St. Scholastica, virgin 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

1 kings 11:4-13

In Solomon’s old age,

His wives led him astray to serve other gods and, unlike his father David, his heart was no longer wholly given to Yahweh his God.   For he served Astarte the goddess of the Sido­nians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites.   He did what displeased Yahweh and, unlike his father David, was unfaithful to him.  

Solomon even built a high place for Chemosh, the idol of Moab, on the mountain east of Jerusalem and also for Molech, the idol of the Ammonites.   He did the same for all his foreign wives who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

 Yahweh became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel.  Yahweh appeared to him twice and commanded him not to follow other gods. But he did not obey Yahweh’s com­mand.   Therefore, Yahweh said to Solo­mon, “Since this has been your choice and you have kept neither my Covenant nor the statutes I commanded you, I will take the kingdom from you and give it to your servant.   

Nevertheless, I will not do this during your lifetime for the sake of your father David; I will take it from your son.   But I will not take it all; I will reserve one tribe for your son for the sake of David my servant, and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen.”

 

Ps 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 & 40

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊    

Mark 7:24-30

 When Jesus left that place he went to the border of the Tyrian country. There he ­entered a house and did not want any­one to know he was there, but he could not remain hidden.   A woman, whose small daughter had an evil spirit, heard of him and came and fell at his feet.  Now this woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

Jesus told her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”  But she replied, “Sir, even the dogs un­der the table eat the crumbs from the children’s bread.”   Then Jesus said to her, “You may go your way; because of such a reply the demon has gone out of your daughter.”   And when the wo­man went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Humility Heals

Did Jesus really heal the woman’s daughter? If we go by Jesus’ own words – “Because of such a response, the demon has gone out of your daughter”-we realize that the healing simply happened at her very response.

What was so powerful about her response that made the demon walk out? It expressed a faith built on deep humility, a virtue unbearable for demons as they are personifications of pride. St. Anthony Mary Claret, who made humility his foundational virtue, writes: “The virtue of humility consists is this: in realizing that I am nothing, can do nothing but sin, and depend on God in everything-being, conservation, movement, and grace. (Aut.347).”

With all his wisdom and experience in life, Solomon fell away from God due to his pride, whereas humility lifted up the woman and her daughter and drew God’s favor and healing instantaneously.

 

St. Scholastica

Scholastica (480-543) was the sister of St. Benedict of Nursia, and is revered as the patron saint of Benedictine nuns.

She is said to have established a convent at Piumarola in Italy,

in accordance with the principles of the monastic rule established by her brother at nearby Monte Cassino.