Vatican City, Feb 8, 2018 / 10:08 am
In his daily homily Thursday Pope Francis drew a distinction between the biblical figures of David and his son Solomon, saying that, like David, sinners who repent are still able to become saints, but the corrupt will not achieve holiness.
"David was a saint. He was a sinner. A sinner, and he became a saint. Solomon was rejected because he was corrupt," the Pope said Feb. 8, adding that "someone who is corrupt cannot become a saint."
Speaking from the small chapel inside the Vatican's Saint Martha guesthouse where he lives, the Pope centered his reflection on the day's first reading from the First Book of Kings, which recounted how God became angry with Solomon for worshiping false gods that his wives believed in.
In the reading, God told Solomon that he would "deprive you of the kingdom." However, for the sake of David's righteousness, God said he would take it from Solomon's son instead, leaving him only a small portion of his kingdom.