Today's reading

The first reading for today, from 2 Kings 19,  shows how Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, threatens and taunts Hezekiah, the king of Judah, which was the only tribe left after God permitted the deportation of the Israelites after they had forgotten him and rejected his statutes.

'Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you
by saying that Jerusalem will not be handed over
to the king of Assyria.
You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done
to all other countries: they doomed them!
Will you, then, be saved?'

Hezekiah does not respond to this menace, not before he takes it to the Lord in prayer and supplication.

Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations
and their lands, and cast their gods into the fire;
they destroyed them because they were not gods,
but the work of human hands, wood and stone.
Therefore, O LORD, our God, save us from the power of this man,
that all the kingdoms of the earth may know
that you alone, O LORD, are God.

Then the Lord responds by basically saying, "I've got this under control. No worries."

Then Isaiah, son of Amoz, sent this message to Hezekiah:
"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
in answer to your prayer for help against Sennacherib, king of Assyria:
I have listened!
This is the word the LORD has spoken concerning him:

"'She despises you, laughs you to scorn,
the virgin daughter Zion!
Behind you she wags her head,
daughter Jerusalem.

"'For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant,
and from Mount Zion, survivors.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.'

Today's gospel is worth checking out too.