Day 146: The Universal Church

Today's readings: 1 Kings 4, 2 Chronicles 6, and Psalm 65.

I. 1 Kings 4 recounts the organization and prosperity of King Solomon's reign after he became king. Basically, we learn of his main officials, the peace and prosperity in Israel during his reign, and the fame his wisdom gained.

The BIY Companion, Vol II, has a rather puzzling note on this:

Solomon delegates his authority by selecting twelve men to serve as leaders in Israel. As Catholics, we can see ourselves as members of the universal Church; other times, though, we might think in more territorial or "parochial" ways - "I go to St. Martin's. I would never go to St. Luke's." While we belong to our parishes, we always need to remember that we belong to a universal Church. (p. 54)

I say "puzzling" because though the statement is correct, I am unsure of how this connects to 1 Kings 4.

II. 2 Chronicles 6 takes place immediately after the completion of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. This is established as the sole place of sacrifice. We also find one of the great prayers of the Old Testament, which strongly emphasizes God’s presence, the Temple, repentance, forgiveness, and intercessory prayer.

III. Psalm 65 is, as the Ignatius Bible notes (verse numbers removed):

A psalm of praise. The Lord is acclaimed (1) for his mercy, which he grants to worshippers in the Temple, (2) for his power, which is revealed through his mighty acts of creation and redemption, and (3) for his goodness, which is manifest in the rains that produce a bountiful harvest. Creation itself gives praise because God's sovereignty is not confined to Israel or its capital but extends to the whole earth. (p. 883)

That's it for today!