The Scriptures today present us with two very different personalities, Solomon, and Jesus, different in appearance yet similar in that people came seeking what they had to offer. The Queen of the South, a significant personality in her own right, had heard about Solomon and his extraordinary accomplishments, including the temple and its opulence, and his wisdom in particular.
She no doubt possessed considerable riches, but it wasn’t riches she was seeking rather wisdom. She exhausted Solomon with every level of questioning and we are told that there was nothing hidden that he was unwilling to explain. Apparently, she found what she was looking for, extoling those who surrounded Solomon and who were privileged to be in his company and listen to his wisdom. But did she really find everything that was to be found?
That can be asked of all of us today who are searching and seeking. Today we hear that more and more people are letting go of employment seeking new jobs, new wages. Apparently, this is bringing satisfaction to a lot of people. Like the Queen of the South, they also have heard of new horizons, new possibilities, and they are prepared to set forth and seek it.
Jesus offers his own wisdom today that is intended to satisfy our hunger for something greater. The crowds that have come out to greet him were not necessarily the rich however there were some among the crowd who were wealthy. We heard wisdom today when Jesus spoke about ritual cleansing. He acknowledged the importance of this practice however he also reminds us that wisdom is not to be found in the washing of hands. It is our hearts that need to be cleansed.
True to form some of his disciples were perplexed. Jesus, what do you mean to which he responded, are you also without understanding? Yes, we are at times. A pure heart is what Jesus desires from us, a pure heart from which goodness, mercy, justice, and love pour out. Is this the wisdom that the Queen of the South was also looking for. Would Solomon have been able to offer this to her?
For ourselves let our quest for wisdom be to possess a clean heart that God can create for us, a steadfast spirit that he can renew in us.
