In our first reading today, we see Solomon in the role of both prophet and king. Solomon was to be the king of the Davidic Kingdom of God….the king after the heart of God.
We also see him as a prophet today. He received the prophecy that the kingdom will be lost due to his failure as a king. A failure due to the fact that he was not faithful to the Lord since he turned his heart to idols.
Similarly, by virtue of our baptism, we are kings and prophets in the Messianic Kingdom of God. We also live in a world full of idols. These idols can easily tempt us to unfaithfulness if we are not diligent at all times.
In his monthly challenge, Archbishop Lori reminds us, “In our prophetic role, we are called to speak God’s truth even when it is unpopular in the eyes of the world.”
Toward the end of his reign, Solomon failed to do this and the Kingdom suffered as a result. We must ask ourselves: How are we doing in our prophetic role within the Messianic Kingdom of God?
Archbishop Lori helps us reflect on this as he asks the following: “Do you shy away from speaking the truth because you fear opposition or repercussions? Does your silence on issues of faith or morals sometimes give others the false impression of agreement? How do you make sure you are being respectful and charitable to others when speaking the truth?”
He goes on to challenge each of us to “learn more about the Church’s teachings on one or two contemporary issues that you are concerned about, so that you can better defend the truth when an opportunity arises. Look to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and booklets from the Order’s Catholic Information Service as resources.”
If you have not done the podcast “Catechism in a Year” with Father Mike Schmitz, I highly recommend it. Or, if you have completed it, go through it again.
Another thought is to make sure you don’t just receive your news from contemporary news sources (even Fox news, for that matter). Instead, learn to interpret the news through the lens of the Church and learn to apply it to the world around you.
Being a true prophet in our postmodern, post-Christian, world is an act of true heroism, but at the same time we realize from our Gospel reading that the “dogs under the table” are hungry for the Truth.
We all know people that are slaves to human secularism, the culture of death, and the host of idols that constantly bombard us. Often these people have been lied to, manipulated, and victimized. You may be the only opportunity for that person in your life to come to realize and understand the Truth. Can you be the voice of Truth to them…the Truth that will set them free?
As priests, prophets, and kings in the Messianic Kingdom of God: remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Thanks be to God!
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