Not too long ago, perhaps just over sixty years ago, in the United States, the pledge of allegiance and a prayer were part of the beginning of the day in public schools. Now, prayer is almost fully excluded, and the pledge of allegiance is a matter of debate.
As I read and prayed over the first reading from the Book of Kings, I thought of the news that the state of Louisiana has mandated the display of the Ten Commandments in its public schools. I’m not going to weigh in on the Constitutional law involved—I’ll leave that to legal scholars and judges—but I do see a parallel between this and the high priest, Hilkiah, finding the book of the law, which he gave to the scribe, Shaphan, who in turn read it to the king.
The parallel I see is the rediscovery of God’s law and how we respond to it. Most of us were taught the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, and we’ve certainly heard many proclamations of the Word of God at the Mass, and perhaps even read parts of the Catechism to better understand our faith.
But, as with the case of the people in the first reading, we might have put aside some of these instructions that make up the law of God and the teaching of the Church and fashioned our own way of living.
Repair and Restoration
In the case of the high priest Hilkiah, it was during the repairing of the temple that this book of the law was found. It reminded me that when we need to paint or do other home repairs, to clear the workspace, we go through bookshelves, closets, and other spaces, and often rediscover a cherished book, photos, or letters.
It’s a reminder that from time to time, both we and our church need to go through this process of repair and restoration. We, both families and individuals, need to take the time to pray and reflect on how we are living, and on our priorities and how they line up with our vocations and relationship to God and loved ones.
Bearing Good Fruit
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus reminds us that we should beware of false prophets, which could also include secular prophets who promote a life that diminishes God’s role in our lives. How well we keep God’s law present in our minds and hearts will determine whether we bear good fruit.
The way that we can be sure we are on the right track is to know where our Bible, Catechism, and other sources of the faith are, and to use them, along with the prayer from today’s psalm: “Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.” (Ps. 119)
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