Alas two ways to live

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are used in liturgy to celebrate the feast day of Saint Bonaventure, biographer of St Francis, friend of St Thomas Aquinas and Doctor of the Church who is described as ever the poor Franciscan friar who practiced and taught humility and mortification. An approach to life which is more concerned with personal power, prestige and pleasure is addressed by Jesus in the Gospel from Matthew where He proclaims woe to the cities in which He has been preaching and healing but He has received no response. Don Schwager comments that Jesus response is more of sorrowful pity than anger. Don points out that the word woe is also translated as alas. What Jesus Really Said blog expresses that Jesus was seeking a change of heart among the people of these cities to repent and turn away from a solely materialistic and personal pleasure existence which humans then and now are prone to adopt as a lifestyle. The contrast between the dominant behaviour in our culture and the life of Saint Bonaventure is clear. In the passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah King Ahaz is reassured that even though he continues to trust in political alliances and human intrigues instead of seeking the Will of God, the current threat against Jerusalem will not be successful. The psalmist praises the favour in which God holds Jerusalem. As the kings of Judah continue to refuse the change of heart which God desires, the threats to Jerusalem became real and the kingdom disappears during the exile to Babylon.