Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/297

 Solomon’s prayer  being  ended,  fire  fell  from  heaven  and  consumed 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  to  Solomon  and  said:

“I have  heard  thy  prayer,  and  I have  sanctified  this  house which thou  hast  built;  and  My  eyes  and  My  heart  shall  be always  there.”

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.