Today’s readings begin with a king’s plaintive cry for deliverance. King Sennacherib of Assyria sent an envoy to taunt King Hezekiah and seek his surrender. Essentially, he said: Your God, on whom you rely, will not save you. You are doomed. Don’t you watch CNN (or whatever they watched back in 701 BC)? My army will overwhelm you just like all the other kingdoms.
Hezekiah did not convene a council of advisers. He composed a prayer. And what a beautiful prayer it was! The taunt from Sennacherib was ultimately a taunt aimed at the Lord. And the Lord listened to this prayer, sending Isaiah to convey His answer to Hezekiah. He provided relief from the Assyrian threat by sending His angel to kill 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers. The rest struck their tents and went home. I wonder how the media on that day covered that event! Was it dismissed as a mysterious malady? A public health crisis? A miraculous event does not always change hearts and minds. But one hopes that at least Hezekiah and his people saw something here to confirm their fidelity to the Lord and His ways.
Part of the Lord’s answer also had a mystical and futuristic element, mentioning a “remnant” and “survivors” that would “strike root below and bear fruit above.” (See verses 30-31). Not only would the people be saved from domination, but they would be saved for a fruitful future. That is more than Hezekiah asked for – the kind of generosity that is characteristic of the Lord, always building a future plan. The Lord knows what he is doing, even when we cannot see the end.
Matthew’s gospel reading presents two provocative instructions excerpted from a chapter that provides a helpful context with lessons about judging others and getting answers to prayer. The first instruction, “[Don’t] give what is holy to dogs” or “throw your pearls before swine,” may seem harsh. On that day, people did not carry little dogs named Pookie in their handbags or treat them as child substitutes. They also did not tell stories with sympathetic porcine characters to their children, such as “The Three Little Pigs.”
It is evident that Jesus expects his disciples to exercise discernment. Despite caution about the perils of judging others harshly, he also expected them to exercise discernment over such matters as false prophets, rotten trees, and bad fruits. We should expect resistance in this world. We will face challenges that are not so obvious as a massive army threatening a siege. Most of our battles are on a smaller scale, but they require similar courage, patience, and prudence, accompanied by faithful prayer.
The second teaching emphasized here, concerning the narrow gate and the wide road, also calls for discernment and directs us in our prayer. Not all roads lead to life with God. Some lead to destruction. Jesus is the narrow gate. His way can be trusted, even though other paths may look more promising. He knows what he is doing and where he is leading us, even when we may not be so sure. Lord, give us the wisdom we need for discernment, and the faith we need to trust you. Thanks be to God.
Edward Morse
Ed Morse is a professor of law who holds the McGrath North Endowed Chair in business law at Creighton. University School of Law. He and his wife Susan are Catholic converts. Together, they operate a family cattle farm in rural Western Iowa.
Writing these reflections over the past fifteen years has helped me to learn and grow in faith. Sometimes it has also chastened me by reminding me of the constant need to practice what we have learned as we live out our faith journey together. I am grateful for feedback and encouragement from my fellow travelers.
