A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom: Sr. Teresa Joseph, OP

Blessed Henry Suso (1295-1366), a Dominican monk with a reputation of sanctity,

begins his book, originally written in German, by inviting the reader to listen, with him, to Eternal Wisdom speaking to a soul – which we presume to be himself – as the soul learns how pleasing it is to God to meditate on the Passion and sufferings of Jesus Christ. Suso promises, in the first part of his book, that the “heart will needs be deeply moved either to fervent love, or to new light, or to a yearning towards God, and abhorrence of sin, or else to some spiritual request, wherein the soul will presently be renewed in grace.”[1] Encouraged by this promise, the reader plunges into a series of meditations, especially appropriate for any soul seeking a deeper life of prayer which will unite the soul to the God. Eternal Wisdom engages the eager soul and says, “If thou art wishful to behold Me in My uncreated Divinity, thou must learn how to know and love Me here in My suffering humanity, for this is the speediest way to eternal salvation.”[2]

         

   In the following chapters, the reader savors a detailed meditation of the sufferings, crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ, Eternal Wisdom. As we read, we are made participators in a dialogue between the Servant (Bl. Henry Suso) and Eternal Wisdom. The manifestation of the Savior’s love in each step of His torments elicits from the Servant true sorrow and contrition for his former negligence and tepidity in prayer, and the reader is naturally drawn to make a similar examination of conscience at the sight of such love and suffering. When the Servant begins to falter and despair of his past sins, Eternal Wisdom reassures him: “It is I, the sweet Eternal Wisdom, who became wretched and poor that I might guide thee back again to thy dignity. It is I, Who suffered bitter death that I might bring thee again to life.”[3] Oh, what an exchange! His death for our life! 

  Eternal Wisdom continues, in the next chapters, narrating what He felt and saw from the Cross, how deceitful the world is and how lovable God is, and how ready God is to pardon the repentant soul. Then follows a sort of schooling in the spiritual life. God sometimes withdraws from a soul to test and strengthen her patience. “He who would enjoy God’s intimacy,” whispers Eternal Wisdom, “who would hear His mysterious words, and mark their secret meaning, ought always to keep within doors.”[4] The interior life of attentive adoration will lead the Servant to understand how sufferings, lovingly embraced and united to those of Eternal Wisdom, make his life pleasing to God. But these sufferings will be short in duration, for the soul then learns about the joys of heaven reserved for those who lovingly endure trials on earth. “How brightly will not then the crown shine that here below is gained with such bitterness! How exquisitely beautiful will not the wounds and marks glitter, which here below are received from My love!”[5] The Servant is lured on to question Eternal Wisdom regarding the nature and bliss of living in God’s friendship for all eternity. We, the readers, benefit from the Servant’s pious boldness, and eagerly forge ahead in the reading, which returns to considerations on the Passion of our Savior. Not a hasty, but a heartfelt and loving meditation proves most profitable, says Eternal Wisdom.[6]  With a child’s instinct, the Servant beseeches Mary, the “Pure Lady and noble Queen of Heaven and Earth” to “touch [his] stony heart.”[7] She recounts what she saw, heard and felt at the foot of the Cross, in order to move the Servant’s heart and soul to a more devout and profitable meditation. 

In the second part, Eternal Wisdom completes his lessons. “I will teach thee to die and will teach thee to live. I will teach thee to receive Me lovingly, and will teach thee to praise Me lovingly.”[8] What more could a soul ask than to be taught by Wisdom Himself the path to eternal bliss? He reiterates the necessity of living a life that is interior and Godly, that is upheld and strengthened by the reception of His Holy Body in the Eucharist, and that sings without ceasing the praises of the Godhead. 

                       The third and final part of the book contains practical points of meditation to guide the fervent soul who wishes to enter into this interior school by meditating on the Passion of Eternal Wisdom incarnate. The Servant encourages readers who have been touched by the preceding pages “to be thankful for His manifold sufferings, learn by heart the hundred choice meditations which hereafter follow, severally, … and go over them devoutly every day.”[9] In this way, he and the reader will taste the sweetness of God who teaches us ardently to love and seek Eternal Wisdom, in these words: “Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth, and have desired to take her for my spouse, and I became a lover of her beauty.” (Wisdom 8:2)[10]

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[1] Henry Suso, A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom (London: Burns, Oates, & Washbourne, 1910), PDF from Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org, p.12. 

[2] Suso, A Little Book, 16.

[3] Suso, A Little Book, 24.

[4] Suso, A Little Book, 38. 

[5] Suso, A Little Book, 42.

[6] Suso, A Little Book, 51.

[7] Suso, A Little Book, 59. 

[8] Suso, A Little Book, 68.

[9] Suso, A Little Book, 90.

[10] Suso, A Little Book, 15.
All images from Google images: Henry Suso, A Little Book of Eternal Wisdom, https://www.google.com/search?q=henry+suso,+little+book+of+eternal+wisdom&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjIsMC8yOzgAhVOfysKHaupDIsQ_AUIDigB&biw=1266&bih=618&dpr=2