Readings of the day: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:10, 11ab, 11d-12a, 12bcd; Mark 6:7-13
Have you ever had conversations with the people you love most about your hopes and dreams for their future?
Have you ever had conversations with the people you love most about your hopes and dreams for their future?
Often we do not like to think of death, and what will happen to our
loved ones after we are called home by the Lord. In our first reading from the
First Book of Kings, though, David does just that. David gives his last will
and testament, if you will, his final “instructions to… Solomon,” his son and the
future king of Israel.
Solomon would come to be known especially for two reasons: he had the
first temple of Jerusalem built, and he was recognized for his wisdom. But at
this point, as David’s long reign was about to end, Solomon’s future and the
future of Israel’s kingship was unclear.
David finishes his last conversation with a promise to Solomon: “You
shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.” But there are
conditions to this promise: David’s line of kings will only continue if Solomon
and his sons “remain faithful to [God] with their whole heart and with their
whole soul.”
We know from the rest of the story of Israel’s kings that unfortunately
Solomon was not perfectly faithful to God, and then some of the kings after him
were much less faithful, and ultimately the kingdom of Israel would collapse. Today, though, we hear David’s last hope that his son will carry on his
line.
When I was a small boy, I had a favorite fire safety cartoon from the National Film Board of Canada that was also a parody of the Biblical creation stories, called “Hot Stuff.”[1] As he is about to pass away, the old caveman in the cartoon, who had invented excellent uses of fire, for example the flaming “wheel,” passes his invention to his son with the halting words: “C- c- carry on and use it wisely!” David’s advice to Solomon is similar: “Carry on and” rule faithfully and “wisely.”
When I was a small boy, I had a favorite fire safety cartoon from the National Film Board of Canada that was also a parody of the Biblical creation stories, called “Hot Stuff.”[1] As he is about to pass away, the old caveman in the cartoon, who had invented excellent uses of fire, for example the flaming “wheel,” passes his invention to his son with the halting words: “C- c- carry on and use it wisely!” David’s advice to Solomon is similar: “Carry on and” rule faithfully and “wisely.”
To those of us who have children: Have you ever had great hopes for
them: That they might be interested in the same things that interest you; that
they might use their gifts and talents wisely; that they might carry on the
family business if you have had one; that they might be happily married; that
they might be happy in whatever vocation to which God calls them; or perhaps
that they might continue to practice or return to their faith?
It can be heartbreaking for those of us who have seen those dreams for
our loved ones not quite realized. I invite those who have experienced this
first to continue to pray for your loved ones, and second not to give up on
them. God does not give up on us, even though we have all, at one time or
another, fallen short of what God wills and dreams for us. For those times, God
is always ready to forgive us.
Most importantly, let us be assured that the Church, I as a minister of the Church, and
all of us as one community of faith hold you and your hopes and dreams for our
loved ones in our prayer.
[1] Zlatko Grgic, National Film
Board of Canada, “Hot Stuff.” http://www.nfb.ca/film/hot_stuff.
Accessed 5 February 2014.
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