Last night, I had an interesting experience. First, I was interviewed via a Zoom call by a Dominican seminarian named Br. Finbar about Venerable Patrick Peyton’s Cause for Sainthood and Father Peyton’s important message to families—to pray together, especially the Rosary.
And, the second part of the night involved watching the presidential debate between the two presumed nominees.
Now, keep in mind that earlier, I read and prayed over today’s readings, the first one from the Book of Kings, which spoke of King Zedekiah's demise at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar, the ensuing famine and the ultimate defeat of the Israelites' leadership and their people’s freedom.
Just Leadership
Now, whatever candidate you support for president, the story of King Zedekiah reminds us that unless our leaders turn to God for direction in how they live and govern, they and we will not find peace and prosperity. King Zedekiah can serve as a wake-up call to leaders, whether in the secular realm or the sacred.
When Zedekiah became king, he, like us at times, relied on his own strength and abilities to perform his role, especially when faced with challenges. This stands in stark contrast to Saint Irenaeus, who, when faced with strife within and outside the Catholic church, turned to the Word of God and the good counsel of Saint Polycarp, who had been instructed by Saint John the Evangelist.
Where Do We Turn?
What do we do when faced with challenges or important decisions? We may not be in positions of high secular or sacred authority…but regular husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, and even children have decisions to make in our lives, who’s our guide?
One of Saint Irenaeus’ greatest contributions is that he defended the goodness of creation. At his time, the Gnostics claimed that creation, including our human nature, was flawed from the start. However, Saint Irenaeus knew and taught that what God created was good and that it was the effects of original sin that led to man’s fall. He went on to say that our fallen human nature could only be redeemed by our Creator and was accomplished by Jesus taking on our human nature.
Peace and Order with Christ
Just like the leper in today’s gospel, we need to have the humble faith to turn to Jesus throughout our lives; no matter our station in life or age, we constantly need to seek his healing and guidance. So, if today you’re faced with challenges, take some extra time to ask for God’s grace, for as Saint Irenaeus taught, we find peace and order within our lives and families and the church when we rely upon the Lord first and foremost to heal and guide us.
- To watch the Rosary prayer and Mass live stream, please visit our Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time, from Monday to Friday. We encourage you to invite your friends and family to join us as well! (Note: If you are not a Facebook member and encounter a signup prompt, you can dismiss it by clicking the X at the top of the message and proceed to the live stream.)
