Daily Readings - Thu Feb 13 2020
1 Kings
4And when now he was old, his heart was perverted by the women, so that he followed strange gods. And his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David5For Solomon worshipped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites6And Solomon did what was not pleasing in the sight of the Lord. And he did not continue to follow the Lord, as his father David did7Then Solomon built a shrine for Chemosh, the idol of Moab, on the mount that is opposite Jerusalem, and for Milcom, the idol of the sons of Ammon8And he acted in this manner for all his foreign wives, who were burning incense and immolating to their gods9And so, the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his mind had been turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice10and who had instructed him about this matter, lest he follow strange gods. But he did not observe what the Lord commanded to him11And so, the Lord said to Solomon: "Because you have this with you, and because you have not kept my covenant and my precepts, which I commanded to you, I will tear apart your kingdom, and I will give it to your servant12Yet truly, I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David. From the hand of your son, I will tear it away13Neither will I take away the whole kingdom. Instead, I will grant one tribe to your son, for the sake of David, my servant, and Jerusalem, which I have chosen.
Mark
24And rising up, he went from there to the area of Tyre and Sidon. And entering into a house, he intended no one to know about it, but he was not able to remain hidden25For a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, as soon as she heard about him, entered and fell prostrate at his feet26For the woman was a Gentile, by birth a Syro-Phoenician. And she petitioned him, so that he would cast the demon from her daughter27And he said to her: "First allow the sons to have their fill. For it is not good to take away the bread of the sons and throw it to the dogs.28But she responded by saying to him: "Certainly, Lord. Yet the young dogs also eat, under the table, from the crumbs of the children.29And he said to her, "Because of this saying, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.30And when she had gone to her house, she found the girl lying on the bed; and the demon had gone away
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, persistence, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from 1 Kings recounts the story of Solomon, who, despite his wisdom and the blessings he received from God, allowed his heart to be swayed by foreign influences and idolatry. This turning away from the Lord led to division and the eventual fracturing of his kingdom. The Gospel, on the other hand, presents us with a striking contrast: a Gentile woman, a Syrophoenician, who humbly and persistently seeks Jesus’ help for her daughter tormented by a demon. Her faith, despite initial hesitation from Jesus, ultimately prevails, and her daughter is healed.
The context of these readings is crucial. Solomon’s story occurs at the end of his life, when he has already achieved great success and prosperity. His downfall comes not from external enemies but from within, as he allows his heart to grow distant from God. This serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and the importance of remaining faithful even in times of abundance. In the Gospel, the Syrophoenician woman’s story highlights the universality of God’s mercy and the power of persistent prayer. She does not let cultural or religious barriers stand in her way, and her humility and trust in Jesus are rewarded.
These readings relate to each other in their emphasis on the importance of remaining faithful and open to God’s grace. Solomon’s failure to do so leads to division, while the Syrophoenician woman’s unwavering faith leads to healing and restoration. For us, these stories remind us to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are not allowing distractions or false idols to take precedence over our relationship with God. Like the Syrophoenician woman, we are called to approach God with humility and persistence, trusting in His mercy and love.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: What are the “foreign influences” in our own lives that might be pulling us away from God? How can we cultivate the kind of faith and persistence demonstrated by the Syrophoenician woman? May we learn from Solomon’s mistakes and strive to keep our hearts focused on the Lord, even in the face of challenges or temptations. And may we, like the woman, trust in God’s boundless love and mercy, knowing that He desires to bring healing and wholeness to our lives.