20220618 DOWNFALL OF LEADERS
18 June, 2022, Saturday, 11th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Chronicles 24:17-25 © |
'You have deserted the Lord: now he deserts you'
After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came to pay court to the king, and the king now turned to them for advice. The Judaeans abandoned the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, for the worship of sacred poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. He sent them prophets to bring them back to the Lord, but when these gave their message, they would not listen. The spirit of God took possession of Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said, ‘God says this, “Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord to no good purpose? You have deserted the Lord, now he deserts you.”’ They then plotted against him and by order of the king stoned him in the court of the Temple of the Lord. King Joash, forgetful of the kindness that Jehoiada, the father of Zechariah, had shown him, killed Jehoiada’s son who cried out as he died, ‘The Lord sees and he will avenge!’
When a year had gone by, the Aramaean army made war on Joash. They reached Judah and Jerusalem, and executed all the officials among the people, sending back to the king at Damascus all that they had plundered from them. Though the Aramaean army had by no means come in force, the Lord delivered into its power an army of great size for having deserted him, the God of their ancestors.
The Aramaeans treated Joash as he had deserved, and when they retired they left him a very sick man; and his officers, plotting against him to avenge the death of the son of Jehoiada the priest, murdered him in his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the Citadel of David, though not in the tombs of the kings.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 88(89):4-5,29-34 © |
I will keep my love for him always.
‘With my chosen one I have made a covenant;
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will establish your dynasty for ever
and set up your throne through all ages.
I will keep my love for him always.
‘I will keep my love for him always;
with him my covenant shall last.
I will establish his dynasty for ever,
make his throne endure as the heavens.
I will keep my love for him always.
‘If his sons forsake my law
and refuse to walk as I decree
and if ever they violate my statutes,
refusing to keep my commands;
then I will punish their offences with the rod,
then I will scourge them on account of their guilt.
I will keep my love for him always.
‘But I will never take back my love,
my truth will never fail.’
I will keep my love for him always.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt4:4 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Alleluia!
Or: | 2Co8:9 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Jesus Christ was rich,
but he became poor for your sake,
to make you rich out of his poverty.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 6:24-34 © |
Do not worry about tomorrow: your holy Father knows your needs
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.
‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’
DOWNFALL OF LEADERS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ 2 CH 24:17-25; MT 6:24-34]
The first reading from the book of Chronicles records the downfall of King Joash and Judah. The circumstances leading to his downfall were tragic. We have much to learn from the mistakes of King Joash. This is because this should not have been the case. As the responsorial psalm declares, “With my chosen one I have made a covenant; I have sworn to David my servant: I will establish your dynasty forever and set up your throne through all ages. I will keep my love for him always; with him my covenant shall last. I will establish his dynasty forever, make his throne endure as the heavens.”
Then how did the descendent of King David bring the kingdom of Judah to destruction? Clearly, they turned away from the Lord. They turned towards themselves instead of worshipping the Lord their God. We read, “The Judaeans abandoned the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, for the worship of sacred poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem.” When we turn away from God and focus on the things of this world, when we seek power and glory, then we will destroy ourselves. The Lord in today’s gospel warns us, “No one can be the slave to two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and money.”
But perhaps the greatest mistake of King Joash was that he listened to the wrong advisors. “After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came to pay court to the king, and the king now turned to them for advice.” This is always the challenge of a leader; finding the right men to serve and work with him for the greater good of the community and the people. There are many who apparently support the leader but actually work against him. They use their positions to further their self-interests and ambitions. It is about offices, titles and privileges. Some of our advisers actually do more harm, not just to the leader but to the community. Alas, very often, good leaders are few to choose from, more so when it comes to appointing religious leaders. Choosing the wrong leaders will weaken the leadership. So right from the start a leader must carefully discern who he should recruit to assist him in leadership. Even of the Twelve apostles chosen by our Lord, one betrayed Him. What more for us, who are ignorant, less perceptive in reading the hearts of people?
The second mistake of Joash was that he was ungrateful. Ingratitude is also the cause of the downfall of a leader. When a leader is not grateful for his position and the call to serve the people, and most of all, for those who help him in his work, that leader’s arrogance and pride will lead to his downfall. King Joash forgot how Zechariah’s father, Jehoiada, the priest helped him to be installed as king. He was faithful to the king. But he was forgetful of all that Jehoiada did for him. Instead, he listened to the corrupt officials who were working for self-interests and were unhappy with the prophetic words of Zechariah reprimanding the king, the leaders, and the people for abandoning Yahweh and the commandments. “They then plotted against him and by order of the king stoned him in the court of the Temple of the Lord.” King Joash was not only “forgetful of the kindness that Jehoiada, the father of Zechariah, had shown him” but “killed Jehoiada’s son who cried out as he died. ‘The Lord sees and he will avenge!'” This is so tragic indeed.
The third mistake of Joash was that he did not listen to the true prophet. “The spirit of God took possession of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood up before the people and said, ‘God says this, “Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord to no good purpose? You have deserted the Lord, now he deserts you.”‘ He shamefully repeated the mistakes of his forefathers as the author remarked, “He sent them prophets to bring them back to the Lord, but when these gave their message, they would not listen.” He was not discerning and receptive to the Word of God. Instead, he chose to allow the corrupt officials to influence him in getting rid of a true prophet.
The consequence of turning away from the Lord is punishment. The psalmist warns, “If his sons forsake my law and refuse to walk as I decree and if ever they violate my statures, refusing to keep my commands; then I will punish their offences with the rod, then I will scourge them on account of their guilt.” We need not take these punishments as said by the Lord literally but more the consequences of our sins and negligence. When we turn away from God, we lose focus, become insecure, self-centred, egoistic and ambitious. This is what causes us to make our neighbours our enemies instead of friends. We become a threat to others. Eventually, we will also be destroyed by our enemies and competitors.
Indeed, the Aramean army, a small nation, made war on Joash and plundered the country and sacked the king. “They reached Judah and Jerusalem, and executed all the officials among the people, sending back to the king at Damascus all that they had plundered from them. Though the Aramaean army had by no means come in force, the Lord delivered into its power an army of great size for having deserted him, the God of their ancestors.” God allowed the Aramean army to teach them a lesson. He was not only destroyed by enemies from within but because of his failure to choose the right advisors and officials to support him, they would be the ones who would destroy him eventually. “The Aramaeans treated Joash as he had deserved, and when they retired they left him a very sick man, and his officers, plotting against him to avenge the death of the son of Jehoiada the priest, murdered him in his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the Citadel of David, though not in the tombs of the kings.” This was the tragic end of King Joash for his lack of wisdom and discernment. But have we learnt from his mistakes?
This is why we must pay attention to the Lord’s warning in today’s gospel. Jesus reminds us to focus on God and His kingdom. “Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well.” As a leader, we should not be focusing on ourselves, our position, our power, glory and privileges. A leader should be focused on doing the job that the Lord has appointed him to do. He should be focused on doing God’s will, which is to build a just, harmonious and prosperous community. If a leader is just focused on his tasks, he would have no time to think about his own interests, his desires and his ego. This explains why the Lord said, “So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow, will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble if its own.”
We worry only because we are afraid that we might lose our position, our privileges and benefits. The truth is that if a leader has been chosen, it is never because of his skills, knowledge and intelligence. He is chosen by God to serve His purpose. A time will come when a leader must step down because someone better than him has been chosen to continue the work that he had begun. When we trust in God’s plan for us, we will not worry when we will have to give up our leadership or office and position in life. God knows what is best. He qualifies those whom He has chosen. We only need to put Him as the focus in our life and serve Him for His greater glory.
At any rate, let us remember that leadership, position, power and glory do not last. The Lord reminds us, “Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these.” The things of this world are passing. We cannot hold on to them forever. So we must enjoy them while we have them, and remain detached when they are taken away from us. These are not the things that can give us lasting happiness. It is a life that is well lived, in humble service to God and our community. When we have given ourselves completely, emptied ourselves, that life is lived meaningfully.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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