If you could ask God for just two things, what would they be? Solomon does just that today in our first reading from Proverbs 30. And in the Gospel from Luke 9, Jesus sends out the Twelve, telling them to take just the bare necessities to get by. The two readings really go hand in hand today. Why?
Here are the two things that Solomon asks…”Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need.” He explains, “Lest, being full, I deny you, saying ‘Who is the Lord?’ ” Solomon wanted only to speak the truth. And he knew that if God gave him too much, he risked falling into the sin of pride; thinking that he had acquired much on his own. Much wisdom, huh?
Jesus, of course, knew these things. He gave the Twelve authority as he sent them out, but told them to take only the bare essentials to get by. Why? So that they would know what it was like to depend solely and completely on God to provide for their needs. So that pride would not creep in. Funny…Jesus has that same idea for us. You know, that whole “give us this day our daily bread” thing?
Father, our prayer today echoes Solomon’s; help us to speak the truth and rely on you for everything this day. Amen.
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Thank you for today’s reflection. It really has caused me to think. I believe if we all had the wisdom to put God first in our lives, the world’s problems would disappear. This is one of the things for which I will be praying.
Thank you for that explanation – and tying in Solomon’s wisdom to the Gospel!
Now I can “borrow” from him and pray to trust Our Lord for all things – and to protect me from the sin of pride and be meek and humble of heart.