Thursday, February 09, 2012 (Weekday)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
What you do with those who beg from you is what God will do with His beggar, you! You are filled and you are empty. Fill your empty neighbor from your fullness, so that your emptiness may be filled from God's fullness.
-- St. Augustine

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Kings 11:4-13
4 For it happened, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 
8 So did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods.
9 Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,
10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded.
11 Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, Because this is done of you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.
12 Notwithstanding in your days I will not do it, for David your father’s sake: but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.
13 However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.
Psalms: Psalm 106: 3-4, 35-37, 40
3 Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times.
4 Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation,
35 But mixed themselves with the nations, And learned their works.
36 They served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
37 Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
40 Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.
Gospel: Mark 7:24-30
(A Woman's Faith)
24 From there he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice.
25 For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
29 He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.”
30 She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.