Daily Readings - Wed Jun 22 2022
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 living a life of authenticity. In the first reading from 2 Kings, we hear the story of King Josiah, who, upon discovering the book of the law, tears his garments in repentance and leads his people in a renewed commitment to follow God’s commandments. This moment of reckoning highlights the transformative power of God’s word when it is taken seriously. The king’s actions demonstrate a deep recognition of the people’s failure to live according to the teachings of the law, and his response is one of humility and resolve.
In the Gospel, Jesus warns us about false prophets who appear righteous but are inwardly corrupt. He tells us that we can identify them by their fruits—good trees bear good fruit, and bad trees bear bad fruit. This teaching challenges us to reflect on the authenticity of our own faith and the company we keep. Just as King Josiah called the people back to the covenant, Jesus calls us to discernment and integrity. The readings together remind us that our relationship with God is not just about outward appearances but about the depth of our commitment and the fruit it produces in our lives.
Let us apply this to our daily lives. Just as the Israelites had to return to the book of the law, we must regularly return to God’s word and examine how we are living. Are we bearing fruit that reflects our faith, or are we merely going through the motions? Let us strive to be people of integrity, rooted in God’s teachings, and mindful of the example we set for others. By doing so, we not only deepen our own relationship with God but also become witnesses of His love and truth in the world.