Loyalty is a theme in today’s readings. Solomon was blessed in many ways by the Lord. He was made King of Ancient Israel. His kingship was blessed by God. Yet, Solomon did not remain loyal to the Lord. He instead worshipped the pagan gods of his pagan
wives. Last weekend, I was one of the presenters at a
retreat for the college students of our diocese at Holmes County State
Park. This retreat was based on Henry Nouwen’s book Can
You Drink the Cup? Part of the drinking the cup is holding it and
reflecting upon it. If we do not examine our lives, if we do not
reflect on our faith and on our journey, we will not grow in our life of
discipleship. And without reflection and growth and development
in our faith, our loyalty to God will waiver and grow dim. The Syrophoenician woman, in comparison to Solomon,
was able to show loyalty to Jesus, even in the face of rejection and
discrimination, even in the face of a Jewish faith that would have seen her as
unsafe, unclean, and unworthy. Loyalty to Jesus, loyalty to our faith, loyalty in
a world that tries to lure us away in so many different directions. That is what we are called to do.
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