July 30, 2017

17^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

“What Would Our Response Be?”

Msgr. Thomas Gervasio

So often we associate or identify certain attributes with certain persons. I know that in Italy today, a great many women associate the word “handsome” with George Clooney. New Jerseyans will often associate music with Bruce Springsteen or Frank Sinatra. But this occurs also in Sacred Scripture. 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 to Samson. Wisdom is surely linked to King Solomon. The reason is found in today’s first reading.          

In a divine intervention, the Lord makes this extraordinary proposal to Solomon: “Ask something of me and I will give it to you!” We can well imagine what went through his mind. He was a young man. New on the throne, he surely wondered if he had “what it took” to be a king. The Lord does this at other places in Scripture. Elisha, the disciples of the Baptist, the blind Bartimeus all received this proposal…Ask and I shall grant your request. Imagine if this would happen to any of us! If the Lord, like a genie from the lamp, if you will, would say, “Ask for anything and I will grant your wish.” What would our response be? Our honest response would tell us a great deal about ourselves.

What was Solomon’s response? “Give your servant an understanding heart.” To some, this would appear rather surprising and even disappointing. He could have asked for riches, long life, political and military power, but he does not. I wonder how long it took for him to give an answer. But his response pleased the Lord. This is 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—not riches, long life, military or political power.

Without wisdom, without understanding, he would not know how to manage the riches, they would be easily squandered. He who is wealthy should also be wise. A long life without wisdom would produce very little and be quite empty. Wisdom helps us live a fruitful, productive life. Power and popularity without wisdom is destructive. Wisdom gives the popular the groundedness to order that influence for good.

Think of the many athletes and celebrities that 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. The liturgy this week provides us with a few questions for our reflection today and through the week: What do we ask of God? What do we ask for in prayer? Using the images Our Lord gives us in the Gospel, we would ask, “What is the treasure I seek? Where do I focus my energies, my time, my effort?"

It is said that, when St. Thomas Aquinas completed his treatise on the Eucharist, he placed it at the foot of the cross and prayed 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?” St. Thomas said, (Here is our Latin lesson) “Nil nisi te!’ “Nothing without you!” Husbands and wives….next time you make a gift to your spouse, you might write those words on the card, “Nil nisi te!”

What do we ask of the Lord? Do we truly order our life with God in mind? Do we make our decisions from the perspective of faith? What is our treasure? Our honest answer would tell us a great deal about ourselves!