August 17, 2009

    Judges 2: 11 - 19

    The Israelites offended the Lord by serving the Baals.  Abandoning the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had led them out of the land of Egypt, they followed the other gods of the various nations around them, and by their worship of the gods provoked the Lord.

  Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth, the anger of the Lord flared up against Israel, and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them.  He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about whom they were no longer able to withstand.  Whatever they undertook the Lord turned into disaster for them, as in his warning he had sworn he would do, till they were in great distress.  Even when the Lord raised up judges to deliver them from the power of their despoilers, they did not listen to their judges, but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods.  They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience to the commandments of the Lord.  Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived;  it was thus the Lord took pity on their distressful cries of affliction under their oppressors.  But when the judge died  they would relapse and do worse than their fathers, following other gods in service and worship, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.

Psalms 106 34 - 37, 39 - 40, 43 - 44

   They did not exerminate the peoples, as the Lord had commanded them, but mingled with the nations and learned their works.  They served their idols, which became a snare for them.  They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.

  They became defiled by their works, and wanton in their crimes.  And the Lord grew angry with his people, and abhorred his inheritance.

  Many times did he rescue them, but they embittered him with their counsels and were brought low by their guilt.  Yet he had regard for their affliction when he heard their cry.

Matthew 19: 16 - 22

    Another time a man came up to him and said, "Teacher, what good must I do to possess everlasting life?"  He answered, "Why do you question me about what is good? There is One who is good.  If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."  "Which ones?" he asked.  Jesus replied,"'You shall not kill'; You shall not commit adultery'; 'You shall not steal'; 'You shall not bear false witness'; ' Honor your father and your mother'; and 'Love your neighbor as your self.'"  The young man said to him, "I have kept all these; what do I need to do further?"  Jesus told him, "If you seek perfection, go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor.  You will then have treasure in heaven.  Afterward, come back and follow me."  Hearing these words, the young man went away sad, for his possessions were many.