True Wealth in Mary

In the Mass today (28th Sunday of Ordinary Time), we heard a beautiful Scripture in the First Reading regarding Wisdom:

I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones;
compared with her, I held riches as nothing.
I reckoned no priceless stone to be her peer,
for compared with her, all gold is a pinch of sand,
and beside her silver ranks as mud.
I ranked her more than health and beauty,
preferred her to the light,
since her radiance never sleeps.
In her company all good things came to me,
at her hands riches not to be numbered. (Wisdom 7:7-11)

As beautiful as this text is, it is only when we read Sacred Scripture through the eyes of the Church, that we really begin to appreciate its true beauty. In respect of the various Wisdom passages scattered throughout Scripture, this is what the Catechism has to say:

“The Church’s Tradition has often read the most beautiful [Scripture] texts on wisdom in relation to Mary”. (CCC #721).

Now, there is no doubt that through the eyes of the Church the above Scripture is amazingly Marian. To point out just how beautiful this is, consider the following paraphrase with direct reference to Our Blessed Mother:

I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
I esteemed Our Lady more than sceptres and thrones;
compared with Our Lady, I held riches as nothing.
I reckoned no priceless stone to be Our Lady’s peer,
for compared with Our Lady, all gold is a pinch of sand,
and beside Our Lady silver ranks as mud.
I ranked Our Lady more than health and beauty,
preferred Our Lady to the light,
since Our Lady’s radiance never sleeps.
In Our Lady’s company all good things came to me,
at Our Lady’s hands riches not to be numbered.

What struck me particularly as I meditated on this passage was how it relates to the Gospel reading for today (Mk 10:17-30). The First Reading reminds us that compared with Our Lady, wealth and riches are nothing – they are but dust. In the Gospel Reading, our Lord challenges us to be willing to give up all our wealth and riches for the sake of following Him. So how exactly do these two co-relate?

The Saints have constantly taught us and showed us by their lives that the surest way to follow Jesus is to go through Mary. This is because Mary’s directions are always the same – “Do whatever Jesus tells you” (Jn 2:5). When we accept that in comparison to the Blessed Virgin Mary everything else we possess is useless, it is then that we realise that the greatest treasure we could ever have is Our Lady. And this is because Jesus gave her to us to be Our Mother – to unceasingly pray for us; and as our Compass to constantly point us to the True North of Jesus Christ.

This is why Saints like Louis Marie De Montfort and Maximillian Kolbe have recommended that we consecrate ourselves, all that we are and have, to the Blessed Virgin. By doing so, we acknowledge that Christ’s gift to us of His Blessed Mother is worth far more than any temporary gift we have on earth...and when all that we are and have is at the Blessed Mother’s disposal, she will use it to lead souls to Jesus Christ.


Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.