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Ordinary Time · Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time · Year C

Wisdom 9:13-18b

Who Can Know the Counsel of God?

September 10, 2028

The Judgment of Solomon, Nicolas Poussin
The Judgment of Solomon, Nicolas Poussin, 1649Musée du Louvre
Poussin's own favourite among his paintings. The composition is exactly symmetrical, with the king at the apex, the true mother reaching left and the false one pointing right.I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. Wisdom asks for discernment; this is the most famous instance of it.Nicolas PoussinA French painter who lived almost entirely in Rome, building his compositions from wax figures in a box, and became the model of classical order.Musée du LouvreThe former royal palace of France, opened as a public museum in 1793 after the Revolution, and now the most visited museum in the world.Musée du Louvre
Roman Lectionary
GospelLuke 14:25-33Lk 14:25-33
Second ReadingPhlm. 1:9-10, 12-17Phlm 1:9-10, 12-17
First ReadingWis. 9:13-18bWis 9:13-18b
Responsorial PsalmPs. 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17 (1)Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17 (1)

Overview & Insights

"Who can learn the counsel of God? Or who can discern what the Lord wills?" (Wisdom 9:13)

Solomon's prayer for wisdom confesses that human reasoning alone cannot grasp God's plans, since even earthly things are barely worked out with difficulty, and asks God to send holy Wisdom from heaven to guide and save.

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Commentary

Wisdom 9 (Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary)Wis 9 (Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary) StudyLight

The main verse-by-verse Catholic commentary available online for this deuterocanonical chapter.

Wisdom of Solomon 9Wis 9 BibleHub

Lays the Greek and English text of the chapter side by side for word study.

Wisdom 9 (Haydock)Wis 9 (Haydock) Haydock Commentary

A classic Douay-Rheims Catholic commentary, one of the few that treats the deuterocanonical books verse by verse.

Background & Word Study

Wisdom of Solomon 9:13Wis 9:13 Sefaria

Gives the Greek text of Solomon's prayer for wisdom alongside a translation.

Wisdom 9 (Douay-Rheims)Wis 9 (Douay-Rheims) New Advent · Catholic Encyclopedia

The Douay-Rheims text side by side with the Vulgate, useful for the wording this lectionary follows.

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