Scripture reflection for June 26, 2008

Scripture for Wed. of 12th week (June 26,2008). II Kings 24:8-17. Psalm
79:1-2,3-5,8.9. Matthew 7:21-29. Lectionary # 374:

Jehoiachin is King of Juda from 598-597 B.C. It is he who will be
taken captive with most of the military and leaders and brought to Babylon,
present day Iraq. Nebuchadnezzar is the invader and all he leaves behind
are the poor who will have to depend solely on God. The Babylonian
Captivity has begun and will last from 586 B.C. to 516 B.C. that is from
the destruction of the First Temple in Judea to the dedication of the
Second Temple. There is a second exile in 70 A.D. when the Romans conquered
Judea. It is estimated some 30 thousand captives were taken to Babylon
under the command of Nebuchadnezzar. Joiachin reigned for only three years
and in the Book of Kings both he and his father were considered to have
severed the covenant with God and did what is displeasing in the sight of
God.
Doing the will of God is of the essence of the covenant. God will
shower his mercy and justice upon those who are faithful. Unfortunately,
these two kings did not obey God and did their own will. We are to learn
from this to be faithful to our primordial commitment to God and to do
God's will everyday. We probably can learn from the Psalms about the poor
how to pray as did those left behind in Judea. Their laments are easily
picked up as we pray the psalms.
We are thus led into the Gospel where Jesus is ending his sermon on
the mount and is telling us that just mouthing Lord, Lord, is not what
doing the will of God is all about. Even some miraculous features that
God permits or even the expelling of demons is still not the complete
action of doing God's will. Living out the whole of the sermon which
contains the beatitudes is what God's will is for us. In a sense it is
telling us lucky are those who are unlucky as we see the antitheses of the
beatitudes played out in our life. Jesus gives several examples and a
parable to help us understand the meaning of the sermon. He is teaching
with his own authority and not just repeating the authority of others.
Father Henry Wansbrough, O.S.B. sums up the sermon and the pericope
of today's reading from Matthew: "But it is not sufficient simply to
profess adherence to Christ and the Christianity community; it is necessary
to accomplish the Father's will, as it has been set out in the sermon." (A
New Catholic Commentary on Scripture, p.917). Another summary in prayer
form comes from Jesus himself in the sermon on the mount, "Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven." Amen.