Daily Readings - Thu Jun 27 2024
2 Kings
8Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem9And he did evil before the Lord, in accord with all that his father had done10At that time, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, ascended against Jerusalem. And the city was encircled with fortifications11And Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, went to the city, with his servants, so that he might fight against it12And Jehoiachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his leaders, and his eunuchs. And the king of Babylon received him, in the eighth year of his reign13And he took from there all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the house of the king. And he cut up all the gold vessels which Solomon, the king of Israel, had made for the temple of the Lord, in accord with the word of the Lord14And he carried away all of Jerusalem, and all the leaders, and all the strong men of the army, ten thousand, into captivity, with every artisan and craftsman. And no one was left behind, except the poor among the people of the land15Also, he carried away Jehoiachin into Babylon, and the mother of the king, and the wives of the king, and his eunuchs. And he led into captivity the judges of the land, from Jerusalem to Babylon16and all the robust men, seven thousand, and the artisans and craftsman, one thousand: all who were strong men and fit for war. And the king of Babylon led them away as captives, into Babylon17And he appointed Mattaniah, his uncle, in his place. And he imposed the name Zedekiah upon him
Matthew
21Not all who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven22Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and perform many powerful deeds in your name?23And then will I disclose to them: ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.24Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them shall be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock25And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand27And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, and it did fall, and great was its ruin.28And it happened, when Jesus had completed these words, that the crowds were astonished at his doctrine29For he was teaching them as one who has authority, and not like their scribes and Pharisees
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the consequences of our choices and the importance of living in accordance with God’s will. In the first reading from 2 Kings, we see the fall of Jerusalem and the exile of King Jehoiachin. This tragic event occurred because the people of Judah had turned away from the Lord, ignoring the prophets and continuing in their sinful ways. The once-great kingdom, blessed by God, was reduced to ruins and captivity. This serves as a stark reminder of what happens when we reject God’s love and ignore His commandments. The fall of Jerusalem is not just a historical event but a spiritual lesson for us today: sin has consequences, and turning away from God leads to emptiness and loss.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. He emphasizes that true discipleship is not about words but about actions. Jesus uses the parable of the wise and foolish builders to illustrate this point. The wise builder, who hears His words and acts on them, is like a house built on rock—stable and unshakable. The foolish builder, who hears but does not act, is like a house built on sand—vulnerable to collapse. This teaching challenges us to examine our own lives: are we merely hearing God’s word, or are we living it? True faith requires obedience and a commitment to follow Jesus’ teachings in our daily lives.
The connection between the two readings is clear: both remind us that our choices have consequences. In the first reading, the people of Judah chose sin and suffered the loss of their kingdom. In the Gospel, Jesus warns us that choosing to ignore His teachings will lead to spiritual ruin. Today, we are called to reflect on our own choices. Are we building our lives on the rock of God’s word, or are we resting on the sand of complacency? Let us strive to be wise builders, rooted in faith and obedience, so that we may stand firm against the storms of life. May we turn away from sin and turn toward God, living in a way that reflects our commitment to His will.