What Solomon prayed for, which is the reason he was wise, was an “understanding heart.” He wanted to know well the difference between right and wrong because he wanted to serve his people in justice and righteousness. Because he wanted to be the person God had called him to be. Because being what God called him to be—and not what Solomon wanted for himself—is what mattered before everything else. Because he believed in God. And because he wanted to be faithful.

Now, brothers and sisters, that’s the lesson, and it’s simple. When we pray, our first request ought not to be for what we want but for what God wants. That is, our first prayer ought to be for those things that will help us fulfill the task God’s given us to do. For instance, Solomon asked not for a palace, not for victory in battle, not for love nor riches, not even for peace; rather, he asked for an “understanding heart.” And that’s because an understanding heart is what he needed to be the king God called him to be; wisdom is what he needed whether rich or poor, whether at war or in peace. You see what I mean?

Sometimes when we pray, we forget to pray like this. Which is understandable, of course, given everything—stresses, the demands of work and family, finances and bills. Sometimes we ask God to help us with the rent or with our co-corker or with our children. Now all of this is good to pray for; it’s okay to take these to the Lord. But don’t forget to pray like Solomon did for the virtues you need to fulfill your vocation and to weather the storm. Yes, pray for your children. But don’t forget to pray for the virtues of motherhood or fatherhood. Yes, pray for your irritating co-worker, but not for God to fix them but to fix you! Ask God for the charity and patience you need to love that co-worker as Christ wants you to. And yes, pray for your finances, for rent, for a job. But don’t forget to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Pray for the faith and the strength to sing God’s praises and serve him whether you’re rich or poor, employed or unemployed. Again, you see what I mean? God wants us to ask him for the things we need in this life. But the thing is what we need most are faith, hope, and love and all the virtues of the beautiful life. That should always be at the top of the list, always on our lips as we begin to pray. This is the lesson and wisdom of Solomon. And you can be wise as he was.

This, brothers and sisters, is the pearl of great price we are meant to seek. Of course, as Jesus told the parable, the pearl is the Gospel, the truth of Jesus Christ. But to find Christ is to find the peace which passes all understanding, to find our new life in which we can live in faith, hope, and love. Which is why, for those of us who already have found Christ, we can see this parable to be a reminder to rediscover our life in Christ, that he is our life, that he is all we need. That is, when we hear this parable today, perhaps we should think of it as a reminder that what our soul wants first is not money, not even an end to our worldly troubles; but before all that, our souls simply desire Jesus Christ alive in our hearts, burning in our hearts by the presence of the Holy Spirit. This is to be wiser even than Solomon. And you can be wiser than he was.

Brothers and sisters, God loves you. And he wants to answer your prayer. But—if we can say it this way—God’s prayer is that you want him first, before all worldly things. And so, pray like that: wanting God first. And then you’ll be truly wise. Because your wisdom will be God’s wisdom poured into your soul in the Spirit, as pure gift.