Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
(II Kings 25:1-12; Matthew 8:1-4)
Did you ever have to make a decision where there seemed to
be no good options? Say your daughter
wants a “destination wedding” outside the Church. You not only cannot approve the invalid
marriage, you also doubt the couple’s maturity.
Should you support your daughter by attending the wedding? In
both readings today someone makes a decision when the options are not
apparently favorable.
Behind the scenes in the first reading King Zedekiah is
caught between losing support of his base and ignoring the Word of God spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah. In the
gospel Jesus is confronted by a leper who asks healing. Either he will touch the man and show authority
over the law or disappoint the oppressed leper.
Zedekiah opts against God’s Word, but Jesus, who is the Word, lives up
to it.
We must not be afraid to abide by the Word of God. He speaks to us through Scripture, the Church,
and our consciences. Walking with him
will, at times, bring hardship. However,
we will end stronger and already close to eternal life.