June 26 - Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

June 26 - Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(2Kgs.25:1-12; Ps.137:1-6; Mt.8:1-4) "Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the last of the people remaining in the city." And so the exile is complete. Not a soul remains in the holy city. And their captors "burned the house of the Lord, the palace of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem." Not a stone is left standing one upon another. Not even the government appointed by the king of Babylon could remain. And they even "tore down the walls that surrounded Jerusalem." Now she is utterly exposed. Now she who was his precious pearl is cast out and trampled underfoot. And so our psalmist can but lament, "By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept, when we remembered Zion." And so his songs of joy are silenced in this "foreign land." But in his lament today do we not find a kind of hope? Does not his abiding love for the holy city of God bring expectation of a better day? Listen to his faith: "If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten! May my tongue cleave to my palate if I remember you not, if I place not Jerusalem ahead of my joy." Even as we hear of the utter destruction of the temple and the city of God, we are given a sense of the faith that will build it up again. And on the day we hear of the completion of the exile of Judah and Jerusalem to Babylon, we hear of the healing of one who is completely ostracized by society. The leper comes begging for a cure, seeking to join his fellow men upon the land, and the Lord answers him: "Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him and said, 'I do will it. Be cured.'" Should this not give us hope in all our travails? Does this not signal not only the return of the exiles in seventy years, but our utter redemption and return to the Lord in the coming of the Person of Jesus? For upon heeding the Lord's instruction to "show [himself] to the priest and offer the gift prescribed," the leper will be welcomed into the Church and society – his exile will be ended. We all stand exiled by sin. We are all utterly bereft of the blessing of the Lord. But there is hope. We are told that even in this exile to Babylon "some of the country's poor" remained to till the land. And has not Jesus just come from the mountain where He has taught His disciples, "Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land"? If we humble ourselves before Him as has the leper, if we remain meek in His sight as have the poor of the land, the blessing of the Lord shall come to us and never leave. For He indeed wills it so. He indeed desires our return from exile. Do we have a heart to come to Him? Do we remember where we have been? ******* O LORD, it is your will that we be whole and living in peace; keep us poor in spirit that we might not be removed from your sight. YHWH, save us from our sin this day, even as you healed the leper; bring us back from our exile to dwell again in the holy City of Jerusalem. Are we not temples of your Spirit? Let us remember and return to them. O LORD, come down from the mountain to walk amongst us, for we are in need of your presence. We live as though far from you in a land of darkness and exile. Is there yet hope for our beaten souls? May we yet be cured of our disease? Only if you are here with us, and we recognize you and call upon your love. Why should your children remain apart from you? O LORD, why can we not sing of your glory? You are just and we deserve our punishment, but let us call upon your mercy this day. Then you will reach out to us; then you will speak your Word over us. Then your will shall indeed be known – that we be saved from the evil of this day.

June 25 - Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(2Kgs.24:8-17; Ps.79:1-5,8,9; Mt.7:21-29) "The rains fell, the torrents came, the winds blew and lashed against his house. It collapsed under all this and was completely ruined." Yes, "the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege," and "Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother, his ministers, officers, and functionaries, surrendered to the king of Babylon, who… took him captive… None were left among the people of the land except the poor"; and these, too, shall soon be struck. Yes, the nations "have defiled [the Lord's] holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins." And why has such destruction come? Our first reading tells us simply of Jehoiachin, "He did evil in the sight of the Lord, just as his forebears had done"; and now finally the day of reckoning has come. And now the nations "have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them." Now does the Lord's "jealousy burn like fire." And what shall be left when that fire is passed? Who shall stand on that day of reckoning that shall come to all souls, to peoples of all nations? Will you stand before the Lord and recount the great deeds you have done before Him who holds all the world in His holy hand? Will you attempt to justify yourself before Him who justifies all? Will your heart truly be set upon such vain pursuit? Truly then the Lord will "declare to [you] solemnly, 'Out of my sight, you evildoers'"; for all you have done will be as a grain of sand in His sight, and that grain will be blown from His hand for your lack of humility, for your pride before whom none can stand. How shall it be then that your house be "solidly set on rock"? How will you avoid the fate of His chosen city Jerusalem? If it has been destroyed, do you not think that you, too, are liable to be struck from His sight? Or do you find yourself perfect? You must cry out as our psalmist, "Deliver us and pardon our sins for your name's sake." You must heed the words of Christ and consider yourselves unworthy servants (Lk.17:10), unfit as you are to stand before His eyes, to dwell in His light. Then He may have pity on your wretched soul. Then He might make you strong. Your tongue silent before His majesty, there will be hope that you shall remain. Remember, brothers and sisters, this is He who "taught with authority" before whom you stand. Do not lose the awe of His presence. And perhaps the great collapse of your house will not be necessary; perhaps you shall find His great love which washes away all sin. Let the rains He sends but be cleansing. Endure them gracefully. ******* O LORD, the gold of the temple does not endure, but only a humble soul set on your will. YHWH, let us do your will, that we might stand humbly before you on the Day of judgment. You cannot help but judge, dear LORD; you cannot help but condemn the pride and wickedness of an evil heart and a vain life. You would give us food to stand strong, your command that gives life indeed… but we would follow our own ways, and so, how can we end but removed from your sight? You make us as temples, LORD, temples of your Holy Spirit feeding on the Body and Blood of your Son… but how faithful are we to the call to be as your Son, to listen to His words and the guidance of the Spirit – are we truly obedient to your will for our lives? If we are not humble, LORD, then we know you not. If we expect return for works done in your NAME, then we understand not the great blessing of being your sons, and how unworthy we are to carry out your will. O LORD, come back to us and help us because of the glory of your NAME. Let us make our home in you and in your Temple, and so find strength in you on the Day you return.

June 24 - Prayer on the Nativity of St. John the Baptist

O greatest of men born of woman, before you were formed in the womb the Lord called you; while still in this cave you leapt for joy at His presence come to you… a sharp, two-edged sword He made you to hail the coming Messiah, the Light in our midst, the New Covenant born of the Old – how shall we humble ourselves as you have done; how shall our call be realized in flesh and blood as was your own? Pray, dear brother, that from darkness we be taken, from blindness and inability to speak we be rescued, that the Word among us we may know and raise our voices to proclaim His salvation to all.

June 24 - The Nativity of St. John the Baptist

(Is.49:1-6; Ps.139:1-3,13-15; Acts 13:22-26: Lk.1:57-66,80) "I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth." The voice of one crying in the wilderness, he who hails the coming of the Lord, is born today. This voice speaks of the Word among us. And from before his birth he is called, in the womb he is formed, to proclaim with the sword of truth God's salvation for His people. "Surely the hand of the Lord was with him," and surely we find the grace of God by walking the path he blazed for us in the desert; for surely that way leads to the glory who is the Son of David. Yes, "to us this word of salvation has been sent." To us this light has been brought forth. We "distant peoples" hear now the call of the voice which pierces our souls: Make straight the way of the Lord! The tongue now speaks; no longer silenced, no longer hidden, it has risen from "the depths of the earth" to plainly declare the coming of Christ. Yes, in the womb of the Old Testament the Lord wonderfully formed the salvation of Israel, probing and scrutinizing all its ways and preparing it for birth in the light of day. And now what He hid in His quiver He shoots forth to wound with amazement the hearts who have waited to hear the Word of life. "John heralded His coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel"; by his voice a place is made for the Savior, Jesus. At the turning point of the history of salvation John stands. He has come to direct souls to the Promised Land. For this he was made. To this call he answers – to lead us to the Son of Man. The old is passed away; now all is made new. Fulfillment has come. The womb has brought forth. The time of salvation is here. For He through whom time and the earth and heavens were made is now come to wash even the dirt from our feet. Listen to the voice which hails the Word of God in our midst. His call is for all ears; the light shines for all "who are God-fearing." Your recompense is upon you now. You, too, make known His light to the world. Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Carie Fortney. Music by Carie Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, your Word of salvation you speak through the mouth of John, whom you have blessed with your might and power. YHWH, your Word of salvation goes forth to the ends of the earth, proclaimed through the mouth of John, the fulfillment of the prophets of Israel. In his birth what is old passes away, and what is new comes. Now the light of the nations enters this house. Loose our tongues to declare your glory, dear LORD. You who have formed us in the depths of the earth, in the womb of the Church, now gather us into your arms that we might be raised unto the glory of your Son, brought into union with you who are our Father and our God. O may we share your Name as we are born into your kingdom! Let your hand be upon us for good, O LORD; let your will be accomplished in us as it has been in John. Let all souls know that it is you who probe us and know us, you who understand all our thoughts and ways. May all our thoughts and actions be in accord with your own, and so in all things let us declare to all that your Son has come – O let us be His servants!

June 23 - Tuesday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

(2Kgs.19:9-11,14-21,31-36; Ps.48:2-4,9-11; Mt.7:6,12-14) "I will shield and save this city for my own sake, and for the sake of my servant David." Brothers and sisters, "renowned is He as a stronghold," the Lord our God. And faithfully does He watch over His chosen one. Our psalmist proclaims, "Great is the Lord and wholly to be praised in the city of our God." He extols the glory of Mount Zion, of Jerusalem, "the city of the great King," for the blessings of God upon it. Here is His temple and so here it is we "ponder [His] kindness"; here it is we take refuge, finding "the narrow gate" that leads to Him and to His salvation. In our first reading today the Lord gives evidence of the way in which He protects His children; He reveals that He will not "give what is holy to dogs or toss [His] pearls before swine." The king of Assyria has indeed "laid waste the nations and their lands," including the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He has acted with seemingly invincible power, and now he has come to the Lord's chosen city to destroy it as well. And though this Jerusalem, where His temple does dwell, and the chosen tribes of Judah (through whom His Savior shall come) shall not be protected forever… though this earthly tent shall so soon be ransacked and taken into exile itself, today the Lord shows how His promise, His covenant with them, will never be taken away. Though the temple's walls be one day destroyed, His spiritual kingdom, His New Jerusalem is eternally blessed in heaven. Hezekiah indeed "enter[s] through the narrow gate" of prayer. Taking the threatening letter from Sennacherib in his hand, "he [goes] up to the temple of the Lord, and spreading it out before Him, he pray[s] in the Lord's presence." He calls out, "O Lord, our God, save us from the power of this man, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God." And the Lord listens. He takes pity on His "virgin daughter Zion… for out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant, and from Mount Zion, survivors." And by the hand of the Lord the king of Assyria is turned back. Brothers and sisters, "Jerusalem will not be handed over" to the king of this world. Upon His Church His blessed protection remains. Through Judah and David, the king whose city is Jerusalem, Jesus has come – the Lord's promise is fulfilled and the remnant now does thrive. Here is the Temple not made by human hands; here is the narrow gate through whom all must enter paradise… here is "the joy of all the earth," God's "holy mountain" in our midst; and on His heights and in these walls, we are shielded and saved forever. ******* O LORD, if we enter through the narrow gate, we shall come into your presence, and you shall always fight for us. YHWH, how shall we find our way to your holy City, on which your protection rests, which shall always be saved from the violence of this world? No kingdom can conquer your Church; in her let us make our home. On your holy mountain, the fairest of heights, let us find our place, O LORD. To your Temple let us come, stretching out our arms in prayer. And you shall listen to our pleas, and your help will be with us quickly – you will be our stronghold. And so, we will praise you forever, for you teach us the way that leads to your House; in your heavenly kingdom we shall ever remain. O LORD, let us be holy as you are holy, as all your children are holy. Let us be as those who walk the narrow path to you, who find joy in the difficulties present there. Dwelling in faith we shall not fear the threats of the mighty, for you who are above all are our shield and guide.