Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. – 1 Kings 3:9

     It’s challenging to be the head of human resource department, especially when it comes to grievances. It’s even harder when I have to investigate the truth between two opposing tales.

       I am not a judge; I simply seek to understand. When I listen and observe, I get a glimpse of the darkness that lies in people’s hearts: a thirst for vengeance, fierce pride, prejudice, insecurity, envy, or a deep hunger for appreciation and love.

       It’s scary how easy it seems to be sure you are on the side of good and yet be proven wrong. Are we even capable of  distinguishing good from evil when we have blinders caused by our past, our biases, our shortsighted vision or our limited intellect?

       One thing I have learned is that, without humility, you cannot love; without compassion, you cannot see the truth; and without mercy, there can be no true justice. Admitting you don’t know much is the first step to wisdom. Loving yourself in your brokenness, just as God loves you, leads you to love others as well. Cecil Lim (cez_lim@yahoo.com)

Reflection: “When you think yours is the only true path, you forever chain yourself to judging others and narrow the vision of God.” (Shannon L. Alder)

Holy Spirit, grant us the wisdom that teaches us to see with God’s eyes, to feel with God’s heart, and to speak with God’s words. (Pope Francis)

Sts. Paul Miki and Companions, martyrs, pray for us.

Solomon starts his 30-year kingship. He begs the Lord for the wisdom to rule the people. Let us pray that our leaders today will seek what is best for the people and not just themselves. In many countries and international organizations, the leaders look after themselves and not the people they are supposed to be serving. This is a heinous sin and Judgment Day will not look kindly upon such leaders.

4 Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the most renowned high place. Upon its altar Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings. 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” 6Solomon answered: “You have shown great favor to your servant, my father David, because he behaved faithfully toward you, with justice and an upright heart; and you have continued this great favor toward him, even today, seating a son of his on his throne. 7 O Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. 8 I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?” 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon made this request. 11 So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this — not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right — 12 I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you. 13 In addition, I give you what you have not asked for, such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like.”

Psalm 119: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14

R: Lord, teach me your statutes.

9 How shall a young man be faultless in his way? By keeping to your words. (R) 10 With all my heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commands. (R) 11 Within my heart I treasure your promise that I may not sin against you. (R) 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes. (R) 13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. (R) 14 In the way of your decrees I rejoice, as much as in all riches. (R)

Jesus’ heart is revealed to us as He grieved over the people who were like sheep without a shepherd. This is the heart our leaders need to have – a heart moved with compassion for their flock, a heart that will care for them well. A leader must learn to put the welfare of his flock first over his own. This is what it means to lead and to lay down one’s life in the service of the Kingdom of God.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

30 The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. 32 So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. 33 People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them. 34 When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

think: Let us pray that our leaders today will seek what is best for the people and not just themselves.

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: __________________

God’s special verse/thought for me today_

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Corinthians 5-8

TAMA SA HULOG!

There is something curious about Solomon going to Gibeon, “the most renowned high place,” to offer sacrifice. There, after his offering of “a thousand burnt offerings,” the Lord appeared to him, telling him to ask for something. And he did ask for something, but not before acknowledging with gratitude everything he had been given. He was humble and realistic. He gratefully acknowledged the great favors given to David, his father, and he also humbly expressed the same when it was his turn. Realistically though, he knew the challenges of ruling over a people so vast and numerous.

       Solomon was well on his way to becoming great, but he did not ask for greatness. He begged the Lord for wisdom — for “an understanding heart to judge people and to distinguish right from wrong.” It was a case of gratitude before greatness; of humility rather than hubris; and of being low-key so as not to be off-key. In Filipino, we have a very contemporary phrase to describe Solomon — “Tama sa hulog!” And its opposite is “wala sa hulog.” It means off-tangent, off-key or off the mark.

       You can probably relate. We know individuals who are simply “off” most of the time. They say the wrong things, behave oddly, do and say things that simply don’t fit the time, the place or the people involved. “Wala na sa hulog, ay wala pa sa timing!” They laugh when everyone should be in deep mourning. They are silent when everyone is laughing.

       Solomon was in touch, not detached. Solomon was grateful, not gunning for greatness. Solomon kept himself low-key, and saved up a lot on EQ. He thanked God for gifts given, not to him, but to David his father. He made much of the fact that God “continued the great favor toward him.” He made a lot of deposits on his “GQ” bank account — his gratitude quotient.

       This is what being “tama sa hulog” is all about. “A grateful heart,” writes James E. Faust, “is the beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility.” Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTION: Today, think of all the things that you’ve been given that you feel you don’t deserve. Thank God for them.

Thank You, Lord, for all that You’ve given me. I don’t deserve to have them, but You still gave them all to me. Amen.