The Song of Sophia

Here is a timely, gentler reflection from Fr Eugene Stockton inviting us to contemplate the feminine side of the Divine, Lady Sophia, or Lady Wisdom. She is mentioned often in the books of the Old Testament. In this reflection, Fr Eugene gathers in one place the many ways in which the ancient writers described her presence in the story of our creation, and the story of our hopes and aspirations. These are words to sit with quietly and draw into your innermost spirit. ...Brian Coyne, editor. Second Edition now available from our Books For Sale Collection.

The Song of Sophia

by Fr Eugene Stockton

Who is this playful companion of God in the work of creation, the one who was at the same time the self-expression of the Creator and the masterplan of this creation [Prov. 8:22-31].

This reflection is taken from Fr Eugene's 1998 book, Wonder: A Way to God. The book is now out of print.

Lady Wisdom now invites us to her banquet, where she is our food and drink [Prov. 9:1-6]. Who is this woman who makes her appearance in the Old Testament books of Job, Proverbs, Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon? In biblical commentaries there is scholarly discussion whether Wisdom is divine or created, distinct from God or an emanation, a person or poetic personification, identifiable or not with the Spirit of God. With the Wisdom passages spread out over several books and several hundred years, consistency in detail is not to be expected. Always closely identified with God, she is variously described as the image of God, the voice of God, the divine revelation, the divine summons, the breath of God. She was present with God at the very beginning of creation and played an active role in creation, continuing to be immanent in the ongoing creation. She takes active interest and delight in human affairs, guiding and teaching her children. She invites them to partake of her.

In Proverbs Wisdom addresses humankind as a prophetic word of God, issuing a challenge and imparting the priceless treasure of herself to those in whom 'the fear (i.e. awe and wonder) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'. For Sirach, Wisdom comes forth from the mouth of God (as a word), existing from all ages and for all ages, ranging throughout the whole of creation, but she finds a special dwelling place in Israel, for whom she is her Torah (the Law).

A climax comes in the Wisdom of Solomon, written by a learned Hellenistic Jew, probably a near contemporary of Philo Judaeus, a fellow Alexandrian. More daringly than before she is related radically to God: breath of God’s power, emanation of God’s glory. God's image [7:23- 6] sharing life with God [8:3]. She is God’s presence to the Universe in continuing creation, Mother of all good things, fashioner of all, renewer of all, saviour of Israel [7:10]. Ranging from end to end of the earth, she orders all things well [8:1]. In her is a spirit of all that is good and she penetrates all worthy spirits [7:22-24]. Wisdom, in this climatic revelation, has been summed up as "the Divine Mind immanent within the universe and guiding and controlling all its dynamic operations … (she is) synonymous with Divine Providence". Embedded in this hymn of praise is an account of the love affair of Solomon with Wisdom [7-9], which seems to describe in an intensely personal way the author’s own mystical encounter with her.

The Song of Sophia (Wisdom)

Prov. 8:22-31 in new JB

The Lord created me, first-fruits of his fashioning,
before the oldest of his works.
From everlasting, I was firmly set,
from the beginning, before the earth came into being.
The deep was not, when I was born
nor were the springs with their abounding waters.
Before the mountains were settled,
before the hills, I came to birth;
Before he had made the earth, the countryside,
and the first elements of the world.
When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there,
when he drew a circle on the surface of the deep,
When he thickened the clouds above
when the sources of the deep began to swell,
When he assigned the sea its boundaries
and the waters will not encroach on the shore
When he traced the foundations of the earth,
I was beside him like a little child
Delighting him day after day,
ever at play in his presence,
At play everywhere on his earth
delighting to be with the children of men.