Siege the moment

The texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present some reflection on how to restore and protect the our Gift as people who are temples of the Hoy Spirit. The Second Book of Kings tells of the siege of Jerusalem by the Assyrian king Sennacherib. The Prophet Isaiah tells the King of Judah, Hezekiah, that the Lord has heard his prayer that Jerusalem will not be sacked by the Assyrian army. A great plague strikes down the foreign soldiers and Sennacherib retreats to Nineveh. Our interpretation of events often lacks the reflection required to find wisdom. The retreat of the Assyrian was misinterpreted as a sign from God that Jerusalem would always be protected. The defeat of Jerusalem a century later and the exile to Babylon of the leaders destroyed that assumption. The Gospel of Matthew today offers three wisdom instructions. Friar Jude Winkler points out that we need to be aware that the time to present the message we have may not be now. The gift of  faith required to hear what we are saying may not be present in our audience. It is wise to "save our breath" and let the timing of the message be in the hands of the Spirit. Friar Jude points out that Jesus puts the advice of Rabbi Hillel about the content of the Law delivered "on one foot" in a positive expression by telling us the Golden Rule is to do to others as we would have them do to us. The wise are aware that temptation and distraction are the wide path which can take our eyes of the Gift that we are for others. Our selfish addictions encourage us to seek protection against the changes in our lives which will clarify our understanding of how we are to die to self to Live fully.