HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II. 23. 06.2020.

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Readings: 2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36; Psalm 48 and Matthew 7:6, 12-14. 


DIFFICULTIES IN DEALING WITH SUCCESS. 

 

If the Lord does not build a house, in vain do its builders labour; if the Lord does not watch over the city, in vain does the watchman keep vigil (Ps 127:1). This psalm portrays the liturgy of today, not to depend on our reasoning and success alone, but on God and to follow His ways.

 

In the first reading, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria sent messenger to Hezekiah saying, “Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the Assyrians.” While the Assyrians empires spread to different cities and nations, this threat came to Hezekiah that their city would be delivered to the hands of Assyrians. In his pride, the Assyrian king did not hesitate to claim divine status and dared to blaspheme the Lord. Emboldened by their wealth and military might the Assyrians felt secure against any harm or revenge, and like all tyrants, they demanded ever greater tribute from vassal inferior states and grew intolerant of any signs of independence. Receiving this message, Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord in prayers.

 

The message is clear. Hezekiah did what any child of God will do with such a letter. In difficulties, challenges `crisis or threat that comes from the evil one, we must turn to God in prayer. Some of us that have been threatened by others who are more superior to us humanly speaking, in such situation, what do we do? Let us turn to the Lord in prayers who establishes his city forever as the psalm of today indicates. At the end of the reading, we see God fulfilling his promise when he said, “For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” That night, the angel of the Lord went forth and slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. Hence, Let us go to God in prayer, let Him watch over us, and over our city, let us rely on God and not solely on ourselves, for no one can battle with the Lord.

 

In view of this that Christ in the Gospel advises us not to give dogs what is holy and throw our pearls before swine, that is, some precious things that should not be given to those who will receive them with contempt. He compares the narrow gate and the hard road, which the few take with the wide and spacious road, which many take. He embodies the narrow gate and the hard road. To take the narrow gate and the hard road is to follow him, to live by his teaching, especially expressed in the Sermon on the Mount from which we have been reading in recent days. Christ implies that many people will turn away from his teaching and take the easy way.

 

Dearest friends, there is a right way and a wrong way and Christ passionately appeal to us today to take the right and difficult way, which lead to life. The true gate is both narrow and difficult. If your road has a gate that is easy, please do well to watch it. peace be with you!

 

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ

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