July 26, 2020

17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

What Do I Ask of God?

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

We very often associate certain attributes with persons. I know that in Italy today, a great many women associate the word “handsome” with George Clooney. We New Jerseyans will often associate music with Bruce Springsteen or Frank Sinatra. We might associate entertainment with “Walt Disney.” This word association occurs the Sacred Scripture as well. We associate faith with Abraham (our Father in Faith). Job is another—don’t we say at times, I need the patience of Job? Physical strength is associated with Samson. Wisdom is surely linked to King Solomon. The reason is found in today’s first reading. 
 
In the divine intervention we hear in the first reading, the Lord makes this extraordinary proposal to Solomon: “Ask something of me and I will give it to you!” I am sure many things went through his mind. I wonder how long before he replied. Imagine if this would happen to any of us! What would our response be? Our honest response would tell us a great deal about ourselves.
 
Solomon’s response was “Give your servant an understanding heart.” He could have asked for riches, long life, political and military power, the defeat of his enemies, but he did not. His response pleased the Lord because he asked for the fundamental gift that would enable him to order his life according to God. St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that “wisdom is seeing things from the height, from the perspective of God.” This is what Solomon desires.
 
Without wisdom he would not know how to manage the riches he possessed. They would be easily squandered. Those who are wealthy should also be wise. A long life without wisdom would produce very little and be quite empty. Wisdom is the key to a fruitful and meaningful life. Power and popularity without wisdom is destructive. Wisdom keeps the popular and powerful well grounded. It keeps them modest and humble. It helps them sensitive to the needs of the poor and vulnerable.
 
Think of the many celebrities who vault to sudden wealth and fame even as young teens. Almost without exception they “flame out.” We then read about their depression, substance abuse and tortured relationships. Wisdom helps us deal with the highs and lows of life.
 
It is said that, when Saint Thomas Aquinas completed his treatise on the Eucharist, he placed it at the foot of the cross and asked if his work was worthy of the Lord. The Lord responded, “You have written well of me, Thomas. What do you ask as a reward?” Saint Thomas replied, (Here is our Latin lesson) “Nil nisi te!’ “Nothing without you!” Husbands and wives…next time you make a gift to your spouse, write those words on the card, “Nil nisi te!”
 
The liturgy prompts a few questions for our reflection today and through the week: What do we ask of God in prayer? “What is the treasure I seek? What occupies my time and energy? Do I order my day with God in mind? Do I seek wisdom through prayer before making important decisions?
 
We need only to ask for the gift of wisdom:

Loving Lord grant me a wise and understanding heart…a heart that discerns Your will, so that I make the best choices for my life and can give the best help to those in need. Give me an obedient heart…a heart that is ready and willing to say, "Thy will be done" and not to insist that my will is best. Lord, keep me from wrongly discerning Your truth because of my pride or foolishness. Open my heart to listen to Your voice and give me discernment to know when to speak and what to remain silent. Direct and govern my steps always. Amen.

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Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A Matter of Choice

Deacon Kevin O’Boyle

Have you ever had a situation in life where you simply did not know where to turn? Maybe it was a problem in work, in family, in marriage, in a friendship or even in school. Often these involve at their root some moral question. In the end, there lies a choice between right and wrong. But the choice is very difficult and we wonder if we have the strength or skill to make the right move.
 
For King Solomon in our first reading from Kings, God gave Solomon the choice for anything he wanted. Solomon knew he was not well prepared for leadership. He had little experience. But God offered him anything. He could have assured himself riches or a long life. But instead of personal riches Solomon asks for wisdom – the gift he will need to do well the job of governing. This pleased the Lord. Solomon chose well.
 
In our second reading Paul tells us, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” This seems supported by the way Solomon was rewarded. And Paul’s words seem to reflect what Jesus was saying in his parables in our Gospel today. In the stories of the buried treasure and pearl of great price, the treasure and the pearl represent the way to God’s Kingdom. The “finders” in each case give all they own to achieve the Kingdom.
 
The third parable in the Gospel, the story of the net thrown into the sea, gives a confirming statement on who will be welcome – the good will be taken, the bad thrown away.
 
Our Gospel today gives us various models for how to seek the Kingdom of God. Simply, they can be summarized do good not bad. But in the more practical world we live in, how do we decide what is good and bad. In order to help address that question, I’d like to remind you of the Gospel story you heard last week. If you recall, we heard the story of the sower and the seed. If you recall, the sower threw some on the path, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some on rich soil. The seed falling on the path represents those who hear the word of God without understanding it. The seed falling on rocky ground represents those who hear the Word of God, receive it, but since it has no roots, their faith lasts only a short time. The seed thrown among the thorns represents those who hear the word but worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. Finally, the seed that falls on good soil represents those who hear and understand the word and it bears fruit.
 
Before we can decide what is good and what is bad, it’s a good idea, I think to decide where the seed that represented you fell. If it was any of the first three places, you probably would not be here today, especially in view of our COVID 19 restrictions and the lifting for now of the obligation to attend Sunday mass. But you are here, and that indicates you are probably part of that seed that fell on good ground. Your faith means something to you and receiving the Eucharist is important, so you are here. And this is all good. But even in that group, I would challenge to ask, when was the last time you fed your faith? In a world as complex as ours, with new approaches to old sins constantly being introduced, it is important that we have some means of keeping up with what our faith says about old and new issues. This is especially true if we think we might belong in one of those other three groups of seeds. There are many sources for this:

• subscribing to a good regular Catholic publication—perhaps the Diocese of Trenton magazine The Monitor would be a good start.
• Watch our bulletin for how to sign up for FORMED, an excellent FREE resource for all parish members which consists of a website with numerous good Catholic resources. In our complex world, it is important that we keep up with our faith. That is one great way to help us answer those tough questions that come up in life.
• Another, if we are not sure, is to ask a priest or deacon for advice. We might at least be able to lead you to the Church’s opinion on your question.

It’s something to think about this week. God Bless.