In our readings today, we hear about two different kings. In the 7th chapter of 2nd Maccabees, which we also heard from the Sunday before last, we hear about a mother and her sons who refuse to be loyal to the king of their earthly kingdom and worship his false idols if that means that they are loyal to God, the eternal king. The mother and her sons would rather suffer greatly or be put to death instead of worshipping a false king or a false god. In the Gospel, a king that travels to a foreign land trusts the loyalty of those he leaves behind in positions of power. At the end of this parable, the king slays those he sees as his enemies.
In this two stories we hear today, we might ask ourselves: Where do we place our loyalties? Who is ultimately in charge of our lives? Where do we turn for guidance and direction? We can turn to God and the values of our faith, or we can deny our faith and follow the ways of the world. Jesus can be the center of our lives, or we can put our loyalty elsewhere. It is not enough to be passive. It is not enough to be ambivalent or to give up. We give all to Christ. Or what we give is not enough.
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