The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present a sharp contrast between life that follows the lead of powerful tyrants and action that restores opportunity for full life to the outcast and rejected in our environment.
The reading from the Second Letter of Kings describes the destruction of Jerusalem.
* [25:3] Ninth day of the month: the text does not say which month, but Jer 39:2 and 52:6 set the breaching of the city walls in the fourth month; in later times that was the date of a fast commemorating the event (cf. Zec 8:19). People of the land: the influential citizens (see note on 11:14); even they, whose resources went beyond those of the ordinary people, were starving.
* [25:4] The Hebrew text of this verse is missing some words. The present translation is based on a likely reconstruction.
* [25:11] Those who had deserted: perhaps on the advice of Jeremiah; cf. Jer 38:2–3.
* [25:19] People of the land: see note on 11:14. (2 Kings, CHAPTER 25 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 137 is a lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem.
* [Psalm 137] A singer refuses to sing the people’s sacred songs in an alien land despite demands from Babylonian captors (Ps 137:1–4). The singer swears an oath by what is most dear to a musician—hands and tongue—to exalt Jerusalem always (Ps 137:5–6). The Psalm ends with a prayer that the old enemies of Jerusalem, Edom and Babylon, be destroyed (Ps 137:7–9). (Psalms, PSALM 137 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Cleanses a Leper.
* [8:1–9:38] This narrative section of the second book of the gospel is composed of nine miracle stories, most of which are found in Mark, although Matthew does not follow the Marcan order and abbreviates the stories radically. The stories are arranged in three groups of three, each group followed by a section composed principally of sayings of Jesus about discipleship. Mt 9:35 is an almost verbatim repetition of Mt 4:23. Each speaks of Jesus’ teaching, preaching, and healing. The teaching and preaching form the content of Mt 5–7; the healing, that of Mt 8–9. Some scholars speak of a portrayal of Jesus as “Messiah of the Word” in Mt 5–7 and “Messiah of the Deed” in Mt 8–9. That is accurate so far as it goes, but there is also a strong emphasis on discipleship in Mt 8–9; these chapters have not only christological but ecclesiological import.
* [8:2] A leper: see note on Mk 1:40.
* [8:4] Cf. Lv 14:2–9. That will be proof for them: the Greek can also mean “that will be proof against them.” It is not clear whether them refers to the priests or the people. (Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)
Matthew Walsh, S.J. made his annual retreat at the Trappist monastery, New Melleray Abbey, in eastern Iowa. This recent experience gave him a good opportunity to make a retreat in a prayerful place, and to sing some of the Psalms with the community. In Psalm 137, the people lament the dreadful experience of exile.
While I was on retreat, and chanted some of the Psalms and prayers with the community, I was struck by the bond of music and prayer we have with our ancestors across the ages. And if we consider the Psalms, we see that they are filled with reference to music and song, as well as the instruments used by the community in the temple. It must have been an amazing experience to enter the temple thousands of years ago, and to hear—and sing—the songs of the community at prayer. Even more amazing, to my mind, is the notion of singing a “new song” to the Lord (as noted in Psalms 96 and 149). What might that have been like, to hear a new song with the community at prayer? I returned to my ministry after retreat with a deeper appreciation for the music and song that enriches our prayer and liturgy. What a gift we have to gather together and glorify God in song! (Walsh, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “The authority to heal and make clean belongs to Christ,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).
"With great fervor before Jesus' knees, the leper pleaded with him (Mark 1:40) with sincere faith. He discerned who Jesus was. He did not state conditionally, 'If you request it of God' or 'If you pray for me.' Rather, he said simply, 'If you will, you can make me clean.' He did not pray, 'Lord, cleanse me.' Rather, he leaves everything to the Lord and makes his own recovery depend entirely on him. Thus he testified that all authority belongs to him. One might ask, 'What if the leper had been mistaken in this assumption?' If he had been mistaken, wouldn't it have been fitting for the Lord to reprove him and set him straight? But did he do this? No. Quite to the contrary, Jesus established and confirmed exactly what he had said." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 25.1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Kings 25:1-12 comments that life here holds great beauty and blessing as well as suffering and pain. Most importantly, it holds the ever-present help of our Father. He is our refuge and our fortress. And one day, just as he did for Israel, he will bring us home.
Today you are heading toward heaven, toward the One who made you. He invites you to stay close to him. He walks beside you and offers you strength for the journey. He will never leave your side. He will lead you home!
“Thank you, Lord, for being with me today!” (Meditation on 2 Kings 25:1-12, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler describes the completion of the exile to Babylon in 587 BCE and the blinding of Zedekiah as only the poorest were left in Jerusalem. In 539 BCE, the Persians who had captured Babylon, released the exiled peoples to return to their lands. Friar Jude reminds us of Jesus' fulfillment of the Law especially in addressing the need to make all things clean.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, dedicated many years of his ministry to working with men, emphasizing the importance of grieving.
Many Christians think we know God through our minds. Yet corporeal theology, body theology, indicates that perhaps weeping will allow us to know God much better than through ideas. In this Beatitude, Jesus praises the weeping class, those who can enter into solidarity with the pain of the world and not try to extract themselves from it. Weeping over our sin and the sin of the world is an entirely different mode than self-hatred or hatred of others. The “weeping mode” allows us to carry the tragic side, to bear the pain of the world without looking for perpetrators or victims. Instead, we recognize the sad reality in which both sides are trapped. Tears from God are always for everybody, for our universal exile from home. “It is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted” (Jeremiah 31:15). (Rohr, n.d.)
We continue to need healing in which the Spirit opens our hearts to care for those in need and guides our efforts to reject tyrants in our society who advocate self interest over the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters.
References
Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8?1
Meditation on 2 Kings 25:1-12. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/06/28/1009809/
Psalms, PSALM 137 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/137?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-healing-of-tears/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lord, You Can Make Me Clean. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jun28
2 Kings, CHAPTER 25 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/25?1
Walsh, M. (2024, June 28). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/062824.html
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