Author: admin

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1 Kings 19: 9-16

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.
But the word of the LORD came to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.”
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake— 
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?”
He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD,
the God of hosts.
But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant,
torn down your altars,
and put your prophets to the sword.
I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.”
The LORD said to him,
“Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.
When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram.
Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,
and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah,
as prophet to succeed you.”

The Word of the Lord.

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The Old Testament can seem strange and out of touch. Reading books like Leviticus might leave you feeling lost in a world of laws that have little to do with our lives today.

Then there’s the occasional story that’s arrestingly human. Such is the case of Elijah in our first reading.

Elijah was a prophet sent by God to lead Israel to repentance. However, his words weren’t met with open arms; in fact, many tried to kill him. So, Elijah flees his home and takes refuge in a cave, where he literally prays for death.

Suddenly, the Lord appears to him – not in a blazing wind, a damaging earthquake, or a scorching fire – but in a gentle whisper.

Why did the Lord come to him in a whisper?

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Elijah was in a dark place – literally and figuratively. 

He didn’t need the Lord to rend the heavens, revealing himself in a massive show of strength; in his fragile state, Elijah needed to be comforted. He needed the gentle voice of his Father.

And when God speaks to him, he speaks in the form of a question: “Why are you here?”

God doesn’t need an answer; he already knows. But he asks Elijah in order to start a dialogue, the first step in prayer.

So, Elijah shares his heart. We don’t know how long this lasts for. But only after Elijah has spoken does the Lord provide an answer.

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What might Elijah’s story say to us today?

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We all want to believe the Lord is real – and in touch. But our Creator will not rend the heavens or come to us in a blazing glow of glory to prove his existence or tenderheartedness. He comes to us in gentle, personal ways.

If we want to “see” him, then we must retreat like Elijah into our “cave,” that small, intimate place without distraction where we can share our heart and wait for the Lord’s whisper.

That’s where the conversation begins. Comfort is found. And, eventually, decisions are made.

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Image credits: (1) Effective Software Design (2) Shutterstock (3) Dr. Jana Renzel

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26

Jesus said to his disciples: 
“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,
will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The Church is widely known for making distinctions.

For example, there’s a difference between an angel and an archangel, moral versus immoral, good versus evil, or a venial sin versus a mortal sin.

A venial sin might involve harboring a slight grudge in our heart towards someone who has wronged you; a mortal sin would involve intentionally acting on that anger – let’s say to the point of murder.

While we are most likely not guilty of any mortal sin, we can commit venial sins all the time. 

The temptation is to brush them off, as if they are really not that big of a deal. “I’m still angry at someone…. so what?”

But the Lord tells us that grudge IS a big deal, because no sin is permissible in heaven. 

“Whoever is angry with his brother or sister,” Jesus says, “will be liable to judgment. Therefore, leave your gift at the altar, go first and be reconciled.”

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How often do we approach the altar without having done the hard work of reconciliation?

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May the Lord grant us whatever grace we need today to live in peace with one another, certainly if that involves either giving or accepting an apology.

For no sin will be permissible in heaven.

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Image credits: (1)A-ZQuotes (2) Beads of Joy, RosaryManJim (3) Hope Harbor Church

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 17-19

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Dorothy Day was a social activist who became a Catholic after giving birth to her first child. 

Holding her newborn tenderly against her chest, she realized there had to be Someone to thank for the gift of life.

But Day not only came to believe in God’s existence; she also conformed her life to that belief, deciding to live above a soup kitchen in New York City for the next several decades, serving the poorest of the poor.

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Most people wouldn’t jump at the chance to call a soup kitchen “home.”

But Day made it her mission to serve, because she understood that the same God who created her child was the author of every life, making all humans equally deserving of love.

As she once wrote, “Christians are commanded to live in a way that doesn’t make sense unless God exists.”

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Do I live in a way that doesn’t make sense… unless God exists?

Think about this in terms of the core Christian tenets: salvation; charity; generosity; forgiveness; hope.

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This is how we fulfill the Law as Christ proclaims in the Gospel, by living in a way that doesn’t make sense…

… Unless God exists.

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Image credits: (1) AZQuotes (2) ArtPal (3) Aleteia