1 kings 11:4-13; Ps 106 Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people; Mark 7:24-30
"When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the Lord..."
Several of the pagan gods mentioned in today's first reading, Astarte and Molech are written with the vowels taking from the hebrew words boset, which mean shameful or shameful thing.
The biblical writer is already pointing us toward this ugly unfolding in the life of Solomon, this man of great wisdom, who lets his life slide to this abyss of pagan worship.
Solomon wanted to appease everyone and forgot to honor God.
This happens to many of us. How often do we get carried away in wanting to appease every one, keep every one happy and content and in doing so we lose sight of what matters most.
Solomon's decision affects his children, "it is your son whom i will deprive."
How often are our children the true victims in our foolish endeavors!
Just the opposite occurs in the gospel. The "greek" woman comes to Jesus looking for a cure for what ails her child.
The woman refused to back down, "Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."
JEsus rewards her for her fiery and feisty nature. SHe refused to back down. she refused to back away. She stuck with her guns.
IT is truly a beautiful passage as this woman and Jesus banter back and forth and thus revealing her faith.
"When the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone."
Solomon did not fight for his children, but the "greek" woman did.
What about us?
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