Over the decades, I have amassed a pretty decent collection of hymnal and missals—jammed into three double- and triple-loaded shelves. (“Enough bookshelves” is my very own oxymoron.) I’ve spent a couple of hours now, checking subject indexes for hymns or songs that would bring out today’s First Reading from Proverbs, and they’re really hard to find. Some have “wisdom” in the title or are listed in the index, but they’re not quite on point.
Probably the best I encountered was WLP’s “Wisdom’s Feast,” with a graceful text by Omer Westendorf and music by Jerry Brubaker. The refrain ends, “We all are one at Wisdom’s holy feast.” The first verse is:
Wisdom calls throughout the city,
Knows our hunger, and in pity,
Gives her loving invitation
To the banquet of salvation.
—quite a departure from Scripture’s usual emphasis on males.
Another possibility is OCP’s “God’s Wisdom Spreads Her Table Well,” with text by Genevieve Glen and tune by Kevin Keil.
But Wisdom is more than a caterer for the heavenly feast. Try reading Proverbs again—at least chapters 1–9. Note that Wisdom is always portrayed as female—quite a departure from Scripture’s usual emphasis on males. Wisdom is portrayed as better than silver or gold, more precious than jewels. Then look at how Wisdom is described in in the book of the Wisdom of Solomon, 8:2–9:18. Beautiful and desirable, she is always just beyond her suitors’ grasp, so their search will be lifelong. The feast is a metaphor for the fulfillment of that search.
In WLP’s One in Faith hymnal is a little gem called “Wisdom, My Road,” with text adapted from Sirach by Steve Warner and music by Leslie Palmer Barnhart.
Obviously we need more “wisdom” songs.
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from Religious Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C).
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