Mother of God Seat of Wisdom 351
by William Hart McNichols
Title
Mother of God Seat of Wisdom 351
Artist
William Hart McNichols
Medium
Painting - Acrylic On Wood
Description
Mother of God Seat of Wisdom
Wisdom is the Cross; the Cross is Wisdom.
St. Louis -Marie Grignion de Montfort
For St Thomas More Catholic Church Coralville, Iowa
(I had no idea that exactly around the time I finished this icon that Pope Leo would come out with his first Encyclical- largely concentrating on Holy Wisdom )
I hate vain thoughts : but Thy law do I love
Psalm 119
My child, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal.
Ecclesiasticus 2 :1
When I was still a youth, before I went traveling, in my prayers I asked outright for Wisdom. Outside the sanctuary I would pray for her, and to the last I shall continue to seek her.
Ecclesiasticus 51 : 13
When I was commissioned to paint/write an icon of Mother of God Seat of Wisdom by the church of St Thomas More (he, himself a wisdom figure ) in Coralville, Iowa, I was overjoyed,because I love this title, along with many evocative titles of Mary, Mother of God Mysical Rose, or Mother of God Enclosed Garden and many many more mostly from the ancient Litany of Our Lady of Loreto.
And even though the icon would be fairly large, 3ft x 4ft, I just couldnt say no, because it sounded like a calling, a vocation, as challenging as any icon Ive ever been asked to take instruction, and to incorporate the ancient symbols scanning the centuries of Catholic Christian symbolism. Which I see is always part of my vocation as an iconographer to help bring up and show forth symbolism not lost, but dormant- artistic symbols that only visual Art can express; like the Mother Pelican, the Church as a ship, or grander even, the Barque of Peter, Mary the Moon or reflected light of Jesus the Son, the dancing flames of Pentecost, of wisdom and the Wounded Hart, or the Taboric Light, etc.etc.As the Servant of God Dorothy Day (herself, another wisdom figure) once said, Youll know your vocation by the joy it gives you.
In this particular icon, using symbols like the border of blossoming flowers of wisdom, Marys scepter of a flaming rose, symbolic of a very different kind of kingdom, and she, herself a throne for the little king, eyes cast down deferring to the Christ Child, Holy Wisdom, and the dancing flames of wisdom, igniting purification and a New Pentecost (Veni, Sancte Spiritus).
Pope St John the XXIII, prayed at the beginning of Vatican Council II, held on 11 October, feast of the Maternity or Pregnancy of the Mother of God
Divine Soirit, renew Your wonders in this our age as in a New Pentecost, and grant that Your Church, praying fervently and insistently with one heart and mind together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and guided by Blessed Peter, may increase the reign of the Divine Savior, the reign of truth and justice, the reign of love and peace.
Amen
Prayer to Mother of God Seat of Wisdom
O Mary Most Holy Mother,
Your lap is the seat of
Hagia Sophia
Christ Our Lord and
Savior,
Holy Wisdom.
As we pray into the Gospels, we can see
every action, every command spoken and unspoken,
every compassionate healing movement,
every loving tilt of His head
up to
His Abba, His Father
Is Wisdom Incarnate.
Teach us O Holy Mother as you continually pondered while watching Him on Earth,
when to be silent and when to act.
Lead us in a life of prayer always to remain in Him
and in humility, and if need be, if genuinely called by Jesus or His Bride,
the Church,
into the suffering of prophetic wisdom.
Amen
Fr William Hart McNichols 25 May 2026
(Feast, this year, of the
Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church
And
The beautiful frame was made by the young woodworking Master Jose Lavadie of Taos, New Mexico )
Uploaded
May 28th, 2026
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