＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

2 kings 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36*

Again Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah with these words,

 “Say to Heze­kiah, king of Judah that his God in whom he trusts may be deceiving him in saying that Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria. Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands they have destroyed! And will you be spared?

 Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers, and when he had read it he went to the house of Yahweh where he unrolled the letter and prayed saying, “O Yahweh, God of hosts and God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim!

You alone are God over all the king­doms of the earth; you have made the heavens and the earth. O Yahweh our God, save us from his hand and let all the kingdoms of the earth know that you alone, Yahweh, are God.”

 Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent word to Hezekiah: “You have called upon Yahweh and he has heard your prayer regarding Sennacherib, king of Assyria.(…..) This is what Yahweh has spoken against him: The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises and scorns you; the Daughter of Jerusalem shakes her head behind you.

 For a remnant will come from Jerusalem and survivors from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will accomplish this. That is why Yahweh has said this concerning the king of Assy­ria: He shall not enter this city nor shoot his arrows.

He shall not raise a shield to oppose it nor build a siege ramp against it. (….) It happened that the angel of Yahweh went out that night and struck one hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.

So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed, returned home and lived in Nineveh. While he was worshiping in the temple of his god, Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer slew him with the sword the Sword and then escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon, his son, succeeded him as king.

 

Ps 48:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 10-11

God upholds his city forever.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Do not give what is holy to the dogs, or throw your pearls to the pigs: they might trample on them and even turn on you and tear you to pieces.  So, do to others whatever you would that others do to you: there you have the Law and the Prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many go that way. How narrow is the gate that leads to life and how rough the road; few there are who find it.

 

 Gospel Reflection：

How easy and convenient it is to “cut corners”. We all do it from time to time. And overall, and in some instances, there is nothing wrong with it. We do have to find ways by which our work can be made more convenient.

The entire modern world has created an entire range of instruments designed to lessen the inconvenience of life: computers, smartphones, tablets, etc. Since all things, including human ingenuity, are a gift from God, these sources of comfort and convenience are, in themselves, good.

And yet, when it comes to the spiritual life, when it comes to our faith, Jesus cautions us that the mode of seeking the least inconvenient way that works so well in ordinary everyday life, is simply not the way to go.

There are no “short-cuts” to a genuine living of the faith, just as there can be no “cutting corners” or taking an “easy route” to a truly deep and meaningful spiritual life.