Seeing Full Life in Service

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today contrasts the folly of our pursuit of power that may lead to corruption with our call to service which brings fullness of life.

Opportunities to Serve

The Reading from the Second Book of Kings presents the Death of Athaliah.

* [11:2] According to 2 Chr 22:11, Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest. If this is historical, it would explain her access to the Temple’s residential precincts.

* [11:4] Carians: foreign mercenaries serving as the royal bodyguard. Compare “Cherethites and Pelethites” in 1 Kgs 1:38.

* [11:12] Testimony: that is, the two tablets of the law preserved in the ark in the Temple. Presumably they were placed upon the king during his installation ceremony as a reminder of the law he was to uphold.

* [11:14] By the column: the king’s special place in the Temple court; cf. 23:3; 2 Chr 23:13. People of the land: in this period, the phrase referred to the important citizenry, whose influence sometimes extended to the selection of royal successors (cf. 2 Kgs 11:14–20; 15:5; 16:15; 21:24; 23:6, 30–35; 24:14; 25:3, 19). In postexilic times, by contrast, the phrase was used of the poor.

* [11:17] There are two covenants. One is between the Lord as one party and the people, headed by the king, as the other. The second covenant, between king and people, is comparable to that made between David and the elders of Israel at Hebron (2 Sm 5:3). (2 Kings, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 132 is a song for a liturgical ceremony in procession to the Temple.

* [Psalm 132] A song for a liturgical ceremony in which the ark, the throne of Israel’s God, was carried in procession to the Temple. The singer asks that David’s care for the proper housing of the ark be regarded with favor (Ps 132:1–5), and tells how it was brought to Jerusalem (Ps 132:6–10). There follows God’s promise of favor to the Davidic dynasty (Ps 132:11–12) and to Zion (Ps 132:13–17). The transfer of the ark to the tent in Jerusalem is described in 2 Sm 6. (Psalms, CHAPTER 132 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew exhorts us to seek Treasure in Heaven and presents The Light of the Body.*

* [6:19–34] The remaining material of this chapter is taken almost entirely from Q. It deals principally with worldly possessions, and the controlling thought is summed up in Mt 6:24: the disciple can serve only one master and must choose between God and wealth (mammon). See further the note on Lk 16:9.

* [6:22–23] In this context the parable probably points to the need for the disciple to be enlightened by Jesus’ teaching on the transitory nature of earthly riches. (Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer comments that some biblical scholars have focused on what it meant to have “good eye” and in ancient Hebrew, that meant the person was generous with others. When paired with Jesus’ message about storing our treasures on earth vs. in heaven, this interpretation has validity.

But if we are to dig deeper, what we gaze on, and how we respond to what we are seeing, might be what Jesus wants us to focus on. Through what lens do we see the world? Some see the downtrodden and think, Why don’t they get a job? Others see the same person and ask, What can I do to help alleviate their suffering? The same image, but a completely different response. From spiritual blindness to love and compassion.

Unfortunately, our world is still filled with much darkness, and it is all too easy to let it inundate our thoughts and skew our view of humanity and of God’s wonderful world. We need to keep in mind the cumulative effect of seeing with a “bad eye,” for over time, it can diminish our ability to focus on what God has called us to do. Seeing with a bad eye can negatively impact how we interact with our neighbors and how we serve God. It can diminish the values God wants us to radiate like a bright light for others to see and follow. 

So, during our Daily Examen, let’s pray that our eyes can be Windows to the Soul, Watchful Guardians, and Mirrors of Reflection that clearly see the opportunities God presents to us each day, to love and serve and make our world one filled with light. (Scholer, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Seeking the right intention,” by Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.

"We know that all our works are pure and pleasing in the sight of God if they are performed with a single heart. This means that they are performed out of charity and with an intention that is fixed on heaven. For 'love is the fulfillment of the law'(Romans 13:10). Therefore in this passage we ought to understand the eye as the intention with which we perform all our actions. If this intention is pure and upright and directing its gaze where it ought to be directed, then unfailingly all our works are good works, because they are performed in accordance with that intention. And by the expression 'whole body,' Christ designated all those works that he reproves and that he commands us to put to death. For the apostle also designates certain works as our 'members.' 'Therefore,' Paul writes, 'mortify your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, covetousness' (Colossians 3:5), and all other such things." (excerpt from SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.13.45) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23 comments that Jesus has prepared a place for us in the beautiful new Jerusalem, where there is no darkness, sickness, or pain. He will reign there as Lord, and we will see him face-to-face! What a day of rejoicing that will be! The second aspect of heavenly treasure is what we can experience here and now.

For those who follow Christ, life on earth is filled with glimpses of heaven. Freedom from guilt. Power over persistent sin. A dynamic, personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. Clarity and purpose for living. Deep friendships with brothers and sisters in the Lord. Conviction of the truth and clarity about right and wrong. The ability to forgive. Strength in weakness. Peace in times of trial. Joy in the knowledge of salvation. Hope for the future. Divine wisdom for everyday situations. Healing and miracles. When you stop to think about it, no luxury car or mansion can possibly compare!

“Jesus, thank you for filling me with the good gifts of your kingdom!” (Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in 2 Kings involves a palace coup. Athaliah desires to reign alone but the hidden heir is proclaimed as king and the pagan things are done away with but the victory does not last. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presents two wisdom sayings that exhort us not to have many material things but to have a goal but to serve and view reality with light. Friar Jude advises us to look for the good and we will be able to see it and the Kingdom already dawning, even in the midst of all the chaos.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces turns to the apostle Paul’s advice to the first churches to envision church renewal today. Most people today, in fact, understand church to mean a building, rather than “where two or three gather in my name,” where the Divine Presence is promised just as certainly as it is promised in the bread, in the Bible, in the Sacraments, or in any anointed leadership: “There I am in your midst” (Matthew 18:20).

While Christian churches today do much good, they are still largely aligned, especially in the West, with cultural and political power. To recover the early church’s emphasis on faith as a loving and communal way of life, we clearly need to support good and compassionate pastoral and healing practices. We must begin to validate Paul’s original teaching on “many gifts and many ministries” (1 Corinthians 12:4–11) that together “make a unity in the work of service” (Ephesians 4:12–13). We need Christian people who are trained in, validated for, and encouraged to make home and hospital visits; do hospice work and jail ministry; support immigrants and refugees; help with soup kitchens; counsel couples before, during, and after marriage; teach classes in parenting; offer ministries of emotional, sexual, and relational healing; help with financial counseling; build low-cost housing; take care of the elderly; run thrift centers—all of which put Christian people in immediate touch with other people. Remember, healing was most of the work Jesus appeared to do. It is almost too obvious. Either we see Christ in everyone, or we hardly see Christ in anyone. Either we are Christ to everyone, or we cannot be Christ to anyone.

My vision of any future church needs to be much flatter and much more inclusive. It is much less “churchy,” surely less patriarchal, and more concerned with fulfilling its mission statement than with endlessly reciting its heavenly vision and philosophy statement—the Nicene Creed—every Sunday. Simply put, any notion of a future church must be a fully practical church that is concerned about getting the job of love done—and done better and better. Centuries of emphasis on art and architecture, songs, liturgy, and prescribed roles have their place, but their overemphasis has made us a very top-heavy, decorative church that is largely, and constantly, concerned with its own in-house salvation. (Rohr, n.d.)

We trust in the Spirit to guide our path through the chaos of the world as we serve our community with the “good eye” that sees the needs and responds with love and compassion.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6? 

Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/18/1594230/ 

Psalms, CHAPTER 132 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/132?11 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Re-Enlivening Ministries. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/re-enlivening-ministries/ 

Scholer, S. (2026, June 18). Daily Reflection June 19, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-19-2026  

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lay up Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Kings, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Retrieved June 19, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/11?1 

Strength and Joy in Weakness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider and act in response to the paradox that our witness of joy in our struggles strengthens our relationship with Christ and the people in our environment.

Struggle and Joy

The Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians presents Paul’s boast about his Labours and his Weakness.

* [11:16–12:10] Paul now accepts the challenge of his opponents and indulges in boasting similar to theirs, but with differences that he has already signaled in 2 Cor 10:12–18 and that become clearer as he proceeds. He defines the nature of his project and unmistakably labels it as folly at the beginning and the end (2 Cor 11:16–23; 12:11). Yet his boast does not spring from ignorance (2 Cor 11:21; 12:6) nor is it concerned merely with human distinctions (2 Cor 11:18). Paul boasts “in moderation” (2 Cor 10:13, 15) and “in the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17).

* [11:16–29] The first part of Paul’s boast focuses on labors and afflictions, in which authentic service of Christ consists. (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 34 implores us to trust in God alone.

* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents our Treasure in Heaven and The Light of the Body.

* [6:19–34] The remaining material of this chapter is taken almost entirely from Q. It deals principally with worldly possessions, and the controlling thought is summed up in Mt 6:24: the disciple can serve only one master and must choose between God and wealth (mammon). See further the note on Lk 16:9.

* [6:22–23] In this context the parable probably points to the need for the disciple to be enlightened by Jesus’ teaching on the transitory nature of earthly riches. (Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Jay Car­ney comments that part of him wish­es Paul would pipe down, keep a “stiff upper lip,” and stop whin­ing about his tra­vails (or to echo one of my teenage chil­dren, “Paul, stop being so salty”!) How­ev­er, his dis­com­fort risks occlud­ing one of the most impor­tant dimen­sions of Paul’s wit­ness. For although he came out of an hon­or-shame cul­ture, Paul is remark­ably open about shar­ing his vul­ner­a­bil­i­ties. He even argues that these weak­ness­es enable him to receive and reflect Christ’s sav­ing grace – some­thing the “spir­i­tu­al­ly strong” strug­gle with through­out Paul’s letters.

As a mid­dle-class Amer­i­can schol­ar, I admire but do not share Paul’s phys­i­cal and eco­nom­ic depri­va­tions. But like all human beings, I have lim­i­ta­tions, vul­ner­a­bil­i­ties, gaps, and weak­ness­es, some of which I would pre­fer to ignore, down­play, or deny. Like Paul, can I not only admit these, but see Christ’s trans­for­ma­tive grace shin­ing through them? (Carney, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Seeking the right intention,” by Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.

"We know that all our works are pure and pleasing in the sight of God if they are performed with a single heart. This means that they are performed out of charity and with an intention that is fixed on heaven. For 'love is the fulfillment of the law'(Romans 13:10). Therefore in this passage we ought to understand the eye as the intention with which we perform all our actions. If this intention is pure and upright and directing its gaze where it ought to be directed, then unfailingly all our works are good works, because they are performed in accordance with that intention. And by the expression 'whole body,' Christ designated all those works that he reproves and that he commands us to put to death. For the apostle also designates certain works as our 'members.' 'Therefore,' Paul writes, 'mortify your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, covetousness' (Colossians 3:5), and all other such things." (excerpt from SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.13.45) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23 asks what are some of these heavenly treasures?

Take our identity as a child of God: The all-powerful eternal Creator invites us to live as his son or daughter for all eternity! … Or ponder God’s amazing gift of forgiveness: In Jesus, God offers pardon for every sin, for all time. No accusations need stand against us… Finally, consider the eternal goodness of human love: In our relationships with our family and friends, we experience a glimpse of the divine love that is the source and completion of all human love.

These are just a few treasures that will last. When we place our hope in them, we are storing up treasures that will keep us focused on Christ here and now—and that will fill us with eternal joy in heaven. And as we treasure the things of eternity, we will find their source, our Father, who made them.

“Lord, help me set my sights on things above and treasure what truly matters.” (Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that 2 Corinthians continues as part of the “angry letter” response to accusations of being an inferior preacher. He shares his suffering and willingness to die to self as an essential quality of a minister. The Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount implores us to store spiritual not material treasures and depend on things that last. Friar Jude notes that the eye is presented as a window into the soul in this very dualistic passage that directs us to follow Christ, the Light of the World, and avoid things that will drag us down in our mind.

Barbara Holmes describes how we can find joy through practice and surrender. She asks how do we foster embodied presence and joy? 

I believe we do it through practice and through meditation. Left to your own devices, the natural state of the human brain is a wandering and critical mind. Meditation helps bring that chaos into a more peaceful state. If it’s difficult, begin with sitting in silence. Let your mind do what it wants before slowly bringing it into the present moment. Use music if it helps. The second thing I would suggest is to awaken to the joy in nature. Purposely pay attention to sunsets and sunrises, to the sounds of nature, and other expressions of joy in the environment. Third, I would suggest that you develop an appreciation for the everyday graces, the sound of children playing, the traffic that won’t let us get home when we want to but allows a pause in our frenetic going. (Holmes, n.d.)

We seek the consolation and guidance of the Spirit to inform our desire to transform our suffering and weakness to testimony to the Love and Providence of God.

References

Carney, J. (2025, June 20). Daily Reflection June 20, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-20-2025 

Holmes, B. (n.d.). Pathways to Joy. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/pathways-to-joy/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6?19 

Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/06/20/1309798/ 

Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34?2 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lay up Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jun20 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/11?18 

The Eyes Have It

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of the ability of our eyes to only see our worldly success and block the radiance of truth, goodness, and love that reflects our desire for true fullness of life.

The eyes have it

The reading from the Second Book of Kings describes Athaliah’s reign over Judah when Jehoiada anoints the child Joash and the death of Athaliah.

* [11:2] According to 2 Chr 22:11, Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest. If this is historical, it would explain her access to the Temple’s residential precincts.

* [11:4] Carians: foreign mercenaries serving as the royal bodyguard. Compare “Cherethites and Pelethites” in 1 Kgs 1:38.

* [11:12] Testimony: that is, the two tablets of the law preserved in the ark in the Temple. Presumably they were placed upon the king during his installation ceremony as a reminder of the law he was to uphold.

* [11:14] By the column: the king’s special place in the Temple court; cf. 23:3; 2 Chr 23:13. People of the land: in this period, the phrase referred to the important citizenry, whose influence sometimes extended to the selection of royal successors (cf. 2 Kgs 11:14–20; 15:5; 16:15; 21:24; 23:6, 30–35; 24:14; 25:3, 19). In postexilic times, by contrast, the phrase was used of the poor.

* [11:17] There are two covenants. One is between the Lord as one party and the people, headed by the king, as the other. The second covenant, between king and people, is comparable to that made between David and the elders of Israel at Hebron (2 Sm 5:3). (2 Kings, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 132 praises the Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion.

* [Psalm 132] A song for a liturgical ceremony in which the ark, the throne of Israel’s God, was carried in procession to the Temple. The singer asks that David’s care for the proper housing of the ark be regarded with favor (Ps 132:1–5), and tells how it was brought to Jerusalem (Ps 132:6–10). There follows God’s promise of favor to the Davidic dynasty (Ps 132:11–12) and to Zion (Ps 132:13–17). The transfer of the ark to the tent in Jerusalem is described in 2 Sm 6. (Psalms, PSALM 132 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Sermon on the Mount, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches concerning treasures and the Sound Eye.

* [6:19–34] The remaining material of this chapter is taken almost entirely from Q. It deals principally with worldly possessions, and the controlling thought is summed up in Mt 6:24: the disciple can serve only one master and must choose between God and wealth (mammon). See further the note on Lk 16:9.

* [6:22–23] In this context the parable probably points to the need for the disciple to be enlightened by Jesus’ teaching on the transitory nature of earthly riches. (Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Mike Cherney comments that the Psalm reminds one of God’s exceptional relationship with David, his descendants, and Zion. I see it having a special significance following the conflict, scheming, and resolution found in today’s passage from 2 Kings.

The Gospel makes clear the fruitlessness of focusing one’s life on material wealth. Jesus starts with the transitory nature of wealth, but He moves on to recognizing a moral imperative. We are guided by our focus, and the God-focused way that Jesus teaches offers a much more meaningful path. 

Dear Lord,

Today’s readings remind me that the appeal of power and wealth has plagued mankind for millennia.

I see how this desire has been and continues to be a cancer on society and governmental systems.

Jesus and Aloysius Gonzaga remind us of where our focus needs to be.

I look at my own life. I see the power and wealth problem in miniature. With age I have become secure and comfortable. I find myself questioning my focus.

I realize that although I contribute substantially more of my financial resources now, I am able to give and remain secure and comfortable, while in the past donations came at the expense of some security.

I look at how I spend my time in my retirement. I still use a fair amount of it in service to my community and to those requiring assistance, but I realize that I still do not do all that I could as I spend time fixing up my home and maintaining a certain level of comfort and pleasure.

Heavenly Father, I ask you to open my heart to Your call. Help me to allocate the resources of my finances and time moving You and Your work on this earth better into my focus. (Cherney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Seeking the right intention,” by Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.

"We know that all our works are pure and pleasing in the sight of God if they are performed with a single heart. This means that they are performed out of charity and with an intention that is fixed on heaven. For 'love is the fulfillment of the law'(Romans 13:10). Therefore in this passage we ought to understand the eye as the intention with which we perform all our actions. If this intention is pure and upright and directing its gaze where it ought to be directed, then unfailingly all our works are good works, because they are performed in accordance with that intention. And by the expression 'whole body,' Christ designated all those works that he reproves and that he commands us to put to death. For the apostle also designates certain works as our 'members.' 'Therefore,' Paul writes, 'mortify your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, covetousness' (Colossians 3:5), and all other such things." (excerpt from SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.13.45) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 comments that just as it was to these Israelites, God’s timing is often mysterious to us. It can be a huge test of our faith when we want to see God act in a certain way and he seems to be completely absent.

The people of Judah were being led away from the Lord, but God still had a plan to reestablish the rightful king and bring the people back into right relationship with him. Perhaps right now you can’t see clearly how God’s good plan is unfolding in your life. But God is always with you. He has good things in store for you—even if they’re not exactly what you are looking for.

So don’t lose hope! Stay close to the Lord, and continue to bring your needs before him each day. It may take six weeks, six months, or even six years, but God always shows up for his people. With his help, be patient and trust that he will fulfill all his promises.

“Lord, even when I don’t understand your timing, help me believe that you are good and that you care for me.” (Meditation on 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler relates the story of Athaliah, Ahaziah's mother, who kills off all the possible threats to her claiming the throne. As a woman and a person from the north the people of Judah had two reasons to oppose her. The Sermon on the Mount declares we will be disappointed by earthly treasures. Friar Jude reminds us to try and live with a good conscious and and not filled with attempts to build up earthly treasure.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who addresses the disappointment faced by individuals and communities when reckoning with unrealized dreams. Inspired by the apostle Paul’s imprisonment, King calls for radical hope and determination.

You must honestly confront your shattered dream. To follow the escapist method of attempting to put the disappointment out of your mind will lead to a psychologically injurious repression. Place your failure at the forefront of your mind and stare daringly at it. Ask yourself, “How may I transform this liability into an asset? How may I, confined in some narrow Roman cell and unable to reach life’s Spain, transmute this dungeon of shame into a haven of redemptive suffering?” Almost anything that happens to us may be woven into the purposes of God. It may lengthen our cords of sympathy. It may break our self-centered pride. The cross, which was willed by wicked men, was woven by God into the tapestry of world redemption.  (Rohr, n.d.) 

We seek the enlightenment of the Spirit to see the opportunities to bring peace and compassion to the events of our life and to reflect this desire in our eyes with passion and love.

References

Cherney, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6?19 

Meditation on 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/06/21/1005083/ 

Psalms, PSALM 132 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/132?11 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/standing-firm-in-all-circumstances/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jun21 

2 Kings, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2kings/11?1