Daily Readings - Wed Jun 27 2018
2 Kings
8And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.9And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.10And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.11And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.12And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying,13Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.
1And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem.2And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD.3And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
Matthew
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the importance of staying true to God’s word and being discerning in our faith. In the first reading from 2 Kings, we hear the story of King Josiah, who, upon discovering the book of the law, is moved to tears and repentance. He recognizes the great wrath of the Lord that has fallen upon Israel because the people had neglected the teachings of the book. Josiah takes immediate action, gathering the people and renewing the covenant with God, committing themselves to follow His commandments with all their heart and soul. This passage emphasizes the need for humility, repentance, and a return to God’s word when we realize we have strayed.
In the Gospel, Jesus warns us about false prophets who appear as sheep but are inwardly wolves. He tells us that we will know them by their fruits—good trees bear good fruit, and bad trees bear bad fruit. This teaching calls us to discernment and authenticity in our faith. It is not enough to claim to follow God; our actions must reflect His love and truth. Just as King Josiah acted with urgency to restore the people’s fidelity to God, we too must examine our own lives and ensure that our words and deeds align with the teachings of Christ.
These readings challenge us to live with integrity and authenticity. Let us reflect on our own commitment to God’s word and ask ourselves: Are we bearing fruit that reflects the love and truth of Christ? Do our actions demonstrate a genuine relationship with Him? Let us pray for the grace to remain faithful, to discern what is true, and to live in a way that honors God. May we, like King Josiah, have the courage to turn back to God when we have wandered and to lead others to do the same.