Homily: February 6, 2024, Tuesday of the fifth week in Ordinary time (Solomon Failed)

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He said, "LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below."

Solomon is praising the God of Israel, acknowledging Him as the one true God. He sings a hymn of thanksgiving to God for dwelling in the temple he built.

Solomon was especially blessed by God. In the earlier chapters of the book of First Kings, we read that God blessed Solomon with wisdom and all the riches of the world.

Unfortunately, in the later chapters, Solomon failed God. He followed his pagan wives to worship other deities. The same lips which uttered those words of praise and thanksgiving began to praise other gods. What a pity.

The Bible provides no mention whether Solomon repented of his numerous sins or tore down the pagan altars he built. Did he not turn back to the one true God He honored and worshipped? Was he tempted beyond the possibility of return?

In the Letter to the Hebrews 6:4, it is stated, "For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are re-crucifying the Son of God for themselves and holding him up to contempt." 

While this text was written regarding the newly baptized Christians during St. Paul’s time, it also describes Solomon’s situation. He saw the glory of the Lord in the temple he built for God, he was enlightened with the gift of wisdom, he tasted power in his kingship, but he fell away and did not seem to have repented.

Christopher Ferry warned, “The devil wouldn’t be attacking you so hard if there wasn’t something valuable inside of you. Thieves don’t break into empty houses.”

It seems that those who receive more from God will also face more temptations and spiritual attacks from the evil one. And the road to return is much harder to take.

So, let us be on guard, do not take our faith and our blessings for granted. We pray for ourselves, and all who are called into church service and leadership, that they may always serve the Lord with true humility and faithfulness. That they may be protected from evil and spiritual harm. That they may be kept away from the fallen path. Amen.


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