REFLECTION FOR THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

SET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Readings: 1Kings 3:5, 7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52

 

The first reading of this Sunday is on that famous encounter between God and the newly-crowned King Solomon (1Kings 3:5, 7-12). In that encounter, God made a wide-open proposal to Solomon to ask whatever he would like to be given. I would like to begin our reflection by asking us to imagine ourselves in the position of King Solomon. If God were to also give us the same blank-cheque opportunity as he gave to Solomon and requires us to make a once-in-a-lifetime request, what will we ask God to grant us? Good health, longevity of life, wealth, happiness, love, power, success, or a combination of all these. Our priorities in life determine to a great extent the nature and the content of our longings and strivings.

There is this story of a man who was asked by God to make a choice of whatever he wanted God to grant him but on the condition that the double of whatever he asked for would be done to his next door-neighbor. This man happened not to be in good terms with the neighbor in question. As such, the man was not happy with the condition attached. Filled with jealousy at the thought of how his enemy would be given a double share of whatever God would grant him, he therefore made this request: he asked God to remove one of his eyes. You can already imagine what he expected God to grant his neighbor in return.

It is interesting the way Solomon started by first of all thanking God for the way he treated his predecessor, his father David with great love. He further confessed his unworthiness and went on to make that surprising but exemplary request, asking for what seemed his greatest need: give me an understanding heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. The attitude of Solomon is a call for us to set our priorities right in our personal life, relationships, marriages, vocations, professions and so on. We must know what we need, why we choose to be who are and why we do what we do. It is also an invitation for us to evaluate the requests we put across to God in prayer. Prayer is that one opportunity that God has given us to make our requests known to him. We have to ensure that we always ask for what we truly need and not for what we want.

Also, the attitude of Solomon challenges us as heads and leaders (both religious and secular) to understand that we occupy positions of authority simply for the purpose of serving the needs of the people under us. Solomon was able to make that singular request because he understood this point. Imagine what would happen in our world if our leaders have a divinely-inspired, wise and understanding hearts. As a young and newly-crowned king, Solomon could have asked for personal fulfillment and satisfaction such as long life, riches, influence and victory over enemies but he did not consider them his basic needs. He did not ask for the power to dominate, intimidate and subdue his subjects like most of our today’s leaders. He did not ask God for power to eliminate his brother Adonijah, Joab and Abiathar the priest who wanted to wrestle the kingship from with or every other person who was not in his camp (1Kings 1:5-8). He did not ask for fame and popularity neither did he ask for the power to destroy his enemies as most of will do when given such grace. Truly, Solomon’s understanding of authority and leadership is different from the style of leadership that we have today where leaders/heads come into power with no intention to serve but to loot and to wreak havoc.

Dear friend, as St Paul reminds us in the second reading, each one of us has been called by God for a purpose (Rom. 8:28-30). God will justify and glorify us in the same way he did to Solomon but on the condition that we are able to distinguish between good and evil. Our final goal in this life is to enjoy everlasting happiness with God in his kingdom. Getting to that kingdom is therefore our utmost priority. This priority should influence the choices we make and the way we conduct our lives. God is the supreme good. His kingdom is like a treasure that must be sought above all else and a costly pearl that we must heroically strive to possess (Matt. 13:44-46). In order to get hold of that kingdom, let us therefore sell all we have that do not serve the purpose of this quest. Let us sacrifice our inordinate pursuit of power, possessions and worldly pleasure in an attempt to be counted at the end of time, among the good fish meant for the kingdom of heaven.

Prayer: Almighty God, grant us a wise and understanding heart to be good shepherds to the flock entrusted to our care; to be good husband to our wife and vice versa; to be good parents to our children and vice versa; and may the good choices we make today merit us a place in the kingdom of heaven. Amen.