Sunday, July 26, 2020

26 July 2020 - ask something of me



The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”

What would we ask if the LORD made this offer to us? Must of us would probably choose to ask for a way to address some immediate problem. Wouldn't it be tempting to ask, above all else, that the LORD end the pandemic or systemic racism? Wouldn't we almost feel like bad people if one of those things wasn't the basis for our answer?

Solomon certainly had pressing issues. He had enemies. He lived in a world where long life was much less likely than it is even during the pandemic. And with riches he could he provided great stability for his kingdom and comfort for himself. But Solomon, before even acquiring supernatural wisdom, already was wise enough to see beyond the narrow horizon of the immediate.

The tyrannical nature of the pressing things of the present always clamors for our attention. But if we allow ourselves to be caught up entirely in these things we will lack the perspective that truly matters. The present problems will end. But the next ones will follow. And we will be even more caught up, invested, and therefore afraid when they do. We can only navigate the temporal trials of this world well if, like Solomon, we ask above all to see them from God's perspective.

Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.

Solomon was asked what mattered most to him. What was his treasure? He ignored all else that he might have gained and chose the pearl of great price. He found was offered a treasure that was hidden, that was not the obvious ones that people readily know about and seek after. He was willing to prefer that treasure to all of those things. After him, Aquinas did something similar when the LORD appeared to him and said, "You have written well of me Thomas; what reward will you have?" Thomas replied "Non nisi te. (Nothing but you, Lord)."

But what of us? Wouldn't we first ask for the life of our enemies? In other words, wouldn't we ask that all who oppose the arguments we believe in would succumb to the truth as we understand it? And wouldn't we follow that up with a request for long life for everyone, that no one need suffer from this pandemic nor any other disease? And then would we not ask for riches, to balance out the inequalities of society, so that everyone would have enough? These are in fact great goods. They are not to be shunned because they are bad. But without the wisdom of God to as the conductor of the orchestra, the architect of the building, they turn into a cacophony of noise and a structure that can't help but collapse. The question is do we believe that we can make these things work without God as guide? This is a temptation which Solomon overcame. The LORD offers us the same wisdom to believe as he did, to desire as he desired, to ask what he asked.

The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.

When we chose the Gospel as our treasure, when we seek first the Kingdom of God, all else is added to us (see Matthew 6:33).

In addition, I give you what you have not asked for: I give you such riches and glory that among kings there will be no one like you all your days (See First Kings 3:13).

In the short term this is true because even pandemics and social upheaval will be among the "all things" that "work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." Even great trials can conform us to the image of the Son. In the long term, all things will be set right.  We will be able to enjoy these treasures with no more misfortune to fear, no sorrow or suffering to disturb us. Possessing them now, treasuring them, allows us to cling to the good grounds we have for that hope. This is what wisdom does. This is the difference the Divine perspective makes.

And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.





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