4th Week of Lent 2021 (EF) - Monday - Wisdom of Solomon and the Whip of Cords

 I remember exactly where I was when I first heard the story from today’s epistle of King Solomon and the two women. I was in second grade catechism class, sitting on the carpeted floor of my home parishes church basement. 

And I remember being so impressed with the clever way King Solomon determined who the true mother was, with his wisdom. I wondered just how many other wise solutions to problems he devised. I could imagine myself in Solomon’s place dispensing wise advice.

As a young boy, I think this story inspired a love of scripture as a source of wisdom—wisdom to live one’s life by, wisdom to help you know the difference between right and wrong—truth and deception.

Kind of a strange story to hear right in the middle of Lent, especially when coupled with the Gospel story of Our Lord fashioning a whip out of cords and driving the money changers out of the temple and predicting how he will be put to death.

And yet, in a sense, had the Jews of the Lord’s day exercised the wisdom of Solomon, they never would have sullied the temple with their corrupt business practices.

We are certainly meant to be impressed with the Wisdom of King Solomon and recognize the folly of the moneychangers, and yet, during Lent, I think we are also to meant to recognize the times where we have been like the deceitful harlot, those times where we have conducted our earthly business in competition with God, where we have sullied his temple. They would have known that the Temple was to be a house of prayer, not a den of thieves.

It’s easy to imagine ourselves giving wise advice like Solomon, maybe even imagining ourselves imitating the Lord’s great righteous fury, fashioning our own whip out of cords to drive the thieves out of the Lord’s temple. And yet, It’s quite another thing, isn’t it to humbly admit how unlike Solomon we have been. How rather than Solomon, we’ve acted more like the deceitful harlot, willing to compromise the truth at the expense of another’s happiness to achieve our ends. It’s one thing to express righteous zeal at the thieves in the house of the Lord, it’s another to humbly admit that we’re the ones that have so often deserved to be on the receiving end of that whip of cords.

Mea culpa, Right?

May our Lenten observances continue to instill in us deep contrition for our sins, open us up to wisdom from on High, and that we might come to know the joy of the heavenly Jerusalem, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 1, 2021 - Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Madonna and Child

 

This eighth day of Christmas is celebrated with particular solemnity, as we adore Christ embraced by the arms of his Mother.

Among the most ancient and important catacombs in Rome are the catacombs of St. Priscilla on the Via Salaria, east-northeast of the Vatican.  Painted on the walls of these catacombs are numerous frescoes that throw light on the faith of the early Church.  One fresco depicts the Virgin Mary seated, with the infant Jesus at her breast.  Next to her stands the prophet Isaiah pointing to star—the star being the ancient Jewish symbol for the Messiah. 

This Fresco, dating from the early 200s is one of the oldest known representations in art of the Madonna and Child, certain evidence that, from the very beginning, the Church has given the Mother of Our Lord a place of special honor and devotion.  The Roman Christians, during a time of persecution, would gather in those catacombs for prayer and to bury their dead, and would look upon that image and contemplate its truths. 

Just as babies are embraced in love by their mother; Mary embraces every Christian—in life and in death.

Just as babies learn to smile and sing in the arms of their mothers; so every Christian learns what real joy looks like, by looking to the face of the Mother, who finds her joy in doing the will of the heavenly Father, in caring for the life of the Son.

Just as babies learn talk, walk, eat, and clothe themselves, so also Christians are taught to talk, walk, think, feel, and act like Christ by Our Mother.  Mary nurtured and taught the Christ child, and she will nurture and teach us—how to put God first in our lives, how to serve him, how to be healed by him, how to be saved by him, that his peace and joy and strength may be ours.

From the cross, Jesus gave Mary to be our Mother in the order of grace. If what St. Paul said is true, that “God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Then we also, like the Son, turn to Mary, and cry, “Hail, Mother”

Throughout the Christmas octave, we’ve considered the example of martyrs and apostles who have followed Christ unto death. And on this octave Day, we look to the perfect disciple, the Mother Mary who gives herself without reserve to the person and work of her Son. Her self-giving and cooperation with Christ continues now, from her place in heaven. She always helps us to adore, contemplate, and follow Christ ever more faithfully, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

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That Mary’s maternal care and heavenly intercession will help us all to reach the moral greatness befitting true children of God.  

That through Immaculate Mary, Queen of Peace, Mother of the Lord and Mother of the Church—blessings may be upon the world and the Church in this Year of Our Lord 2021.

For blessings on all expectant mothers, newborn infants, and young families. 

That from the moment of conception all children will be preserved from bodily harm; for the overturning of unjust laws that permit the destruction of innocent life; and that the minds of all may be enlightened to know the dignity of every human life.  

For all those who have died, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for all who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  

We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.