ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Friday

Year II

Readings

First Reading
2 Kgs 11:1–4, 9–18, 20

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 132:11, 12, 13–14, 17–18

Gospel
Mt 6:19–23

Meditation on Today’s Readings

Taken from the Vatican II Sunday and Weekday Missal
Written by Celia Sirois

In today’s selection the author of 2 Kings concludes the story of Ahab. The promised destruction of Ahab’s house, punishment for the murder of Naboth, was deferred until his children succeeded him. Athalia, Ahab’s daughter, ruled the land of Judah for six years. Then in the seventh year Jehoiada the priest made a clean sweep of the royal house. For the people of Judah, his action was a defining moment. Not only did he return Ahaziah’s son to power, but he renewed the people’s covenant with God as well. Thus, having recovered their heavenly treasure, they were able to reorder their hearts. “All the people...rejoiced and the city was quiet.”

In the Gospel for today Jesus, like Jehoiada, calls his disciples to clarify their vision and values too. He reminds them that what they cherish will determine what they choose. Second Corinthians shows Paul as living proof of that. This catalog of Paul’s sufferings in the service of the Gospel is truly remarkable. Only a man whose “eye is sound,” who sees everything in the light of Christ, could bear such hardships and more.

The copyright for the Sunday Missal Introductions is:
Copyright (c) 2001, Daughters of St. Paul
The copyright for the Weekday Missal Introduction is:
Copyright (c) 2002, Daughters of St. Paul