Daily Readings - Tue Jun 23 2020
2 Kings
9And when he had heard from Tirhakah, the king of Ethiopia, saying, "Behold, he has gone out so that he may fight against you," and when he went forth against him, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying10"So shall you say to Hezekiah, the king of Judah: Let not your God, in whom you trust, lead you astray. And you should not say, ‘Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hands of the king of the Assyrians.11For you yourself have heard what the kings of the Assyrians have done to all the lands, the manner in which they have laid waste to them. Therefore, how would you alone be able to be freed14And so, when Hezekiah had received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and had read it, he ascended to the house of the Lord, and he spread it out before the Lord15And he prayed in his sight, saying: "O Lord, God of Israel, who sits upon the cherubim, you alone are God, over all the kings of the earth. You made heaven and earth16Incline your ear, and listen. Open your eyes, O Lord, and see. And hear all the words of Sennacherib, who sent so that he might reproach the living God before us17Truly, O Lord, the kings of the Assyrians have devastated all peoples and lands18And they have cast their gods into the fire. For they were not gods, but instead were the works of men’s hands, out of wood and stone. And so they destroyed them19Now therefore, O Lord our God, bring us salvation from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord God.20Then Isaiah, the son of Amoz, sent to Hezekiah, saying: "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I have heard what you beseeched from me, concerning Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians21This is the word that the Lord has spoken about him: The virgin daughter of Zion has spurned and ridiculed you. The daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head behind your back31Indeed, a remnant shall go forth from Jerusalem, and what may be saved shall go forth from mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall accomplish this32For this reason, thus says the Lord about the king of the Assyrians: He shall not enter into this city, nor shoot an arrow into it, nor overtake it with the shield, nor encircle it with fortifications33By the way that he came, so shall he return. And he shall not enter this city, says the Lord34And I will protect this city, and I will save it for my own sake, and for the sake of my servant David.35And so it happened that, in the same night, an Angel of the Lord went and struck down, in the camp of the Assyrians, one hundred and eighty-five thousand. And when he had risen up, at first light, he saw all the bodies of the dead. And withdrawing, he went away36And Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians, returned and dwelled in Nineveh
Matthew
6Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they may trample them under their feet, and then, turning, they may tear you apart12Therefore, all things whatsoever that you wish that men would do to you, do so also to them. For this is the law and the prophets13Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leads to perdition, and many there are who enter through it14How narrow is the gate, and how straight is the way, which leads to life, and few there are who find it
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about trust in God and living according to His will. The first reading from 2 Kings recounts the story of King Hezekiah of Judah, who faced an existential threat from the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. Despite the intimidating words of the Assyrian ruler, Hezekiah turned to God in prayer, spreading the letter of threat before the Lord and imploring Him to save Jerusalem. Through the prophet Isaiah, God assured Hezekiah that He would defend the city, and indeed, an angel of the Lord struck down the Assyrian army, saving Jerusalem. This story reminds us of the importance of trusting God in times of crisis and recognizing His power over all human forces.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to how we should live as disciples of Christ. Jesus warns us not to give what is holy to those who cannot appreciate it, emphasizing the need to live with discernment and integrity. He then teaches the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you,” which is a summary of the law and the prophets. Finally, Jesus speaks about the narrow gate that leads to life, urging us to choose the difficult but rewarding path of following Him. This teaching challenges us to examine our choices and ensure they align with God’s will, even when the world around us encourages a broader, easier way.
These readings are connected by the theme of trust and moral living. Hezekiah’s story shows us that trusting God leads to salvation, while Jesus’ teachings call us to live in a way that reflects our faith. In our daily lives, we are often faced with challenges and decisions that test our commitment to God. Like Hezekiah, we must turn to prayer and trust in God’s providence. Like the disciples, we must strive to live according to the narrow path, treating others with love and integrity. The moral lesson is clear: our faith must be active, guiding our choices and shaping our relationship with God and others. Let us remember that the Lord is always with us, ready to save us if we remain faithful and true to His will.