The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to open our understanding of faith that God has gifted to people beyond the community familiar to us.
Faith in the people
The reading from the First Book of Kings describes the end of Solomon’s reign.
* [11:1–13] The next major unit of the Solomon story corresponds to 3:1–15. Like the earlier passage it includes the narrator’s remarks about Solomon’s foreign wives and his building projects, and a divine word commenting on Solomon’s conduct. However, where 3:1–15 is generally positive toward Solomon, the present passage is unrelievedly negative. Chronicles has no parallel to this material.1
Psalm 106 is a confession of Israel’s Sins.
* [Psalm 106] Israel is invited to praise the God whose mercy has always tempered judgment of Israel (Ps 106:1–3). The speaker, on behalf of all, seeks solidarity with the people, who can always count on God’s fidelity despite their sin (Ps 106:4–5). Confident of God’s mercy, the speaker invites national repentance (Ps 106:6) by reciting from Israel’s history eight instances of sin, judgment, and forgiveness. The sins are the rebellion at the Red Sea (Ps 106:6–12; see Ex 14–15), the craving for meat in the desert (Ps 106:13–15; see Nm 11), the challenge to Moses’ authority (Ps 106:16–18; see Nm 16), the golden calf episode (Ps 106:19–23; see Ex 32–34), the refusal to take Canaan by the southern route (Ps 106:24–27; see Nm 13–14 and Dt 1–2), the rebellion at Baal-Peor (Ps 106:28–31; see Nm 25:1–10), the anger of Moses (Ps 106:32–33; see Nm 20:1–13), and mingling with the nations (Ps 106:34–47). The last, as suggested by its length and generalized language, may be the sin that invites the repentance of the present generation. The text gives the site of each sin: Egypt (Ps 106:7), the desert (Ps 106:14), the camp (Ps 106:16), Horeb (Ps 106:19), in their tents (Ps 106:25), Baal-Peor (Ps 106:28), the waters of Meribah (Ps 106:32), Canaan (Ps 106:38).2
The Gospel of Mark describes Jesus' response to the Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith.
* [7:27–28] The figure of a household in which children at table are fed first and then their leftover food is given to the dogs under the table is used effectively to acknowledge the prior claim of the Jews to the ministry of Jesus; however, Jesus accedes to the Gentile woman’s plea for the cure of her afflicted daughter because of her faith.3
Beth Samson comments that the Gentile woman in the Gospel today reminds us that we can come before Jesus with our needs and he will hear us in the authenticity of our faith. Jesus could have allowed the fact that this woman was a Gentile to be the reason he did not even consider her request. But Jesus could see the authenticity of her faith and that was all that was needed for Jesus.
Good and gracious Jesus, you hear us in our prayers without needing us to be perfect. Instead, you desire the authenticity of our faith as we come to you with our needs. May we always come before you with our prayers. We pray especially for the parents whose children are suffering – that you might be close to them and respond to their prayers for healing. Amen.4
Don Schwager quotes “Great was the power of her faith, and for our learning,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"See her humility as well as her faith! For he had called the Jews 'children,' but she was not satisfied with this. She even called them 'masters,' so far was she from grieving at the praises of others. She said, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.' Behold the woman's wisdom! She did not venture so much as to say a word against anyone else. She was not stung to see others praised, nor was she indignant to be reproached. Behold her constancy. When he answered, 'It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs,' she said, 'Yes, Lord.' He called them 'children'- but she called them 'masters.' He used the name of a dog, but she described the action of the dog. Do you see this woman's humility? Then compare her humility with the proud language of the Jews: 'We are Abraham's seed and were never in bondage to any man'(John 8:33). 'We are born of God' (John 8:41). But not so this woman. Rather, she calls herself a dog and them masters. So for this reason she became a child. For what does Christ then say? 'O woman, great is your faith.' "So we might surmise that this is the reason he put her off, in order that he might proclaim aloud this saying and that he might crown the woman: 'Be it done for you as you desire.' This means 'Your faith, indeed, is able to effect even greater things than these. Nevertheless be it unto you even as you wish.' This voice was at one with the voice that said, 'Let the heaven be,' and it was (Genesis 1:1). 'And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.' Do you see how this woman, too, contributed not a little to the healing of her daughter? For note that Christ did not say, 'Let your little daughter be made whole,' but 'Great is your faith, be it done for you as you desire.' These words were not uttered at random, nor were they flattering words, but great was the power of her faith, and for our learning. He left the certain test and demonstration, however, to the issue of events. Her daughter accordingly was immediately healed." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW, Homily 52.3)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 11:4-13 shares that when commenting on this reading, Pope Francis noted that Solomon’s “weakness of the heart” was “a slow journey that slides along step by step.” Francis warns that this gradual distancing from God is something that can happen to any of us as well. “You don’t even realize it, but slowly you slip” (Pope Francis Homily, February 13, 2020). It’s interesting that we don’t hear any response from Solomon when God expresses his displeasure with how he is living (1 Kings 11:14-40). It seems that despite all his wisdom, Solomon never confessed his sins. He never sought to repair his relationship with the Lord or tried to undo the damage he had caused to God’s people.
How can we avoid falling into the same trap as Solomon? Pope Francis urges us to stay alert “for the grace to understand when our heart begins to weaken and to slide.” By keeping ourselves focused on God’s presence, we will become more aware of when we start slipping away from him. Then, with a simple prayer of repentance and surrender, we can find the strength to stand fast. “Lord, keep me alert to your presence so that I won’t give in to sin.”6
Friar Jude Winkler details the foolish action of Solomon with many wives and temples to their gods in the Hinnom valley. (Referred to as “Gehenna” by Jesus). He considers corporate culpability of Israel and prejudice in the treatment of the Syrophoenician Woman. Friar Jude notes Jesus' outreach to pagans showed mercy and appreciation of her cleverness.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, speaks about how the three-in-one God shows God’s love for diversity.
The foundational philosophical problem has been called the problem of the one and the many. How can there be one and how can there be many? In the Trinity, we have the paradox at least metaphorically resolved. But most of us don’t easily know how to be both diverse and united. We want to make everybody the same. And the church has become more and more an exclusionary institution, instead of a great banquet feast to which Jesus constantly invites sinners and outcasts. The ego is much more comfortable with uniformity, people around me who look and talk like me, and don’t threaten my boundaries. But in the presence of the Trinitarian God, God totally lets go of boundaries for the sake of the other. Each accepts full acceptance by the other. [1]7
Our response to those outside our usual community of faith needs to be formed by Jesus' example and the prompting of the Spirit that recognizes Divine Presence in all people.
References
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