Wisdom and Discernment

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of our spiritual heritage of Wisdom that is revealed by the Holy Spirit to help us maintain our journey on a path that recognizes and rejects the distractions from fullness of life.

Wisdom and Distraction

The reading from the First Letter of Kings describes the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon.

* [10:1–13] The sub-unit on Solomon’s wisdom contrasts with 3:16–28. There Solomon’s gifts led him to listen to the humblest of his subjects; he accomplished justice and was revered by all his people. Here the emphasis is on his clever speech to a foreign monarch. She is duly impressed by the glory of his court, but it is she, not Solomon, who recalls the monarch’s duty of establishing justice (v. 9). The unit is interrupted briefly by a remark about Solomon’s maritime commerce (10:11–12).

* [10:1] Queen of Sheba: women rulers among the Arabs are recorded in eighth-century B.C. Assyrian inscriptions. Sheba was for centuries the leading principality in what is now Yemen. (1 Kings, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)

Psalm 37 is an exhortation to Patience and Trust.

* [Psalm 37] The Psalm responds to the problem of evil, which the Old Testament often expresses as a question: why do the wicked prosper and the good suffer? The Psalm answers that the situation is only temporary. God will reverse things, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked here on earth. The perspective is concrete and earthbound: people’s very actions place them among the ranks of the good or wicked. Each group or “way” has its own inherent dynamism—eventual frustration for the wicked, eventual reward for the just. The Psalm is an acrostic, i.e., each section begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each section has its own imagery and logic. (Psalms, PSALM 37, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus condemns the Tradition of the Elders concerning defilement.

* [7:17] Away from the crowd…the parable: in this context of privacy the term parable refers to something hidden, about to be revealed to the disciples; cf. Mk 4:10–11, 34. Jesus sets the Mosaic food laws in the context of the kingdom of God where they are abrogated, and he declares moral defilement the only cause of uncleanness.

* [7:19] (Thus he declared all foods clean): if this bold declaration goes back to Jesus, its force was not realized among Jewish Christians in the early church; cf. Acts 10:1–11:18. (Mark, CHAPTER 7, n.d.)

Rashmi Fernando, S.J. comments that St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus and the master of the Spiritual Exercises, puts it differently when he says “Man [woman] is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul” (Sp.Ex. Principle and Foundation). Putting them together, any sensible mind would wonder, “How is it possible then that these evil thoughts come out of us?” If we do not do the good we want but the evil we do not want, Saint Paul says, it is not because of our will but because of sin that is at work in our flesh (Rom. 7).

I believe that the day’s First Reading (1Kgs 10:1-10) that exults Solomon’s wisdom as witnessed by the Queen of Sheba and the Psalm that reveals the intricate relationship between wisdom and the just becomes rather appealing. We need to ask God for wisdom to discern the difference between a) what goes in and comes out of our mouth, and b) sin which is at work in us and the just we are created and called to be. In that wisdom, let us be mindful and guard against what comes out of us and how just we are because, while they have the power either to break or uplift, demotivate or inspire, and make a negative influence or positive impact on the world, they reflect the beauty of our soul and testify to its creator. (Fernando, 2024)

Don Schwager quotes “The cycle of bitterness broken by forbearance,” by Tertullian, 160-225 A.D.

"Let us, then, his servants, follow our Lord and patiently submit to denunciations that we may be blessed! If, with slight forbearance, I hear some bitter or evil remark directed against me, I may return it, and then I shall inevitably become bitter myself. Either that, or I shall be tormented by unexpressed resentment. If I retaliate when cursed, how shall I be found to have followed the teaching of our Lord? For his saying has been handed down that one is defiled not by unclean dishes but by the words which proceed from his mouth ( Mark 7:15)."(excerpt from ON PATIENCE 8) 

[Tertullian (160-225 AD) was an early Christian writer and theologian from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He was a noted early Christian apologist who defended Christianity and the practice of Christians against the reproaches of the pagans. He promoted the principle of freedom of religion as an inalienable human right and demanded a fair trial for Christians before they were condemned to death.] (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 7:14-23 comments that the good news is that sinful patterns of selfishness, pride, or envy can be broken by the power of God. This is why Jesus came into the world. He died, rose, and sent the Spirit into our hearts so that we could live new lives of freedom and joy! Every morning, we can allow him to search and forgive and heal our wounded hearts. We can repent of our sin and trust in his mercy. We can have confidence that by his Spirit, Jesus is healing what defiles us; he is making us new each and every day.

What hope we have! Our sin does not get the last word. Overcoming its effect in our lives does not rely solely upon our own strength. Today, let’s surrender ourselves to Jesus and invite him to breathe new life into our souls!

“Lord, I trust that you will make me clean and set me free!” (Meditation on Mark 7:14-23, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that the gifts brought to Solomon by the Queen of Sheba to celebrate his Wisdom may indicate that she came from the area known today as Yemen. The wisdom of Solomon was demonstrated alongside actions to build temples for his pagan wives and perhaps human sacrifice. Friar Jude notes how Jesus focuses on how the need for a change of heart for the Pharisees is a part of the change we need about the way we deal with the world.

Brian McLaren and Gareth Higgins describe how Jesus invites us into the Seventh Story. McLaren thinks it would be dangerous if there was some version of the Seventh Story imposed upon everybody to achieve world peace. There is something about the Seventh Story that needs to be powerful without exercising power, and needs to be persuasive without backing people into a corner. Something about it has to involve freedom and discovery and choice.

What we need isn’t a storyline that wants to erase all the others. What we need is a story space that invites people, in whatever story they’re part of, to stop and wonder, “I don’t like where this story is going, and I don’t like how this is going to end. Is it possible there’s a better story to tell? Could we make a change and find a better ending?” That, to me, is what good news is about. For example, Jesus went around saying, “Repent.” I don’t think that necessarily means we should feel guilty and shameful about things we’ve done. I think it means rethink the story of your lives and open yourself to a different and better ending.

Jesus doesn’t give up on his story, but to the very end, he lives this Seventh Story. In the resurrection stories, he doesn’t come back saying, “Okay, enough of that love story. I’m going to come back a second time to get revenge on all those people.” The story of the resurrection is, “Let’s keep this story going.” He tells his followers to go into the whole world and keep this story going. Jesus lives and dies by a story of love, and the protagonist of the story is love. [2] (McLaren & Higgins, 2024)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit to choose the actions that flow from the Wisdom of our participation in the Good News of Christ.

References

Fernando, R. (2024, February 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020724.html 

Mark, CHAPTER 7. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7?14 

McLaren, B., & Higgins, G. (2024, February 7). The Seventh Story — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-seventh-story/ 

Meditation on Mark 7:14-23. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/02/07/890677/ 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/10?1 

Psalms, PSALM 37. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/37?5 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Out of the Heart Come Evil Thoughts. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 7, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=feb7 

Pardon Our Speech

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn us of attitudes and self centered actions that may lead us away from the guidance of the Holy Spirit and communion with the people in our lives.

Attitudes and Action

 

In the reading from the Book of Numbers, Aaron and Miriam are jealous of Moses.

* [12:1] Cushite woman: apparently Zipporah, the Midianite, is meant; cf. Ex 2:21.

* [12:2] The apparent reason for Miriam’s and Aaron’s quarrel with their brother Moses was jealousy of his authority; his Cushite wife served only as an occasion for the dispute.

* [12:7] Worthy of trust: the text is open to a variety of interpretations. Thus, the word of Moses may be relied upon by Israel because God speaks to him directly; or, Moses alone is worthy of God’s trust in God’s household (heavenly or earthly). An alternative translation, however, is: “with all my house he is entrusted.”

* [12:10] Stricken with a scaly infection, white as snow: see note on Lv 13:1–14:47. The point of the simile lies either in the flakiness or the whiteness of snow. (Numbers, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 51 is a prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

* [Psalm 51] A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. The two parts interlock by repetition of “blot out” in the first verse of each section (Ps 51:3, 11), of “wash (away)” just after the first verse of each section (Ps 51:4) and just before the last verse (Ps 51:9) of the first section, and of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in Ps 51:12, 19. The first part (Ps 51:3–10) asks deliverance from sin, not just a past act but its emotional, physical, and social consequences. The second part (Ps 51:11–19) seeks something more profound than wiping the slate clean: nearness to God, living by the spirit of God (Ps 51:12–13), like the relation between God and people described in Jer 31:33–34. Nearness to God brings joy and the authority to teach sinners (Ps 51:15–16). Such proclamation is better than offering sacrifice (Ps 51:17–19). The last two verses express the hope that God’s good will toward those who are cleansed and contrite will prompt him to look favorably on the acts of worship offered in the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 51:19 [20–21]). (Psalms, PSALM 51, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches about the tradition of the elders and things that defile.

* [15:2] The tradition of the elders: see note on Mk 7:5. The purpose of the handwashing was to remove defilement caused by contact with what was ritually unclean.

* [15:13–14] Jesus leads his disciples away from the teaching authority of the Pharisees. (Matthew, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)

Barbara Dilly comments that people who don’t trust in God to guide their lives are fundamentally plagued with a lack of trust in God’s forgiveness through Jesus the Christ.  They not only doubt God’s judgement to lead them, but they also doubt God’s power, and they doubt God’s goodness and love for them.

In my experience, the best way to overcome doubt in our faith is to overcome self-doubt, and for me, that requires accepting my sins are forgiven.  That can have a very liberating effect on us, so much so that we can even be as courageous as Jesus called Peter to be when he asked Peter to walk to him across the water.  We can do great deeds if we don’t doubt God’s plan for us, God’s love for us, and God’s salvation.  That requires a lot of trust, but we can decide today that we are just going to fear, love, and trust in God above all things for the rest of our lives.  That makes it a lot easier to follow Him, especially when He calls us to be courageous and to take more risks.  It is my prayer today that we can do that. (Dilly, 2023)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that sibling rivalry is the basis for the friction between Moses and Aaron and Mariam rather than his marriage to the Cushite woman. Friar Jude is reminded of the impetuous nature of Peter as expressed in the alternate Gospel reading for today.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes the false self in the CAC’s online course Immortal Diamond.

He comments that we have to undercut the illusion right at the beginning, and when we do that, we discover the True Self “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Our True Self in God becomes our touchstone and absolutely levels the playing field. It gives us a new set of eyes.  

We each have different faces and different colors of skin; some of us have hair, some of us don’t; some are tall, some are a little shorter. If we are living out of the false self, all we can do is measure, compare, evaluate, and label. That’s what I call dualistic thinking, and it’s where our world lives. Many people think that all they have are these external costumes—but when we put on the eyes and mind of Christ, we have a new pair of glasses. We can look around and know that the world is filled with infinite images of God. Isn’t that a nicer world to live in? It’s the ultimate political-social critique. (Rohr, 2023)

We are aware of many distractions that can take us away from our humble trust in the love of God and the prompting of the Spirit to guide our journey.

References

Dilly, B. (2023, August 8). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/080823.html 

Matthew, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/15? 

Numbers, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/numbers/12?1 

Psalms, PSALM 51. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/51?3 

Rohr, R. (2023, August 8). What Is the False Self? — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Online Ministry. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/what-is-the-false-self-2023-08-08/ 

Life and Defilement

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our journey from awareness of our creation story to honest examination of our disposition that may defile our relationships.

Transform our relationships

The reading from the Book of Genesis presents another account of the Creation.

* [2:4] This is the story: the distinctive Priestly formula introduces older traditions, belonging to the tradition called Yahwist, and gives them a new setting. In the first part of Genesis, the formula “this is the story” (or a similar phrase) occurs five times (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10), which corresponds to the five occurrences of the formula in the second part of the book (11:27; 25:12, 19; 36:1[9]; 37:2). Some interpret the formula here as retrospective (“Such is the story”), referring back to chap. 1, but all its other occurrences introduce rather than summarize. It is introductory here; the Priestly source would hardly use the formula to introduce its own material in chap. 1.

The cosmogony that begins in v. 4 is concerned with the nature of human beings, narrating the story of the essential institutions and limits of the human race through their first ancestors. This cosmogony, like 1:1–3 (see note there), uses the “when…then” construction common in ancient cosmogonies. The account is generally attributed to the Yahwist, who prefers the divine name “Yhwh” (here rendered LORD) for God. God in this story is called “the LORD God” (except in 3:1–5); “LORD” is to be expected in a Yahwist account but the additional word “God” is puzzling. (Genesis, CHAPTER 2, n.d.)

Psalm 104 praises God the Creator and Provider.

* [Psalm 104] A hymn praising God who easily and skillfully made rampaging waters and primordial night into a world vibrant with life. The psalmist describes God’s splendor in the heavens (Ps 104:1–4), how the chaotic waters were tamed to fertilize and feed the world (Ps 104:5–18), and how primordial night was made into a gentle time of refreshment (Ps 104:19–23). The picture is like Gn 1:1–2: a dark and watery chaos is made dry and lighted so that creatures might live. The psalmist reacts to the beauty of creation with awe (Ps 104:24–34). May sin not deface God’s work (Ps 104:35)!

* [104:29–30] On one level, the spirit (or wind) of God is the fall and winter rains that provide food for all creatures. On another, it is the breath (or spirit) of God that makes beings live. (Psalms, PSALM 104, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus critiques the Tradition of the Elders and declares some internal sources that “they defile a person”.

* [7:17] Away from the crowd…the parable: in this context of privacy the term parable refers to something hidden, about to be revealed to the disciples; cf. Mk 4:10–11, 34. Jesus sets the Mosaic food laws in the context of the kingdom of God where they are abrogated, and he declares moral defilement the only cause of uncleanness. (Mark, CHAPTER 7, n.d.)

Barbara Dilly comments that Jesus knows well about these problems of the human condition. He says they harm us more than anything that happens to us from outside.

The main thing I learned about my spiritual journey, which includes lots of time taking seriously the spiritual insights of Jesuits, Lutherans, and the Amish, is that we don’t get very far if we won’t honestly reflect on our sins, repent for them, and resolve to better follow Jesus…The good news is that we do not have to deal with the follies of our lives by ourselves. When we confess our sins, whatever the words we say, all Christians believe we are forgiven. I pray today that we are all honestly serious when we repent and genuinely grateful for forgiveness so we can address our folly and leave less undone as we move closer to our calling to follow Jesus. (Dilly, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The cycle of bitterness broken by forbearance,” by Tertullian, 160-225 A.D.

"Let us, then, his servants, follow our Lord and patiently submit to denunciations that we may be blessed! If, with slight forbearance, I hear some bitter or evil remark directed against me, I may return it, and then I shall inevitably become bitter myself. Either that, or I shall be tormented by unexpressed resentment. If I retaliate when cursed, how shall I be found to have followed the teaching of our Lord? For his saying has been handed down that one is defiled not by unclean dishes but by the words which proceed from his mouth ( Mark 7:15)."(excerpt from ON PATIENCE 8)

[Tertullian (160-225 AD) was an early Christian writer and theologian from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He was a noted early Christian apologist who defended Christianity and the practice of Christians against the reproaches of the pagans. He promoted the principle of freedom of religion as an inalienable human right and demanded a fair trial for Christians before they were condemned to death.] (Schwager, 2022)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 2:4-9, 15-17 notes that the Book of Genesis uses stories and prayers and poetry to describe God’s work in his people before they became slaves in Egypt.  So what does this story tell us about God and our relationship with him? 

God is intimately involved in our lives (Genesis 2:7). 

God breathes life into each one of us (Genesis 2:7). 

God has a plan for us, and it involves “taking care” (Genesis 2:15). 

How blessed we are—God has given us an entire “library” in the Bible, and he speaks to us on every page!

“Heavenly Father, thank you for your word, the Bible. Help me listen to what you have to say today.” (Meditation on Genesis 2:4-9, 15-17, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler provides dates for the Priestly section of Genesis and the older Yahist passages that we read today. The knowledge of good and evil spans all knowledge in between and is a state that God has not intended for humans. Friar Jude reminds us that the means of defilement that come from within require us to choose to be transformed in the way we relate with the world.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that in the biblical story of Hagar, womanist theologian Delores Williams (1937–2022) finds affirmation and support for the experiences of Black women. She points to the similarities of suffering and faith that Black women share with Hagar.

As a result of these hard-time experiences and the encounters with God, Hagar and many African-American women manifested a risk-taking faith.… Many African-American women (slave and free) have taken serious risks in the black community’s liberation struggle. For example, in the midst of the violence and brutality that accompanied slavery in America, Harriet Tubman, with a price on her head, dared to liberate over three hundred slaves.… She is said to have relied solely upon God for help and strength; she had no one else to look to. Thus we can speak of Hagar and many African-American women as sisters in the wilderness struggling for life, and by the help of their God coming to terms with situations that have destructive potential. (Rohr, 2023)

We may choose action that separates ourselves from a genuine relationship with others. The restoration of our fullness of life is through our transformation in the Love of the Spirit of God.

References

Dilly, B. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020823.html 

Genesis, CHAPTER 2. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/2?4 

Mark, CHAPTER 7. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/7?14 

Meditation on Genesis 2:4-9, 15-17. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/02/08/605765/ 

Psalms, PSALM 104. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/104?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, February 8). Reading the Bible with Black Women — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/reading-the-bible-with-black-women-2023-02-08/ 

Schwager, D. (2022, August 10). Out of the Heart Come Evil Thoughts. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=feb8