Category: Prayers

“I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp and will give you ten of the tribes.” –1 Kings 11:31 Solomon was the wisest man in the world. He built the temple to be the eighth wonder of the world. He was so wealthy as to attract worldwide recognition. His subjects expected Solomon to lead Israel into the international prominence prophesied of the Davidic dynasty. However, that was dramatically changed. “The Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp’ ” (1 Kgs 11:31). Solomon’s kingdom was soon divided and his descendants were left...

“When Solomon was old…his heart was not entirely with the Lord.” –1 Kings 11:4 King Solomon started his reign as “a mere youth” (1 Kgs 3:7). Young Solomon started well as king. He humbly asked God for wisdom to govern well and built the Temple so the Lord could be fittingly worshipped. But “when he was old,” Solomon’s heart was no longer entirely with the Lord (1 Kgs 11:4). How old was Solomon when his heart turned away from God? Numerous estimates believe he died in his early sixties. This is a stark warning to those of us in our...

“Empty is the reverence they do Me.” –Mark 7:7 The Lord made Solomon the wisest man in the world (1 Kgs 3:12). Solomon used his wisdom to build the temple of the Lord. Solomon was awed by God’s work in his life (see 1 Kgs 8:27). Sadly, Solomon’s heart did not remain with the Lord (1 Kgs 11:9). He died trapped in idolatrous abominations, alienated from the Lord. David, Solomon’s father, also received exceptional graces from the Lord. His heart was with the Lord (see Acts 13:22). To express his love for the Lord, David composed and sang many of...

“Empty is the reverence they do Me.” –Mark 7:7 The Lord made Solomon the wisest man in the world (1 Kgs 3:12). Solomon used his wisdom to build the temple of the Lord. Solomon was awed by God’s work in his life (see 1 Kgs 8:27). Sadly, Solomon’s heart did not remain with the Lord (1 Kgs 11:9). He died trapped in idolatrous abominations, alienated from the Lord. David, Solomon’s father, also received exceptional graces from the Lord. His heart was with the Lord (see Acts 13:22). To express his love for the Lord, David composed and sang many of...

“Advance, O Lord, to Your resting place.” –Psalm 132:8 In today’s first reading and Psalm, the Lord journeys to His place of rest in the newly finished Temple in Jerusalem. God confirms His acceptance of the Temple as a suitable dwelling by the presence of the cloud which fills the Temple. The cloud had been the sign of God’s presence for forty years in the Exodus and the wandering of the Israelites through the desert. Now His presence dwells within the ark of the covenant inside the Temple. Then God sent His only Son into the world (Jn 3:16). In...