Eleventh Friday in Ordinary Time

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD as one party and the king and the people as the other, by which they would be the LORD's people; and another covenant, between the king and the people. Thereupon all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and demolished it. They shattered its altars and images completely, and slew Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars.

The two covenants in this Scriptural passage remind us of our relationships with God and all His children. We have responsibilities to God and to each other, which we must uphold if we wish to have any share in the Kingdom of God. God should have the first and foremost claim upon our time, talents, and treasures. He should be the beginning and the end of our days. The source, center, and summit of our lives. We should shatter all the things that keep us from being completely God’s children. In addition, we should seek to be good and faithful servants to our Lord and His people. We should be protectors of the innocent, teachers of the ignorant, and consolers of the suffering... imitating God, who is our one, true, King.

Are we fulfilling our covenant with God? Are we fulfilling our covenant with His children? How can we be more faithful and fruitful in our relationships with God and His people?

O Lord, help us to live up to our responsibilities to you and your children.

Amen.