Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

2 Chronicles 6, 1-20

Then Solomon said: Yahweh has chosen to dwell in thick cloud,

and I have built you a princely dwelling, a residence for you for ever.

Then the king turned round and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly of Israel stood.

He said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who has carried out by his hand what he promised verbally to my father David, when he said,

"From the day I brought my people out of Egypt I chose no city, in any of the tribes of Israel, to have a temple built where my name should be, nor did I choose anyone to be prince of my people Israel;

but I did choose Jerusalem for my name to be there, and I did choose David to rule my people Israel."

My father David had set his heart on building a temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,

but Yahweh said to my father David, "You have set your heart on building a temple for my name, and in this you have done well;

and yet, you are not the man to build the temple; but your son, yet to be born to you, will be the one to build the temple for my name."

Yahweh has kept the promise which he made: I have succeeded my father David and am seated on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised; I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,

and I have placed in it the ark containing the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with the Israelites.'

Then in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, he stood facing the altar of Yahweh and stretched out his hands-

for Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and five cubits high, which he had placed in the middle of the court and on which he was standing; he knelt down in front of the whole assembly of Israel, stretched out his hands to heaven-

and said, 'Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth, you who are loyal to the covenant and show faithful love to your servants as long as they walk wholeheartedly in your way.

You have kept it with your servant, my father David, as you promised him you would. What you promised verbally today you have carried out by your hand.

And now, Yahweh, God of Israel, keep the promise which you made to your servant David when you said, "You will never lack for a man to sit in my presence before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your sons are careful how they behave, following my law as you yourself have done."

So now, God of Israel, let the words come true which you spoke to your servant, my father David.

Yet will God really live with the people on earth? Why, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain you! How much less this temple built by me!

Even so, listen favourably to the prayer and entreaty of your servant, Yahweh my God; listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant makes to you:

Day and night, may your eyes watch over this temple, over this place in which you have promised to put your name. Listen to the prayer which your servant offers in this place.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

After the Lord took possession of the temple, Solomon clarifies that God himself took the decision to build the temple. He is able then to address the presents and bless them. He recalls to them the story of the choice of God for Israel, from their liberation from Egypt to the choice of Jerusalem, the city where the temple would be built, the dwelling of God among people. It is a short summary that recalls the choice of the Lord not to save human beings individually, but by gathering them into a people. In the face of recurring indivi­dualistic temptations – often religious life also becomes conceived in an individualistic way – it is good to remember that salvation becomes true in the history of “his” people. As Solomon in his time, we too today are called to immerse ourselves in this people that God gathers through his Word so that it may tell all people of the love of God. With this consciousness, Solomon then turns to the Lord. It is significant that the Chronicler shows the place that the king takes at the moment of this solemn prayer: “Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands.” He did this in front of everyone, with his hands outstretched to heaven and with his face toward the Lord. It is a valuable indication for us. In prayer, above all in the liturgical prayer of the assembly, we are in need of a direction, of a place to direct our eyes and our hearts. Too often we are careless and self-referential even in prayer. We need to look on high, to direct our words to heaven, so that they may reach the heart of God. This biblical passage calls us to common prayer, so that our hearts and our eyes may be united and addressed towards God, towards the face of Jesus. Prayer, in fact, is not a generic word launched into emptiness. Prayer is an invocation to the Lord who is faithful to his given word: "[You have kept] covenant in steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart." David maintained this fidelity. Solomon reminds the Lord of his own words to David: “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel.” This is the promise of a sure guide to his people. The Lord, however, places one condition: "If only your children keep to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.” There is a link between the faithfulness of God and that of his people. In the absolute disparity between us and God there is, however the exigency, that begins above all from God, of a reciprocity in love. The love of God is incommen­surable with and incomparable to ours. Solomon realises this and exclaims: “Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house which I have built!” But it is precisely in this total disparity that is embodied the greatness of biblical faith. God chooses us, not through our merits, but only through his love. While we ought to stand before Him with trembling and fear, at the same time we can make ours the words that the king continues to turn to the Lord: “May your eyes be open day and night towards this house, the place where you promised to set your name, and may you heed the prayer that your servant prays towards this place." The response to the love of the Lord is embodied in this invocation, so that he may continue to guard us and to love us. Only in Him, indeed and certainly not in us, is our salvation.