17th Sunday In Ordinary Time

by Father Benny  |  07/26/2026  |  From the Clergy

According to the first century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, Solomon was only 14 years old when he became the king of Israel. In today’s First Reading, Solomon assents to this fact calling himself “a mere youth.” He admitted that he did not know at all how to act. He humbly acknowledged his inefficiency and inexperience repeating what the great leaders of Israel like Moses (cf. Numbers 27:17) and David (cf. 1 Samuel 5:2) did.

Solomon asked for “an understanding heart”, which literally meant a “heart that listens.” In most of the Near Eastern cultures, including Israel, the heart was considered the organ of comprehension and the seat of moral judgment. The ability to listen is fundamental for discerning the truth of a person’s words and deeds. Therefore, he asked for a heart that listens. Solomon knew that sound judgment was a divine attribute (cf. Deuteronomy 1:17; Psalm 72:1-2) and therefore he petitioned the Lord to bless him with this ability. Solomon’s humility won for him what he wanted. God blessed him with wisdom and understanding that no other ruler ever had. As a bonus, he received also some gifts he never asked for: riches, safety from his enemies, and long life.

The prayer of Solomon should inspire us to grow in humility. When we go to God in humility surrendering our lives to his will, he will generously grant us gifts more valuable than silver and gold. When we are proud and all-knowing, no one can ever help us; but when we humbly admit our littleness, God will be there by our side to walk us through. Following the example of King Solomon let us humbly admit our need for God and pray for “hearts that listen”.