Daily Readings - Tue Jun 25 2024
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
The first reading from 2 Kings tells the story of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, as he faces the threat of invasion from the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. When Hezekiah receives a taunting letter from Sennacherib, he turns to God in prayer, spreading the letter before the Lord and asking for deliverance. Isaiah, the prophet, responds with a message of hope: God will protect Jerusalem, and the Assyrian army will not prevail. That night, an angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, and Sennacherib is forced to retreat. This story underscores the power of faith and trust in God, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches about the importance of living according to God’s will. He warns against giving sacred things to those who do not appreciate them, using the metaphor of pearls and swine. He then emphasizes the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," which summarizes the law and the prophets. Jesus also speaks about the narrow gate that leads to life, contrasting it with the broad and easy path that leads to destruction. This teaching challenges us to examine our choices and priorities, urging us to follow the difficult but life-giving path of discipleship.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our commitment to living a life of faith and integrity. Hezekiah’s story reminds us that trust in God can lead to miraculous deliverance, even when all seems lost. Jesus’ teachings call us to live with purpose and moral clarity, choosing the narrow path that aligns with God’s will. In our daily lives, we face many challenges and decisions. Let us turn to God in prayer, just as Hezekiah did, and let us strive to live according to the values of the Gospel, even when the world around us encourages us to take the easier way. By doing so, we will find true life and fulfill our calling as children of God.