Daily Readings - Sat Jun 22 2024
2 Chronicles
17Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them.18And they abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.19Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.20Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, "Thus says God, 'Why do you break the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.'"21But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.22Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge!"23At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.24Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.25When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.
Matthew
24"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.25"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?28And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
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.