The Lord Strengthens

Homily for Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

There are relatively few good Israelite kings recounted in Scripture, and the aptly named Hezekiah, a name which means “the Lord strengthens,” is one of them. After a long line of idolatrous kings, Hezekiah instituted religious reforms to refocus the people on worship of the Lord alone. In today’s first reading we clearly see Hezekiah’s complete reliance on God in the face of one of the most disruptive kingdoms in history – a Syria under the devastating rule of Sennacherib. The great Sennacherib retreated from his siege of Jerusalem in what could only be called a miracle.

Hezekiah’s discernment was immediate and correct, and in the Gospel text we just heard, Jesus tries to teach us how to judge similarly between the holy and the unholy. Here he uses symbols easily understood by his first century Jewish audience – rare and thus valuable pearls versus the ritually unclean pigs. When we make our judgments, we are to do to others what we would have them do to us.

These two Scripture readings inspire a question about a life of faith. Where are we going? There are “two ways” we can go, the one leading to life, the other to destruction. The way downhill, or in Jesus’ terms, the wide road, is easy. Through the narrow gate is another image for the uphill road, which is much harder. Although we all should know from reflection on our own life experiences which one will bear the fruit of life, the easy way can still tempt us.

After those times, let us be inspired by leaders such as Hezekiah who were completely focused on the Lord; by the Council of Jesus to keep in mind the Golden Rule; and most of all, by the gift of Jesus himself at this altar, to enable us to choose our direction, through the narrow gate.