"...words that divine Wisdom communicates are not just ordinary,

[MariaChristi]

1. But the words that eternal Wisdom communicates are not just ordinary, natural, human words; they are divine, “truly the words of God” (1 Thess. 2:13). They are powerful, touching, piercing words, “sharper than a two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12), words that go from the heart of the one through whom He speaks straight to the heart of the listener. Solomon is referring to this gift of Wisdom he himself had received when he said that God gave him the grace to speak according to the feelings of his heart (Wisd. 7:15).
2. These are the words which our Lord promised to His apostles, “I will give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist” (Lk. 21:15). How few preachers there are today who possess this most wonderful gift of eloquence and who can say with St Paul, “We preach the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 2:7). Most of them speak according to the natural light of their minds, or from what they have taken from books. They do not speak under the impulse of eternal Wisdom or from a heart filled to overflowing with wisdom (Mt. 12:34). That is why in these times we see so few conversions made through preaching. If a preacher had truly received from eternal Wisdom this gift of eloquence, his listeners would hardly be able to resist his words, as happened in the early days of the Church: “They could not resist the wisdom and the Spirit speaking in him” (Acts 6:10). Such a preacher would speak with so much unction and such authority (Mk. 1:22) that his words could never be ineffectual and void (cf. Is. 55:10-11).

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On this Feast of the Visitation of Our Blessed Mother to her cousin Elizabeth, let us pray especially to Mary, Mother and Model of the Church for priests and people. May those ordained to preach, be given ongoing conversion in their hearts, that they may share with the people in their parishes and Dioceses and indeed with all the world, God’s Holy Word of Truth.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful as you filled the heart of Mary with the Eternal Word Incarnate. May we bring Jesus spirituallly, as Mary brought Him physically into the world.