In the spirit of the Feria III after the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, we are invited to meditate deeply on the scriptures of Ecclus 39:6-14 and Matthew 5:13-19. These passages together highlight the characteristics of the righteous, who are called to embody wisdom, bring forth good works, and be a light to the world.
The Wisdom of the Righteous (Ecclus 39:6-14)
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 39:6-14 provides a profound depiction of the man who devotes himself to the study of divine wisdom. The passage paints a picture of the righteous man as one who meditates on the Law of the Lord, giving his heart to the understanding of holy things. His life is marked by a constant seeking of divine wisdom, which results in his utterances being filled with prudence and righteousness.
St. Augustine, reflecting on the pursuit of divine wisdom, writes, “Let us seek with all desire to understand, for that very desire leads us to God. A wise man is one who, by the love of wisdom, has become wise, for true wisdom is to delight in the truth of God” (Enchiridion, Ch. 8). Augustine here echoes the passage’s emphasis on the relationship between the soul’s love for wisdom and its growth in understanding and holiness.
As the text unfolds, it describes the righteous man as a spring, overflowing with wisdom like a fountain of pure water. His wisdom is not kept hidden but spreads outwards, enriching others with the knowledge and fear of the Lord. This image reminds us of St. Thomas Aquinas’ teaching that wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit, which perfects the virtue of charity and guides the soul in the path of righteousness (Summa Theologica, II-II, Q. 45, Art. 6). The wisdom of the righteous, therefore, is not merely intellectual knowledge but is deeply connected with the love of God and neighbor, manifesting in actions that glorify God.
The Light of the World (Matthew 5:13-19)
In Matthew 5:13-19, Christ calls His disciples to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He warns that if salt loses its savor, it is good for nothing. Similarly, a lamp is not lit to be hidden under a bushel but is placed on a stand to give light to all in the house. These metaphors convey the essential mission of Christians: to preserve the world from moral decay and to shine forth the truth and love of God in a world darkened by sin.
St. John Chrysostom, in his homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, interprets the salt and light as symbols of the apostles’ role in the world. He writes, “You are the salt of the earth. By these words, He shows the great necessity of their preaching. For in saying, ‘You are the salt of the earth,’ He implies that all mankind is of itself insipid and has lost its savor, and it is by their means that the taste of virtue is restored” (Homily 15 on Matthew). Chrysostom underscores the responsibility placed upon the disciples—and by extension, all Christians—to maintain the integrity of their faith and to be agents of spiritual preservation and enlightenment in the world.
Moreover, the passage culminates in Christ’s affirmation of the enduring validity of the Law. He states that He has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. St. Augustine, in his writings on the Sermon on the Mount, explains that the fulfillment of the Law comes through the perfect love that Christ exemplifies and commands (De Sermone Domini in Monte, Bk. 1, Ch. 17). Thus, the call to be the salt and light is not merely a call to external observance but to the deep, interior transformation that conforms one’s heart to the will of God.
A Unified Call to Holiness
Together, these passages present a unified call to holiness. The wisdom described in Ecclesiasticus is not static; it is dynamic, overflowing into the world in the form of righteous actions, much like the light that Christ calls His followers to be. The wise man, filled with the fear of the Lord, naturally becomes a beacon of truth, much like the apostles who, as salt and light, bring the savor and illumination of the Gospel to a world in need.
As we meditate on these scriptures, let us remember the words of St. Gregory the Great, who teaches that true wisdom is inseparable from humility and service: “The more the soul is filled with divine grace, the more it pours itself out in works of charity” (Homily on the Gospels, 34). In this time after Pentecost, may we be inspired to deepen our pursuit of divine wisdom, allowing it to transform our lives so that we may faithfully fulfill our call to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, shining forth the love and truth of God in all