Psalm
116:12-13, 15 - Antiphon, verse 17: “I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and
call on the name of the Lord.” – This psalm is a song of deliverance from
death. David or another king such as Hezekiah may have written it. (See Isaiah
38:10-20)
Isaiah
sets the tone reminding us Hezekiah was sick and near death. Isaiah the prophet went to him and said to
him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your
house in order, for you shall die and not live.'"
The
King responds, “In the prime of my life
must I go through the gates of death and be robbed of the rest of my years?” Death is no respecter of persons. It will
strike at any time to persons young and old alike, even those in the prime of
their life.
Hezekiah
had looked forward to a long life, and to a prosperous and peaceful reign. Then
he became ill and everything changed. Sickness often has this effect on the
minds of people. It changes our focus.
Hezekiah
did recover and went on to purify and repair the Temple, purged its idols, and
reformed the priesthood. He is one of the kings mentioned in the genealogy of
Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. (Matthew 1:10)
Recovery
from illness, from trauma and stress can have a profound effect on people. It
brings back to our memory the times in which the Lord was with us as we recall
His guiding hand.
Today
is Holy Cross Day. A day we remember our Savior; the wounded healer who carried
our sin and sickness to the cross. Isaiah would later write, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried
our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But
he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All
we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and
the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” -Isaiah 53:4-6
As you
recall the mercies of your Savior respond with words of praise and acts of
mercy to your neighbor. For the Lord has had mercy upon us.
Prayer
for Holy Cross (September 14) – Merciful God Your
Son Jesus Christ was lifted high upon a cross that He might bear the sins of
the world and draw all people to Himself. Grant that we who glory in His death
for our redemption may faithfully heed His call to bear the cross and follow
Him;[1]
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