『3-15-26: 4th Sunday of Lent Homily』のカバーアート

3-15-26: 4th Sunday of Lent Homily

3-15-26: 4th Sunday of Lent Homily

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 March 15, 2026: 4th Sunday of Lent Homily The Louvre museum in Paris is one of the most popular museums in the world and also one of the largest. Hidden down one of its endless hallways is a small room where a dark stone is on simple display. The stone is shaped a bit like a tombstone and it's about four feet high and three feet across. It’s called the Moabite Stone and has a deep connection to today's first reading. It was discovered in 1868 by a German missionary in the area east of the Dead Sea in modern- day Jordan. The stone dates from about 840 BC, meaning its ancient letters were chiseled into the basalt stone just 130 years or so after David died. Along with just a few other pieces of archeological evidence, the Moabite stone establishes a solid historical foundation upon which the biblical story of David firmly rests. This rock-like evidence provides a powerful counter argument to any argument that the Old Testament is a mere collection of fables. The Moabite Stone is of great interest for a number of reasons: It contains some of the earliest non-biblical references to the Kingdom of Israel; it specifically mentions the Jewish god “Yahweh” and that images of him were stolen by the Moabites; and it also references the House of David, which was established with his modest anointing in today's first reading at Mass. When does this anointing of David occur? Probably around the year 1,000 BC. We need a little bit of history to set the context. After returning from their long exile in Egypt the Jewish people slowly populated the land of Canaan, more or less the western part of the modern Middle East. They were for a few centuries governed by judges., These judges, or local leaders, were non dynastic, that is, their power and authority did not pass on to their heirs. Their authority was probably over just one or two tribes and often temporary. After perhaps 300 - 400 years of being ruled by judges, the Jews asked asked God to be ruled by a king since so many of the neighboring tribes had kings. So Saul is anointed by Samuel as the first king of Israel. The era of the judges comes to a close, and the Jews, at least the two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin, will be ruled by kings 586. At that point, the start of the Babylonian exile, the last king with the blood of David in his veins, named Zedekiah, is killed after being taken into exile. This is when the house of David ends. David serves for approximately 40 years as king, and dies around the year 970 BC. He is followed by his son Solomon. This chain of Saul-David-Solomon is the well-known but short-lived United Monarchy of the Jews which will fracture in the time of Solomon's sons. Why does the history of the Jewish people matter? Because the church matters. The Catholic church, in its theology, worship, sacraments, and structure, grows out of that ancient chosen people. If the church is the tree, then the Jews are the roots. We fulfill, and are fulfilling, the promises God made to the Jews without canceling that promise. God's new and eternal Covenant, as we say at the consecration at Mass, brings to greater fruition and universality the Old Covenant God made with the Patriarchs. Theology is not a ship in a bottle or a precious diamond resting under a glass canopy. Theology happens in history for a real religion. Real people. Real dates. Real places. Real events. No castles in the clouds for us. No cosmic dreamcatchers or “the force be with you.” We are rooted in historical truth. Notice in the reading how David is not the first choice of Samuel. His choice is Eliab, the oldest of Jesse’s sons. He is tall and of a fine appearance, while David is the youngest, not present, and busy working the herd. In other words, a good appearance does not always translate into competence or leadership abilities. We often universalize, instinctively, physical and personal gifts, thinking that they indicate skilled competence or somehow translate into other areas of life. But there is no intrinsic relationship between competence and charm or personal attractiveness or athletic skill. The Bible reiterates this lesson. The best leader might be the physically least impressive person. And why do the Jews want a king in the first place? Partly out of jealousy and partly out of a natural human instinct. They want a king because every group wants a good leader. The ship needs a captain, the platoon a lieutenant, the team a coach. Groups thrive under good leaders and do things they would never be able to do when governed by committe. And if that leader is chosen and anointed by God, all the better. The anointing of Saul and then David, in fact, become the model for the anointing which is part of the coronation ritual for all kings, even down to today in the western world. Kings in the middle ages were even thought to have the gift of healing ...
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