9th AFTER TRINITY (A ? prop. 12) S. Margaret?s Budapest
When King David died there was a power struggle with typical Oriental court intrigue and murders and bloodshed generally before the succession could be established. After all, he was a man with many wives and children each of whom saw a chance to grasp the reins of power in what was a rich prize. It was Solomon who eventually won out over the other contenders. However he didn?t really have the necessary leadership qualities to hold everything together. As well as cleverness one needed wisdom, and ability as a tough military commander to carry out the necessary royal and administrative functions. Solomon apparently realized his limitations, and the reading this morning tells us what he did about it. He went to the chief shrine of Gibeon where he could expect to receive a direct dream revelation from God. Then, when he returned home, he called the whole household together, sacrificed with them, and then revealed to them what the Lord had told him.
In Israel, as indeed generally in the ancient Near East, the king was seen as God?s representative, the channel of revelation. So Solomon, in seeking revelation in this way was acting within the expectations of the people. The OT has many examples of revelation by dream. Even in the NT we are told of the experience of S. Paul when the Lord
stood over him in the night
and assured him that he would bear witness in Rome also. The materialistic, scientific and sceptical age in which we live makes us suspicious of encounters with God such as this, but God will make use of whatever means he can to make his will known to us. The importanr thing about dream revelations are that they must be tested to see whether they stand within the guidelines of the scriptures and the experience of the Church through the ages, or is it simply the result of a too heavy late supper. Is the revelation consistent with what we know of God through Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Tradition?
The reading also highlights the importance of what we might call
holy place.
The presence of God has always been associated with certain places. It could be that we need such places, as a church for instance, as an aid to our knowing the presence of God and being able to hear what he wants of us. The association, coupled with the effort of going, can help us to be open. We all need to discover places where God is for us.
So Solomon receives from God the gift of discernment for which he had prayed. God fits him for his task and authenticates his call. David?s qualities of loyalty, righteousness and integrity were those which Solomon desired for himself. David had come by some of these by way of hard experience, as we mostly have to do also because of our self-will. But because of his basic quality of obedience to the will of God, he did acquire them. In the same way we can also. There is significance for us in this obedience, and in the need felt by Solomon to be a channel for God?s grace towards God?s people. As Christians we have this function too. The world looks to the Church to interpret the divine will ? and is often disappointed. We need the qualities which Solomon sought, and we may need our own holy place where we can receive them.
The writers of the OT were certain that Solomon?s kingship was in God?s plan. S. Paul is sure that God?s plan extends to all who love God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
There is an inspiring sense of hope and purpose contained in these words as we live out our life in and for God. Our lives are not manipulated by God, our freewill is not denied; quite the opposite ? those who love God will want him to work out his will in their lives. Loving God is being obedient.
If you love me you will keep my commandments
(Jn. 14:15). Real freedom is to be found by living within God?s will, following his call or purpose for us. He has a divine plan for the world, and this is worked out in co-operation with those who love him. And he has a purpose for each us within this divine plan. The reading takes us through the variou stages of our development as Christians. First God
knows
us, i.e. he gives us his personal attention. Then we are to be
conformed to the image of his Son,
i.e. we grow to become of the same mind and character as Christ. In this way Jesus becomes
the firstborn within a large family.
To be called by the Lord is to become a member of a family, the family of the redeemed, the family of those who have a share in the resurrection and who have entered into new life. It is hard to be one of this family some-times: so many of us come from such different backgrounds, the Lord has called us as sinners at many different stages of life and self-understanding to begin together this process, this walk to reconciliation and holiness. But it does make it easier when we realize that we are the called, we are all on the same road at least, and that the short-comings of others, although different from ours, are no greater. S. Paul calls this process
justification,
i.e. being gradually brought into a right relationship with God. The completion of the process is at the end of Christian life when we enter into the fulness of Christ?s own glory and receive our share ? he will bring our lives to this conclusion in return for our love.
The value to all this is expressed in the Gospel parables this morning. The kingdom of God is like treasure buried in a field; this treasure is so valuable it is worth selling up everything in order to be able to buy that plot of land. Similarly, it is like a trader in gem- stones who comes across a pearl of such value that he has to sell out his entire stock in order to possess it. In both cases it is the value of the kingdom that is the point, there is nothing else which can compare with it. Each of us has a calling, a vocation, in which we share in establishing this kingdom of God. And nothing must stand in the way of this calling because it is the most precious possession there is. But we are not called to hug it to ourselves and protect it ? we are called to share it with others. In sharing what we possess our portion does not become smaller ? it is like leaven in the loaf mixture, it grows greater. There will be many who reject the offer of course. For many the attractions of the world, selfwill in one form or another, will take precedence. The parable of the dragnet is a significant warning. All the fish of the sea are caught up in one great net ? but there will be a judgment. Some fish are good to eat and will be saved, the others will be thrown out. There really is not much that is gentle, meek and mild about the Gospel of Christ. There is much that comes down to sheer stark choice, which we have to set alongside the wonderful promises. Referring back to the Epistle where S. Paul writes,
All things work together for good,
but he goes on to say that this is only for those who love God and are called. The mess and confusion of many Christian lives is simply because they are not on the path which God wants them to be on.
The final two verses of the reading are interesting. They indicate that the treasures of the Gospel are never exhausted: the person who perseveres will always be finding new truths and new ways of looking at old truths. The Good News of the Lord is really quite simple, easy to understand, even if not always to live. But it has such depth and variety of under-standings that it can be the richest of spiritual and intellectual resources that we need for the life journey of faith.