1ST READING
The
Babylonians sack Jerusalem twice. They first exile the elite of the
city in order to subdue the Jewish people; then, when those remaining
still do not give in to their rule, they exile everyone and destroy the
Temple as well. The Jews were unable to fight their enemies well because
of the corruption in their leadership and religious practices. This
meant there was no unity of purpose as a people and as a nation. Thus,
they were easy prey to conquering armies.
2 Kings 24:8-17
8 Jehoiachin
was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three
months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta, daughter of
Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his forebears had done. 10 At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. 11 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, himself arrived at
the city while his servants were besieging it. 12 Then
Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers,
officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who, in
the eighth year of his reign, took him captive. 13 He
carried off all the treasures of the temple of the Lord and those of
the palace, and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of
Israel, had provided in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had
foretold. 14 He deported all Jerusalem: all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number, and all the
craftsmen and smiths. None were left among the people of the land except the poor. 15 He
deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, and also led captive from Jerusalem to
Babylon the king’s mother and wives, his functionaries, and the chief
men of the land. 16 The
king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon all seven thousand men of
the army, and a thousand craftsmen and smiths, all of them trained
soldiers. 17 In place of Jehoiachin, the king of Babylon appointed his uncle Mattaniah king, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
P S A L M
Psalm 79:1-2, 3-5, 8, 9
R: For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2 They
have given the corpses of your servants as food to the birds of heaven,
the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth. (R) 3 They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. 4 We
have become the reproach of our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. (R) 5 O Lord, how long? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? (R) 8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our
sins for your name’s sake. (R)
GOSPEL
Our
faith is more than just believing in God. Our faith is a call to
action. We are called to embrace discipleship — to grow in holiness
every day as we seek to embrace a life of virtue and imitate Christ.
This is why the lives of the saints are so important for us in trying to
live a holy life. They provide numerous examples of how people have
accomplished this task down through the centuries. The practical details
are important; however, it is their attitude and determination to
follow Christ that should first inspire us.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
Matthew 7:21-29
21 Jesus
said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will
enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my
Father in heaven. 22 Many
will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your
name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty
deeds in your name?’ 23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ 24 “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The
rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. 26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely
ruined.” 28 When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
think:
We are called to embrace discipleship – to grow in holiness every day
as we seek to embrace a life of virtue and imitate Christ.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: __________________
____________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today_
_____________________________________
READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Chronicles 10-12
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