(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
Solomon spent half of his reign, twenty years, building his palace, the temple, and his other projects. The cost in human resources for the stone cutters, the loggers, the haulers of stone and mortar, the many artisans, and the pay for all these was huge. The taxation it would take to play for the wages and supplies was heavy.
If you were running for President on a platform of raising taxes to balance the budget or to make things work, you would probably not be elected. On the other hand, if you were to promise to lower taxes, you would have a very good chance of being elected.
There was growing grumbling in Solomon’s kingdom about the cost of the projects of Solomon. Jeroboam was an officer of King Solomon and in charge of the forced labor of one of the tribes. He met the prophet Ahijah who gave symbolically him ten tribes of Israel for him to be king of.
Jeroboam led the ten northern tribes of Israel in rebellion against Solomon’s son and successor. From the author’s point of view, this happened because Solomon had not remained faithful to God. Rather, he had built shrines where his many wives could worship their favorite deities and sometimes Solomon would join them. Just as Solomon let himself be separated from God, so God allowed him to be separated from his people.
The schism between the followers of Solomon and the followers of Jeroboam lasted until the death of the northern kingdom. The prophets often spoke of reunion, but it has not nyet happened. Even in the Jerusalem of today, there are divisions.
There are schisms in the Christian Church, East versus West, Catholics versus Protestants, many branches of Protestant churches among themselves. There are schisms within each nation, such as Republicans versus Democrats, the far right versus the far left, and the many in between. There are schisms within the world, such as between Islam and other peoples, between the wealthy and the poor nations, between the powerful nations and the weak ones. What is happening between Russia and Ukraine is a symbol of what happens in every dispute involving people. We must work to heal the divisions that separate nations from one another, citizens from one another, believers from one another.
God will bring together all God’s people, eventually, possibly only in the last moments of our human life in the universe. Let us put aside our rebellion against God as our contribution and undo all the schisms and alienations we have created.