What is the origin of the behaviour which we bring to our
daily life? The Roman Catholic Lectionary today offers some starting points
based on texts from the Hebrew and New Testaments for consideration of this
important question. Friar Jude Winkler tells of the recognition by the Queen of
Sheba when she visited Solomon of the way in which God had blessed Solomon with
wisdom. Analysis of the details in 1 Kings Chapter 10 reveals great wealth in
the control of Solomon. Craig Zimmer of Creighton University warns us not to
equate material wealth with being blessed by God. We can quickly make a list of
examples where possession of great wealth is not associated with serving the
outcast, widow and orphans of today. The deep value of Wisdom from God is what
the Queen witnessed and in this example Israel is being the light to the
nations which is related to the role of being a Chosen People. Traditionsuggests that a son born to Solomon and the Queen of Sheba is the root of the Ethiopian
monarchy. Jesus continues to try and teach the Pharisees about the deficiencies
of a legalistic system that regulates external behaviour without attempting to
convert the heart. Friar Jude notes that the transition from Jewish observances
to Christian practice took a long time. The struggle of Peter recorded in Actswith dietary laws resonates in Jesus declaration in Mark about all food being
clean. The deeper search in this text shows that the unclean behaviour is
rooted in our heart. This passage enumerates a number of key vices. FatherMichael Fallon, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart (MSC), and Friar Jude comment
that enumeration and check listing vices can be quite time consuming and
fruitless. Our need is to seek the deeper spiritual problems around love and
selflessness which produce sinful behaviour. We make a start today in the reflections
led by the Scripture passages.
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