2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3 / Mt 7:15-20
Forgetfulness is something we all have to struggle with. As children, we start out by forgetting simple things like our times tables and our locker combination. Later we graduate to forgetting meetings, birthdays, anniversaries, and safe combinations. Eventually, of course, we enter that stage of life where “senior moments” become more and more regular.
But more damaging than any of these is a particular variety of forgetfulness that can occur at any stage of life, namely, forgetting what our lives are really supposed to be about. That’s what had happened to the Israelites in today’s reading from the Book of Kings. They’d forgotten their relationship with God, and they were astounded and grateful when, with the help of their priest, they rediscovered it almost by accident — someone found an old book that told the story.
They’d thought they were alone and powerless in this world, and then they rediscovered the covenant, God’s pledge to love us and watch over us always. What a relief to find that anew, and to understand exactly what they needed to do with their lives in return, namely, to honor and give thanks to God by using His gifts generously and well.
May we never forget this holy bond that ties us to our Lord and gives us life and purpose: He has given us life; our response is to become life-givers who make one another thrive!
