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1st Reading: 2 K 24:8–17
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he succeeded his father, and he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother was Nehushta, daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. Jehoiachin treated Yahweh badly, as his father had done.
At that time, the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to attack Jerusalem, surrounding the city. Nebuchadnezzar came while the city was being besieged by his men.
Jehoiachin, king of Judah, surrendered together with his mother, his servants, his leaders and the palace officials. It was the eighth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar captured them and he took away the treasures of the House of Yahweh and of the king’s house. He also destroyed all the objects of gold which Solomon, king of Israel, had made for the sanctuary of Yahweh. So the word Yahweh had spoken, was fulfilled.
Nebuchadnezzar carried off into exile all the leaders and prominent men, the blacksmiths and lock-smiths, all the men of valor fit for war. A total of ten thousand were exiled to Babylon. Only the poorest sector of the population was left. Nebuchaddnezzar also carried away Jehoiachin, with his mother, his wives, the ministers of the palace, and the prominent men of the land.
So all the prominent people, numbering seven thousand, the blacksmiths, numbering a thousand, and all the men fit for war were deported to Babylon by the king of Babylon.
He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king of Jerusalem, in place of Jehoiachin. And he changed his name to Zedekiah.
Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29
Jesus said to his disciples, “Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father. Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them openly: ‘I have never known you; away from me, you evil people!’
“So, then, anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man, who built his house on rock. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house, but it did not collapse because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible fall that was!”
When Jesus had finished this discourse, the crowds were struck by the way he taught, because he taught with authority unlike their teachers of the Law.
Saint IRENAEUS OF LYONS, Bishop and Martyr
Memorial
June 28
St. Irenaeus of Lyons is perhaps the most lovable and human of the early Church Fathers. A strong defender of the faith against heresies, he was at the same time a peacemaker among Christians of East and West (born in Asia Minor, yet bishop of Lyons, France) and full of love for those who erred, while firm in doctrinal matters and faithful to true tradition. In this he was true to his name (irene = peace).
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
we are divided in camps and factions,
because we make our opinions into absolutes
or consider ourselves
the sole proprietors of the complete truth.
Give us the insight and the humility
always to accept and esteem
other people as brothers and sisters
and to respect their ideas or their faith,
without being ashamed of our faith
founded on the one Lord of all,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
we bring this bread and this wine before you
as our gifts of peace and reconciliation.
Unite us in your Son, we pray you,
and make us into peacemakers, like St. Irenaeus.
By our unity
in the message and life of your Son,
make us into signs of peace to all.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you have made yourself known to us
through your Son Jesus Christ
and you want us to live his message
in all its consequences.
Give us the strength of St. Irenaeus
to make this faith
the heart of all we do
and may this faith express itself
in loyalty, peace and service.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
