who is the wisdom of God, so that we may be found by Him, in whom alone is true rest.”