Monday 7 February 2022

Today is Monday the 7th of February, in the fifth week of Ordinary time.
The choir of Holy Sepulchre London, directed by Peter Asprey, sing 'Present Yourselves', by James O'Donnell.

Today's reading is from the First Book of Kings.
1 Kings 8:1-7,9-13
Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. All the people of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the festival in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark. So they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. Then Solomon said, 'The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in for ever.'

We find ourselves in Jerusalem, during the feast of Sukkot meaning shelters or tabernacles. During this festival the people of Israel, (to this day), build fragile shelters to remember their time in the wilderness for 40 years and God's presence with them. Now, the presence of the Lord, symbolised in the ark, finds shelter in the temple Solomon has built and dedicates to God.
Where have you found shelter in the presence of the Lord? Spend some time giving thanks to God for these times of comfort and safety.

A disturbing scene is described of 'sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered'. They gave freely to God from their wealth and possessions.
Are there sacrifices you are making in your life of devotion to God? Talk to God about this now.

As you listen to the reading again, notice the covenant relationship that is at the heart of this service of solemn dedication.

As this time of prayer draws to a close, you might like to spend some time talking to God about how you can become a shelter for God?

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.