Day 185: Hezekiah's Prayer

2 Kings 19:1-13 Hezekiah and his household performed acts of penance and sought guidance from the prophet Isaiah. God arranged for the Rabshakeh to hear a rumor about his king’s movements and withdraw voluntarily. The Assyrian king, however, continued to challenge Judah (SOUTHERN KINGDOM) and the strength of the one true God against his military might 


2 Chronicles 30:1-27 With the Temple worship restored, Hezekiah invited all of Judah (SOUTHERN KINGDOM) as well as all of the northern tribes to reestablish the Passover celebration by assembling in Jerusalem on the prescribed day. He urged the people of the Northern Kingdom to recognize their errors and reunite in worship, but very few heeded the call. Hezekiah beseeched the Lord that the purity of heart of these pilgrims might suffice for their participation in the Temple worship and Passover meal, and the Lord granted his healing upon the people. 


Psalm 143 The psalmist admitted his unworthiness and, appealing to divine mercy, begged God not to judge him. Exhausted from his struggle against evil, he found himself deflated in spirit. Remembering all of God’s loving deeds towards Israel, he pined for solace in God, the fountain of living water. Despite his sad state, the psalmist believed that God would never abandon him and reaffirmed his trust in the Lord. 


Teach me to do...my God!: This invocation summarizes the psalmist’s perseverance in the face of so much turmoil. (Cf. Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, January 11, 2006)


Let your good spirit...a level path: This verse calls to mind the power of the Holy Spirit, who enlightens the mind and strengthens the will to know the truth and practice deeds of charity. This enlightenment and strength come in the form of his seven gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. (CCC 1831)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we thank you and give you praise. Just like David here is praying for deliverance from enemies, we have been praying these last days for deliverance from persecution, from evil, and from obstacles, from enemies. Because we know that you are the God who hears our prayers. And so there is no obstacle, there is no enemy, there is no difficulty, there is no persecutor or persecution, that is bigger than you, is stronger than you. You are the Lord God of all. And so we trust in you this day and every day. We trust you with our hopes. We trust you with our dreams. We trust you with our fears. We trust you with those that we love, Lord God. We place them into your hands. With all the things we love, we place them into your hands. With our very selves, we place ourselves into your hands. Please receive us as your children this day and every day into Eternity. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”