Daily Readings - Tue Jun 26 2018
2 Kings
9And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,10Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.11Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?14And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD.15And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.16LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.17Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,18And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.19Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.20Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.21This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.32Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD.34For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.35And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
Matthew
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.13Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:14Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about trust in God and the importance of living according to His will. The first reading from 2 Kings recounts the story of King Hezekiah, who faced the threat of the Assyrian king Sennacherib. Despite the daunting forces arrayed against him, Hezekiah turned to God in prayer, acknowledging His sovereignty and imploring His intervention. Through the prophet Isaiah, God assured Hezekiah that He would defend Jerusalem, and in a miraculous turn of events, an angel of the Lord struck down the Assyrian army, saving the city. This passage reminds us that when we face overwhelming challenges, our ultimate hope lies in God’s providence and faithfulness.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers complementary wisdom. Jesus teaches us about discernment and the narrow path that leads to eternal life. He warns against giving sacred truths to those who will not appreciate them and emphasizes the importance of treating others with the same kindness we desire for ourselves. The image of the narrow gate serves as a stark reminder that following Christ requires commitment and sacrifice. It is not always easy to choose the right path, but it is the only way to true life.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our choices in life. Like Hezekiah, we must learn to trust in God’s plan, even when the situation seems hopeless. Like the disciples, we must embrace the challenges of living according to Christ’s teachings, seeking to love and serve others as He has loved us. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, let us strive to stay focused on what truly matters: living in accordance with God’s will and placing our trust in His loving care.