In the readings from Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31 and John 19:25-27, we are invited to contemplate the profound mysteries of wisdom and motherhood, both of which find their perfect fulfillment in the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we reflect on these passages, particularly in the spirit of Feria V after the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, we find ourselves drawn into the rich tradition of the Church Fathers, who have long meditated on these themes with deep reverence and insight.
Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31: The Fountain of Wisdom
Ecclesiasticus, or Sirach, is a book brimming with wisdom, often personified in a way that has led the Church to see in it a prefiguration of Christ and His Blessed Mother. In chapter 24, verses 23-31, we encounter a passage that speaks of wisdom as a divine gift, flowing abundantly like a river, reaching the farthest corners of the earth, and filling all things with understanding. This wisdom is described as coming from God Himself, and those who embrace it are promised to “never faint nor weary, nor shall they ever desert their works.”
The Church Fathers saw in this personification of wisdom a figure of Mary, who is the Seat of Wisdom, the one through whom Eternal Wisdom entered the world. St. Ambrose, in his Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, emphasizes Mary’s role in the Incarnation, stating that in her, the Wisdom of God took flesh and dwelt among us. The rivers of wisdom flowing from her can be seen as the graces that she dispenses to the faithful, leading them ever closer to her Son.
Moreover, St. Bernard of Clairvaux in his Sermons on the Song of Songs often expounded on the idea that Mary, in her humility and purity, became the channel through which the divine wisdom, Christ Himself, entered the world. Her soul magnifies the Lord, and her very being becomes a source of wisdom and grace for the Church.
John 19:25-27: The New Eve at the Foot of the Cross
Turning to the Gospel of John, we find ourselves at the foot of the Cross, where Mary, the Mother of Jesus, stands in silent sorrow. With her are her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. The beloved disciple is also there, and it is to him that Jesus entrusts His Mother, saying, “Woman, behold thy son!” and to the disciple, “Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26-27).
This scene is rich with theological significance. The Church Fathers, such as St. Irenaeus of Lyons and St. Augustine, have long interpreted Mary’s presence at the Cross as the New Eve, standing in contrast to the first Eve who, by her disobedience, brought sin into the world. St. Irenaeus, in his Against Heresies, speaks of Mary’s obedience as the undoing of Eve’s disobedience, highlighting that just as death came through a woman, so too does life.
At the Cross, Jesus entrusts Mary to the beloved disciple, and in this act, the Church sees the establishment of Mary’s spiritual motherhood over all Christians. St. John Chrysostom, in his homilies on the Gospel of John, sees in the beloved disciple a symbol of the Church, which from that moment onward is entrusted to the maternal care of Mary. This is not just a legal or familial arrangement; it is a deeply spiritual reality where Mary becomes the Mother of all who are in Christ.
The Interplay of Wisdom and Motherhood
As we meditate on these readings, we are drawn into a deeper understanding of how the Blessed Virgin Mary embodies both divine wisdom and maternal care. The wisdom of God, which flows like a river in Ecclesiasticus, finds its fullest expression in Christ, and Mary is the vessel through which this wisdom enters the world. At the Cross, we see this wisdom coupled with profound love and sacrifice, as Mary stands as the New Eve, the mother of all who live by the Spirit.
The Fathers of the Church remind us that to turn to Mary is to turn to the source of divine wisdom, and to place ourselves under her maternal care is to align ourselves with the will of her Son. St. Alphonsus Liguori, in his Glories of Mary, speaks of Mary’s role as our advocate and intercessor, always leading us to deeper union with Christ. Her wisdom is not her own, but a reflection of the divine light, which she magnifies and distributes to all who seek her intercession.
Conclusion: A Call to Embrace Wisdom and Maternal Care
On this Feria V after the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, let us, like the beloved disciple, take Mary into our homes, into our hearts, and allow her wisdom to guide us. Let us draw from the fountain of wisdom that she offers, and rest under her maternal protection. In doing so, we participate in the divine life that Christ offers us, and we become true children of Mary, who leads us unfailingly to her Son, the Eternal Wisdom.
In the words of St. Bernard, “Let us not be afraid of approaching her; let us rather seek her intercession with all our hearts, for she is the Mediatrix of grace, the Star of the Sea guiding us safely to the harbor of salvation.” Through her, wisdom and motherhood are perfectly united, bringing us ever closer to the heart of God.