St Stephen of Hungary | Monday 16 August

Today is Monday the 16 August, the feast of St Stephen of Hungary, in the twentieth week of Ordinary time.

Salt of the Sound sing Turn your eyes upon Jesus.

Today’s reading is from the book of Judges.

Judges 2:11-14, 16-19

Then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and worshipped the Baals;  and they abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were all around them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger.  They abandoned the Lord, and worshipped Baal and the Astartes.  So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers who plundered them, and he sold them into the power of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.

Then the Lord raised up judges, who delivered them out of the power of those who plundered them.  Yet they did not listen even to their judges; for they lusted after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their ancestors had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord; they did not follow their example.  Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who persecuted and oppressed them.  But whenever the judge died, they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshipping them and bowing down to them. They would not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.

“They lusted after other gods and bowed down to them”.  It is often said that people worship false gods, such as money, sex, position or power.  How could things like these become false gods do you think?

“They would not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.” Is there stubbornness in you?  What are the stubborn ways that you are reluctant to let go of?

This is not an easy passage to listen to, but as it’s repeated, are there parts of it that you can identify with?  The ‘waywardness of the Israelites’? God’s constant invitation to return to him?

In these last moments of prayer, ask God to help you see what things in your life come between you and God, and what things bring you closer to God.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.