Daily Readings - Sat Jun 22 2024
2 Chronicles
17After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.18They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem.19Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.20Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the LORD's commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.'"21But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD's temple.22King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah's father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, "May the LORD see this and call you to account."23At the turn of the year, the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.24Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.25When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Matthew
24"No one can serve two masters. 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 both God and Money.25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
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.