Monday 22 September 2025 - The house of the Lord

Monday 22 September 2025

Today is Monday the 22nd of September, in the 25th week of Ordinary Time. The Corydon Singers, conducted by Matthew Best, sing Cantique de Jean Racine by Fauré, a hymn to the invincible power and utter goodness of God, whose fire lights up the darkness, whose grace overcomes all evil. As I enter into prayer today, I trust myself to that grace, to that powerful goodness. I place myself in the hands of my loving God. Today’s reading is from the Book of Ezra. Ezra 1:1-6 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom, and also in a written edict declared: ‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem; and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’ The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—got ready to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbours aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely offered. King Cyrus of Persia, two and half thousand years ago has a choice. He could choose to continue the enslavement of the Jews in Babylon and hold onto the treasures stolen from Jerusalem. He opts instead to set them free, to return home, and sends their gold with them. Leaders can sometimes be just, and power can be used for good. Which leader today would you say is just, using their power for good? Pray for them... It may be easier to name leaders who misuse their status and their power. What is your prayer concerning them? It says that Cyrus has been given all the kingdoms of the earth. This may remind you of one of the temptations of Jesus in the desert. Jesus resists this option throughout his ministry. Can you imagine Jesus hearing this passage in his own day and pondering it? ‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem; and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’ The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—got ready to go up and rebuild the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbours aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely offered. If you were to be remembered for one thing in two and a half thousand years, what would you want it to be? Speak to God about this in these closing moments. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen