Daily Readings - Sat Jun 22 2024
2 Chronicles
17Then, after Jehoiada passed away, the leaders of Judah entered and reverenced the king. And he was enticed by their obsequiousness, and so he acquiesced to them18And they abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and they served sacred groves and graven images. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of this sin19And he sent prophets to them, so that they might return to the Lord. And though they were offering testimony, they were not willing to listen to them20And so the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest. And he stood in the sight of the people, and he said to them: "Thus says the Lord God: Why have you transgressed the precept of the Lord, though it was not to your benefit, and why have you abandoned the Lord, so that he would then abandon you?21And gathering together against him, they stoned him, beside the place of the king, in the atrium of the house of the Lord22And king Joash did not remember the mercy with which Jehoiada, his father, had treated him; instead he put to death his son. And as he was dying, he said: "May the Lord see and take account.23And when a year had turned, the army of Syria ascended against him. And they went to Judah and Jerusalem. And they put to death all the leaders of the people. And they sent all the spoils to the king of Damascus24And although certainly there had arrived a very small number of Syrians, the Lord delivered into their hands an immense multitude. For they had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Also, against Joash they executed disgraceful judgments25And upon departing, they left him greatly debilitated. Then his servants rose up against him, in vengeance for the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest. And they killed him on his bed, and he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but not in the sepulchers of the kings
Matthew
24No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will have hatred for the one, and love the other, or he will persevere with the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth25And so I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, as to what you will eat, nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing26Consider the birds of the air, how they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much greater value than they are27And which of you, by thinking, is able to add one cubit to his stature28And as for clothing, why are you anxious? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither work nor weave29But I say to you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was arrayed like one of these30So if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and cast into the oven tomorrow, how much more will he care for you, O little in faith31Therefore, do not choose to be anxious, saying: ‘What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and with what shall we be clothed?32For the Gentiles seek all these things. Yet your Father knows that you need all these things33Therefore, seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well34Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for the future day will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its evil.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of trusting in His providence. The first reading from 2 Chronicles recounts the tragic story of King Joash, who, after the death of the priest Jehoiada, abandoned the Lord and led Judah into idolatry. Despite the warnings of the prophets, including Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, Joash and the leaders of Judah refused to return to God. This rebellion led to devastating consequences: the destruction of Judah, the death of Zechariah, and ultimately the king’s own downfall. The reading serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of forsaking God and the importance of remaining faithful, even in the face of temptation and pressure from others.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the futility of anxiety and the necessity of prioritizing our relationship with God. He uses the examples of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field to illustrate how God provides for His creation. Jesus urges us not to be consumed by worries about material needs but instead to seek first the kingdom of God and His justice. This teaching calls us to trust in God’s providence and to live with faith, knowing that He knows our needs and will provide for us. The key lesson here is that true peace and security come not from wealth or worldly success but from a deep and abiding trust in God.
These readings are deeply connected. Both warn against the dangers of prioritizing worldly concerns over our relationship with God. The story of King Joash and the leaders of Judah shows what happens when we allow ourselves to be swayed by the allure of power and wealth, while Jesus’ teaching in the Gospel offers the antidote: a life of faith, trust, and detachment from materialism. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where are we placing our trust? Are we allowing anxiety and worldly ambitions to dominate our lives, or are we seeking first the kingdom of God? May we learn to trust in God’s providence and live with the faith and simplicity that Jesus calls us to.