The Word today, W12B

June 24 - June 29, 2024

Monday 24 June

The Birthday of John the Baptist

Isaiah 49:1-6 The mention of “forming in the womb”, a prophetic idiom, makes this a suitable reading for the feast, anticipating the Gospel. Ultimately, the reading points beyond John the Baptist to Jesus as the light of the nations.

Acts 13:22-26 It is not possible to tell the story of salvation, or indeed that of Jesus, without mentioning John the Baptist, as we see in this reading. Luke 1:57-66, 80 Our Gospel is devoted mainly to the naming of John the Baptist and the reaction to his birth. We too are invited to “treasure these things in our heart.”

Tuesday 25 June

2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36 The success of the war against Israel encouraged the Assyrians to attack the southern state of Judah. Hezekiah the king prayed and his prayer was heard. No doubt there was more to it, but the Judeans were truly grateful and felt themselves blessed.

Matthew 7:6, 12-14 There are three sentences here. The second two are easy enough to grasp. The first is odd. Dogs was terms used to to refer to Gentiles and so the sentences may reflect Jesus’ attitude in this God: go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Wednesday 26 June

2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 This story of a old book coming to light —apparently a chance discovery— played a key role in the development of the Bible. The (re-)discovery of the covenant (probably the substance of the book of Deuteronomy) had a huge effect on them all and they committed themselves once again to the covenant with the Lord.

Matthew 7:15-20 Jesus, who grew up in a very small village in the countryside was a good observer of nature and used it in his teaching. There are always false prophets, seers and visionaries, driven by who knows what? Love alone counts.

Thursday 27 June

St Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and doctor

2 Kings 24:8-17 In our history lesson today, we hear of the last days of the kingdom of Judah. Jerusalem was destroyed and the people deported. It would be hard to exaggerate the importance of this moment in the biblical story. It was a true watershed— something like the famine in Irish history. Things would never be the same.

Matthew 7:21-19 Dried riverbeds (wadis) are subject of flash floods. To build there is very obviously foolish.

Friday 28 June

St Irenaeus, bishop and martyr

2 Kings 25:1-12 Our reading today is meant to shock an it does. First of all, there is the brutality of the execution of king’s sons before his very eyes and then the blinding of the king. That horror leads to another: the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, erected by Solomon. It is the start of the Babylonian Exile, a watershed event for the ancient Israelites, forever held in their hearts and minds.

Matthew 8:1-4 There are three arresting moments in today’s short Gospel. The man’s plea is full of faith: If you want to… Then, Jesus touches him, breaking one of the purity laws about touching the ritually unclean. Finally, the Jesus of Matthew observes the Law, permitting the man’s re-entry into normal society.

Saturday 29 June

Sts Peter and Paul, apostles

Acts 12:1-11 This symbolic tale reminds us that whatever the appearances, God protects his followers.

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18 Not really from Paul, this is a good reflection back on life as an apostle. He is shown as an old man, full of faith.

Matthew 16:13-16 Peter did attain a special role in the early Church, initially at Antioch in Syria. This present story is unique to Matthew and often thought to be a post-Easter commission account. Given the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, this reading is perfect for the feast.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024, June 23). Twelfth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062324.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/