Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
Reflecting on 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12
The young Solomon really touches my heart. Here he is, a mere youth, who has suddenly inherited the realm of his father, King David. In time, of course, he will surpass his father’s territory and wealth, but when we meet him today, he is the new king, and appears to be quite terrified.
That alone warms our hearts, that an entitled young man would be terrified of making a mistake with the responsibilities thrust upon him. History has lots of terrible stories of young (or old) kings tearing through their empires just because they could.
But young Solomon has the grace to respond to the Lord’s invitation to ask for anything by asking for an understanding heart. That’s where the term “the wisdom of Solomon” begins to take shape.
We see him in several other encounters— remember the story of the two women who each claimed to be the mother of the baby? You can find it in I Kings 3: 16-28. His wisdom shines in that episode as well.
In fact, there are seven “wisdom books” in the Old Testament, books like Job and the Book of Wisdom, which are thought to be influenced by King Solomon.
I’m sorry to confess that if God invited me to ask for anything, I don’t think an understanding heart would even make my top ten. But how wise King Solomon was to ask for understanding so as to “know what is right.”
My top ten would include pleas for an end to global hunger, devastating climate catastrophes, and an end to divisions in the Church and the world. Come to think of it, “knowing what is right” pretty much covers all of that.
What would be your first request of God?
Kathy McGovern ©2026