Readings:
2 Chronicles 35-36
Sirach 33
1 Peter 1

2 Chronicles 35-36

This ends our readings of the 4 books that make up the historical pre exile books of the Bible, there are a couple post exile historical books that we’ll be reading soon, but most of what we have left in the Old Testament are the works of the prophets. Some of these are pre exile but more than a couple actually write during the exile and captivity. These are very focused on the coming restoration of the kingdom, both in an immediate sense and in the sense of the final age when God will restore all things.

That brings us to the closing of this 36th chapter and how similar it is to a couple parables of Our Lord. They mocked the prophets and ignored their warning, and eventually they’ll kill the son and heir, then just like the destruction from the Babylonians the temple and city gets destroyed again by the Romans. The Jewish leaders knew their history and that’s why they recognized exactly what Jesus was saying and what it meant for their future, and rather than reform and repent they get mad and vengeful.

1 Peter 1

As the name of this book implies, it is a letter from Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles, to the Christian churches around the Mediterranean, though he names areas in northern Asia Minor it’s assumed that this was a letter for all the church. He is writing this letter from Rome and he was martyred there in the early to mid 60s so scholars usually date this letter to some point just before that, and not too early because the church had spread around the Roman Empire by this point. This letter is pastoral and as such it gives advice and encouragement in an world that’s grown increasingly hostile towards Christ’s church.

Peter speaks of suffering as a tool used to refine us. Anyone who’s gone through a serious trial can attest to the effects that it had on them psychologically and spiritually, it burns away what’s unimportant and leaves us strengthened when we look back on it.

The saints, perceiving the benefits of divine fire, did not shrink from trials or become discouraged by them. Instead of suffering injury, they were improved by what they endured, gleaming like gold refined in fire

St. Athanasius

Peter tells them to conduct themselves with an eye towards holiness because that’s what God asked of us way back when in the deserts of Sinai. God called the Israelites to holy loving, but they were never able to do so, and we’d never be able to either except for the Holy Spirit and the graces we receive.

One of the reasons for holy living should be the price by which we we ransomed from death. It wasn’t by perishable things like silver and gold, or even the blood of a bull or lamb, it was by the precious blood of Christ.

Tomorrow’s Readings:
Jeremiah 1-2
Sirach 34
1 Peter 2