Solomon’s prayer being ended, fire fell from heaven and consumed [1] the holocaust. Seeing this, the Israelites fell prostrate on the ground and adored the great God of heaven, who wrought such wonders before them, and they went away praising His awful name. The Lord appeared a second time[2] to Solomon and said:
“I have heard thy prayer, and I have sanctified[3] this house which thou hast built; and My eyes and My heart shall be always there.”
COMMENTARY. (Compare with chapter XXXVIII.)
God is infinitely Great or Immense and is not subject to the limits of space or time, for both were created by Him. He is present everywhere in heaven and on earth, but neither heaven nor earth can contain Him who is infinite and immeasurable.
God is Good and Merciful. The Levites sang: “Praise the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endureth for ever.” The story we have just read shows forth His goodness. He came in the cloud and took possession of the Temple, to dwell there in an especial manner. He was pleased with Solomon’s prayer and sacrifice. He appeared to Solomon and promised Him that the Temple should be a holy place, and that He would hearken to those who prayed therein.
Exterior worship. Our worship of God must have an outward expression; for everything which moves our hearts (as, for instance, anger) shows itself outwardly. The Israelites expressed their worship of God by solemn processions, by canticles, by praying aloud, by genuflections, by uplifting of the hands and by sacrifices. And God was pleased with these outward expressions of worship, because they came from the heart.
The necessity of places of worship. God needs no house nor church, but we must have places where we can worship Him in common and praise Him and ask for blessings; so that it is on our account that God requires places of worship. For this cause He Himself designed the Tabernacle and later on the Temple. The Israelites could worship God everywhere; but in the Temple He was present in an especial manner, to listen to prayers and grant graces, and they were therefore commanded to visit the Temple. By the second Commandment of the Church, visiting churches is imposed on us as a duty.
