17th Sunday of Ordinary Time [A]

 


17TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [A]


We’ll begin by referencing a 1944 novel, titled Green Dolphin Street. The story centers around three children who grow up on the same street. Two are sisters: Marianne and Marguerite; the third is a boy named William. They form a close bond as they live out their childhood years. As they approach adulthood, William enlists in the navy and embarks on a series of travels. Having eventually settled within the British colony of New Zealand, he sends word back home,  requesting Marianne’s hand in marriage. 


It’s a choice that will be questioned by a significant number of people—to include William himself. The older daughter would represent a suitable bride, under normal circumstances. However, Marguerite is generally understood to be the more appealing of the two. She is prettier, she has a bright, sunny disposition, and she laughs easily. Meanwhile, Marianne is more serious, more “bookish,” and considerably more intense. She holds out stiff, rather high expectations for herself and also for William. 


He struggles, facing up to those expectations. He drifts periodically into periods of regret. Life would be easier and more pleasant if he had proposed to Marguerite. Others agree with his assessment. Nevertheless, it all works out in the end. By the time we reach page 571, they have learned to love one another. It’s clear to them that they have each become better people because of their relationship with one another. Therefore, whether it was a questionable choice or not, the hand of Providence directs it to the greater good (see Rom. 8:28). 


At this point, it also needs to be pointed out that the author, Elizabeth Goudge, was the daughter of an English clergyman. Faith operates as the backdrop though the course of the narrative. We make choices as we forge ahead in the journey of life. Not every choice is a particularly sound choice. Some choices can be characterized as bad choices. And yet, God has the capacity to bring good out of bad, as St.Paul indicates in his Letter to the Romans. If William’s choice of Marianne was a less than ideal choice, God enables it to work out in the long run. 


So we have probably spent enough time examining the choice made in that novel. Now let’s turn our attention to David’s son, Solomon. What about the choice that he makes? Should we be second guessing his request for the gift of wisdom (1st Kings 3:5-9)? It seems like a worthwhile choice, but is it the best choice? Wisdom can be regarded as “a” pearl, but it falls short of being the “pearl of great price” (see Matt. 13:45-46). If wisdom did qualify as the pearl of great price, then Solomon’s story would have a happier ending. The pearl he acquires possesses value, but it’s a value that will carry him only so far. Proceed further along in First Kings; you will be reading about a steady decline. By the time we say goodbye to Solomon, he is in a complete state of spiritual collapse (see chapter eleven). How do we explain this? 


Perhaps it’s a question of priorities. Solomon’s objective was to grow in wisdom. We’ll call this a worthy aspiration. Still, imagine another scenario: a decision to grow in love. Imagine this type of prayer: May the love I have for you increase with each passing day, O Lord!! Did Solomon actually have a love for the Lord? If so, the evidence is not at all conclusive. A far more conclusive case can be found in the example of Solomon’s father, King David. Spend some time reviewing the Book of Psalms. It becomes acutely apparent that the composer, David, has a genuine love for the Lord (note Psalms 34 & 116). Whatever else he might get wrong, David at least gets this much right: he has a sincere love for the Lord. 


Yes, he has various flaws, various weaknesses. That being said, he is somebody who always repents when his relationship with the Lord has suffered a “setback.”  In scriptural terms, David is presented as the “apple” of God’s eye (Ps. 17:8). He’s just as weak as Solomon. The difference is that his weaknesses literally draw him closer to the Lord. They propel him in a direction that takes him closer to the Lord, not further away from the Lord. Solomon’s weaknesses take him further away. He is rich in material wealth. But David has obtained the pearl of great price. 


Essentially, it’s all about loving the Lord, valuing your relationship with the Lord. Make this your primary objective. William and Marianne go through the process of learning to love one another. It’s something that grows and develops with the passing of time. Commit yourself to the process of learning to love the Lord. Get at least this much right!! Put yourself in position so that YOU can be fitted into that “apple of God’s eye” category. 

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