Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr
I remember being in grade school, most likely as part of my preparation for confirmation in eighth grade, and learning about how to establish a prayer space within my home. We were encouraged to envision constructing an altar and what might be necessary for such a space to create a prayerful atmosphere – pictures, candles, a Bible, some altar cloth… you get the point. These memories came back to me as I reflected upon today’s scripture readings but on a bit of a broader scale.
The first reading, from second kings, depicts Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem – a place that served great importance in Judaism. It would soon be this place where Jesus would come and engage in his ministry as he followed God’s will in his life. It is a similar challenge that Jesus presents in the gospel passage from Matthew. Jesus instructs the disciples and us that only those who do God’s will shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In an effort to follow God’s will we must allow ourselves to be firmly rooted, as a house is upon stone. The first reading provides a stark dichotomy to this analogy, sine Jerusalem appeared to have a weak foundation at the time Nebuchadnezzar overthrew the young and newly appointed Jehoiachin.
This dynamic of establishing a firm foundation in order to follow the will of God and the dynamic of space described in the first reading caused me to think back on those days in grade school envisioning an altar within my own home. As a married young adult, I think upon this concept a little more broadly and ask myself, how is my home a space that fosters rejuvenation and growth so that I, my wife, and anyone who joins us in our home are led to follow God’s will more closely? How might I foster such a space not only in my home but my workplace, the Walnut Hill neighborhood, the City of Dayton, and beyond? This is no easy feat, but I do believe that if we take one small step every day we can establish that firm foundation to walk humbly with our God as disciples and encourage others to do the same.
So what are the Nebuchadnezzars in your own home atmosphere? What dynamics of your atmosphere shake your rootedness and distract you from God’s will? What small steps can you take over time to establish that firm foundation so you may do the will of God and avoid the distractions of our society and culture?
- Mike Bennett