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DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
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Wisdom Selections A (11/12-11/25) Second Vesperal Reading: Saint John Chrysostom
Wisdom Selections-A SAAS: Proverbs of Solomon 10:32-33; 11:2; 10:2; 11:6, 19; 13:2; Wisdom of Sirach 3:18; Proverbs of Solomon 15:2; 14:34; 22:11; Ecclesiastes 8:1; Proverbs of Solomon 17:24; Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16; 7:30; 8:2-5, 7-8, 21; 9:1-5,10,14
Second Vesperal Reading: Feast of a Holy Hierarch
Second Vesperal Reading: Saint John Chrysostom 11/13
Third Vesperal Reading: Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ; and Basil the Great 1/1
Pr 10:32 The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom
Pr 10:33 The lips of righteous men distill grace
Pr 11:2 But the mouth of the humble meditates on wisdom
Pr 10:2 And righteousness delivers from death
Pr 11:6 When a righteous man dies, his hope does not perish
Pr 11:19 For a righteous son is born unto life, and
Pr 13:2 A good man eats from the fruits of righteousness
WSir 3:18 And...will find grace before the Lord
Pr 15:2 The tongue of the wise understands good things
Pr 14:34 And there is wisdom in the good heart of a man
Pr 22:12 The Lord loves holy hearts, and all the blameless are acceptable to Him
Eccl 8:1 A man’s wisdom makes his face shine
WSol 6:12 Wisdom is radiant and unfading and is easily perceived by those who love her
WSol 6:13 She comes upon those who long to know her beforehand
WSol 6:14 He who rises early in the morning to seek her will not grow weary
WSol 6:15 And he who keeps watch for her will soon be free from worry
WSol 6:16 Because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she appears to them favorably in their paths
WSol 7:30 While night succeeds the light...evil cannot overcome wisdom
WSol 8:2 Wherefore I loved her and sought her from my youth, and desired to take her as a bride for myself
WSol 8:3 And the Master of all loves her
WSol 8:4 For she is the initiate of the knowledge of God and one who chooses His works
WSol 8:5 What is richer than wisdom who works all things
WSol 8:7 For wisdom teaches self-control, discernment, righteousness, and courage, concerning which things there is nothing more valuable in the life of man
WSol 8:8 But also, if anyone longs for great experience, she knows the things of old and portrays the tings to come; she understands subtlety of words and the solution of riddles; she has foreknowledge of signs and wonders and the outcomes of times and seasons
WSol 8:21 So I entreated the Lord and besought Him, and with all my heart, I said,
WSol 9:1 O God of our fathers and the Lord of mercy, Who made all things by Your word
WSol 9:2 And in Your wisdom built a man, that by You he might be the master of what is created,
WSol 9:3 And manage the world in holiness and righteousness, and pass judgment with uprightness of soul
WSol 9:4 Give me the wisdom that sits by Your throne, and do not reject me from among Your servants;
WSol 9:5 Because I am Your servant and the son of Your maidservant, a weak man and lasting but a short time, and inferior in the understanding of judgment and laws.
WSol 9:10 Send her forth from Your holy heavens, and send her from Your glorious throne, that she might be present with me and labor and that I might know what is well-pleasing to You
WSol 9:14 For the reasoning of mortals is cowardly, and our intents are unsafe
Proverbs of Solomon 10:32-33; 11:2; 10:2; 11:7, 19; 13:2, 9; 15:2; 14:33; 16:33; 22:11; 17:24;
Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-16; 7:30; 8:2-4, 7-9, 13, 18, 21; 9:1-5,10-11,14 (Brenton Translation).
Second Reading at the Vespers of the Feast of Saint John Chrysostom
Second Reading at Vespers for a Holy Hierarch
Third Reading at the Vespers of Basil the Great and the Circumcision of Christ.
Prov. 10:32 The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom,
but the tongue of an unrighteous man utterly destroys.
10:33 The lips of righteous men distill grace: but the mouth of the ungodly is perverse.
11:2 Wherever arrogance enters, there also is dishonor,
but the mouth of the humble meditates on wisdom
10:2 Treasures do not benefit lawless men: but righteousness shall deliver from death.
11:7 At the death of a just man his hope does not perish:
but the boast of the ungodly perishes.
11:19 A righteous son is born for life: but the persecution of the ungodly ends in death.
13:2 A good man shall eat the fruits of righteousness: but the lives of transgressors shall perish before their time.
13:9 The righteous always have light: but the light of the ungodly is quenched. Crafty souls go astray in sins: but just men pity and are merciful.
15:2 The tongue of the wise knows what is good: but the mouth of the foolish tells out evil things.
14:33 There is wisdom in the good heart of a man: but in the heart of fools it is not discerned.
16:33 The fear of the Lord is instruction and wisdom: and the highest honor will correspond therewith. All the works of the humble man are manifest with God; but the ungodly shall perish in an evil day.
22:11 The Lord loves holy hearts, and all blameless persons are acceptable with Him: a king rules with his lips.
17:24 The countenance of a wise man is sensible; but the eyes of a fool go to the ends of the earth
Wis. 6:12. Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.
6:13 She precedeth them that desire her, in making herself first known unto them.
6:14 Whoso seeketh her early shall have no great travail: for he shall find her sitting at his doors.
6:15 To think therefore upon her is the perfection of wisdom: and whoso watcheth for her shall quickly be without care.
6:16 For she goeth about seeking such as are worthy of her, sheweth herself favorable unto them in their ways, and meeteth them in every thought.
7:30 For after this cometh night: but vice shall not prevail against wisdom.
8:2 I loved her, and sought her out from my youth, I desired to make her my spouse, and I was a lover of her beauty.
8:3 In that she is conversant with God, she magnifieth her nobility: yea, the Lord of all things Himself loved her.
8:4 For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of His works.
8:7 And if a man love righteousness, her labors are virtues: for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude: which are such things, as men can have nothing more profitable in their life.
8:8 If a man desire much experience, she knoweth things of old, and conjectureth aright what is to come; she knoweth the subtleties of speeches, and can expound dark sentences: she forseeth signs and wonders, and events of seasons and times.
8:9 Therefore I purposed to take her to me to live with me, knowing that she would be a counselor of good things, and a comfort in cares and grief.
8:13 Moreover by the means of her I shall obtain immortality, and leave behind me an everlasting memorial to them that come after me.
8:18 And great pleasure it is to have her friendship; and in the works of her hands are infinite riches; and in the exercise of conference with her, prudence; and in talking with her, a good report; I went about seeking how to take her to me.
8:21 Nevertheless, when I perceived that I could not otherwise obtain her, except God gave her me; and that was a point of wisdom also to know Whose gift she was; I prayed unto the Lord, and besought Him, and with my whole heart I said,
9:1 O God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, Who hast made all things with Thy word,
9:2 and ordained man through Thy wisdom, that he should have dominion over the creatures which Thou hast made,
9:3 and ordered the world according to equity and righteousness, and execute judgment with an upright heart:
9:4 give me wisdom, that sitteth by Thy throne; and reject me not from among Thy children.
9:5 for I Thy servant and son of Thy handmaid am a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws.
9:10 O send her out of Thy holy heavens, and from the throne of Thy glory, that being present she may labor with me, that I may know what is pleasing unto Thee.
9:11 For she knoweth and understandeth all things, and she shall lead me soberly in my doings, and preserve me in her power.
9:14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.
Saint John Chrysostom~Early Days: Wisdom Selections A, especially Pr. 10:32; WSol. 8:21: “The mouth of a righteous man distills wisdom....so I entreated the Lord and besought Him, and with all my heart....” Saint John Chrysostom was born in AD 347 in the great, ancient city of Antioch within Roman Syria, a city that today lies just inside modern-day Turkey. His mother, widowed in her early twenties, devoted herself to him, refusing further prospects of marriage.
Following elementary schooling, the young John received the traditional training in the classics of the pagan Greek poets, writers, and orators. He continued in advanced studies under the tutelage of the famous and distinguished professor of rhetoric, Libanios, a convinced pagan who was also a friend and an admirer of the apostate Emperor Julian. Like John’s father before him, the maturing student seemed destined to pursue a career in government service.
However, as he completed his studies with Libanios, a marked change occurred in John’s interests. The selected verses that form the present reading, being drawn from the Scriptural books of Wisdom, capture the spirit of the change in Saint John. He longed to know wisdom (see WSol. 6:12-14) from his ardent study in the Holy Scriptures. His new interest came to him mostly because of the influence of Bishop Meletios the Confessor, who served the majority of the Christians in Antioch. Appropriately, it was from him that the young student sought Baptism.
The next group of verses are statements in the first person (WSol. 8:2-21). They give voice to those, like Saint John, who are drawn to Holy Wisdom: “I loved her and sought her from my youth, and desired to take her as a bride for myself” (WSol. 8:2). The reading ends with a prayer useful to all lovers of Divine Wisdom (WSol. 9:1-14).
The principal point in the first group of verses from the Wisdom of Solomon is that the initiative for a relationship between wisdom and those who desire her, lies with wisdom. For Wisdom “...is easily perceived by those that love her” (WSol. 6:12) and found by all who seek her, for “she comes upon those who long to know her...” (WSol. 6:13). God actively reaches out to mankind, a truth well known to the faithful. He encourages everyone to apply the name ‘Wisdom’ to Christ our God and to God the Holy Spirit, as well. As the Apostle Paul says of the Lord Jesus: “...while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). That the initiative in the Divine-human relationship lies with God the Holy Spirit is plain, for Paul also says that the “...Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Cor. 12:11). Hence, “...he who keeps watch for her will soon be free from worry” (WSol. 6:15).
In the next group of verses (WSol. 8:2-21), we are given a ready glimpse into the mind of those who earnestly search for Divine wisdom: “I loved her and sought her from my youth” (WSol. 8:2). The spiritual explorer becomes infatuated with wisdom, for “she is the initiate of the knowledge of God” (WSol. 8:4). Being ‘of God,’ Wisdom knows His mysteries and loves His works, and, in turn, Wisdom’s disciples learn the virtues of “...self-control, discernment, righteousness, and courage...” (vs. 8:7). Thus we see how the young Saint John was led until he “...entreated the Lord and besought Him, and with all [his] heart” (vs. 8:21) and was baptized.
Can you not hear the young Saint John crying to the Lord, “Give me the wisdom that sits by Your throne, and do not reject me from among Your servants...” (vs. 9:4)? The Saint’s prayer was heard, as his life discloses. From his early days, the Wisdom from on high led the Saint in labor so that he learned thoroughly what is well-pleasing to God (vs. 9:10).
O Giver of life, Thou Fount of all wisdom, give unto us, thine unworthy servants, the grace that Thou hast shed upon the Apostles, the Martyrs and all the Saints in their struggles.
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