Friday, July 18, 2014, St. Camillus de Lellis
Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8, Isaiah 38:10-12, 16, Matthew 12:1-8
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071814.cfm
HOUSE WORK
"Thus says the Lord: Put your house in order." -Isaiah 38:1
When King Hezekiah was terminally ill, Isaiah prophesied to him: "Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you shall not recover" (Is 38:1). Hezekiah ignored the first part of this message and prayed for the Lord to spare his life (Is 38:2). The Lord gave him fifteen more years to live (Is 38:5), but Hezekiah still didn't put his house in order.
Hezekiah used his fifteen extra years to do two terrible things. He carelessly and selfishly let messengers from Babylon obtain important information that eventually resulted in the conquest of the chosen people by the Babylonians (Is 39:2, 5-8). Then Hezekiah fathered a son, Manasseh, three years into his extra fifteen years. However, Hezekiah failed to raise his son in godliness. Manasseh reversed the good work of his father (2 Kgs 21:3). "He immolated his son by fire. He practiced soothsaying and divination, and reintroduced the consulting of ghosts and spirits. He did much evil in the Lord's sight" (2 Kgs 21:6), "shedding so much innocent blood as to fill the length and breadth of Jerusalem" (2 Kgs 21:16). Although Manasseh eventually converted to the Lord (2 Chr 33:13), his reign was a catastrophe. This wasn't all Hezekiah's fault, but surely doesn't indicate that Hezekiah ever put his house in order.
Put your house in order, or you may set the stage for the destruction of yourself, your family, and your nation.
Prayer: Father, by Your grace, may I put in order my house, relationships, work, finances, entertainment, sexuality, and conversation.
Promise: "The Son of Man is indeed Lord of the sabbath." -Mt 12:8
Praise: St. Camillus was addicted to gambling until Jesus set him free of his addiction and led him to conversion and faith at the age of twenty-five.
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from June 1, 2014 through July 31, 2014
?Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 2, 2014
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.
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