Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 361
Reading 1
1 Kings 18:20-39
Ahab sent to all the children of Israel
and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel.
Elijah appealed to all the people and said,
"How long will you straddle the issue?
If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him."
The people, however, did not answer him.
So Elijah said to the people,
"I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD,
and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.
Give us two young bulls.
Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood,
but start no fire.
I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood,
but shall start no fire.
You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the LORD.
The God who answers with fire is God."
All the people answered, "Agreed!"
Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal,
"Choose one young bull and prepare it first,
for there are more of you.
Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire."
Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it
and called on Baal from morning to noon, saying,
"Answer us, Baal!"
But there was no sound, and no one answering.
And they hopped around the altar they had prepared.
When it was noon, Elijah taunted them:
"Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating,
or may have retired, or may be on a journey.
Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."
They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears,
as was their custom, until blood gushed over them.
Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state
until the time for offering sacrifice.
But there was not a sound;
no one answered, and no one was listening.
Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me."
When the people had done so, he repaired the altar of the LORD
that had been destroyed.
He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob,
to whom the LORD had said, "Your name shall be Israel."
He built an altar in honor of the LORD with the stones,
and made a trench around the altar
large enough for two measures of grain.
When he had arranged the wood,
he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood.
"Fill four jars with water," he said,
"and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood."
"Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
"Do it a third time," he said,
and they did it a third time.
The water flowed around the altar,
and the trench was filled with the water.
At the time for offering sacrifice,
the prophet Elijah came forward and said,
"LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
let it be known this day that you are God in Israel
and that I am your servant
and have done all these things by your command.
Answer me, LORD!
Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God
and that you have brought them back to their senses."
The LORD's fire came down
and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust,
and it lapped up the water in the trench.
Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said,
"The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11
R. (1b) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
O LORD, my allotted portion and cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Alleluia
Psalm 25:4b, 5a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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."
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The New Law of Grace
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.” Matthew 5:17–18
The law and the prophets, as found in the Old Testament, consists of three types. First, there are the moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments, that are primarily based on the natural law of God. By “natural law,” we mean that our human reason can understand their truthfulness, such as with “Thou shall not kill, steal, etc.” Second, there were many liturgical precepts that were laid down and practiced as a preparation for and prefiguration of their ultimate liturgical fulfillment. The fulfillment is now found in the sacramental life of the Church. Third, there were various legal precepts that gave specific directions on daily living. These laws include instructions on food, relations with others, how to treat foreigners, cleansings, purifications of utensils, tithing, and much more.
In our Gospel today, Jesus essentially says two things. First, regarding the legal and liturgical precepts, He says that He came to “fulfill” them. Thus, Christians are no longer bound by these Old Testament legal and liturgical laws, in that we are now called to a much higher fulfillment of them all. But as for the moral laws, especially those found in the Ten Commandments, not a single precept taught is abolished. Instead, these Commandments are deepened, and the call to moral perfection is now much clearer. It is for this reason that Jesus goes on to say, “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.”
It’s important to understand that those who lived before the time of Christ were not held to the same standard as we are today. That’s because they did not enjoy the gift of grace that was won by the Cross and is bestowed by the Holy Spirit. Today, we have so much more and, for that reason, are called to a much greater life of holiness. For example, we no longer celebrate the Passover as a mere remembrance of what God did by setting the Israelites free from slavery to the Egyptians. Today, we celebrate the New Passover through our participation in the Holy Eucharist, and our “remembrance” goes beyond the simple recalling of a memory of old. Our remembrance is one that enables us to actually participate in the saving sacrifice of Christ. We share in the actual event and are partakers of the grace won on the Cross each time we celebrate the Holy Mass. And as for the moral laws of the Old Testament, they become the bottom line of morality. The upper limit is now much higher. We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We are to lay down our lives for others and take up our crosses daily to follow Jesus. We are called to the perfection of sacrificial love, and that is only possible by our sharing in the very life, death and resurrection of Christ our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon the very high calling you have been given by our Lord. It’s not enough to simply do the bare minimum in our worship and moral life. Doing so may permit you to be “least in the Kingdom of heaven,” but God wants you to share in His greatness. He calls you to be among the “greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” Do you understand your high calling? Do you have the perfection of holiness as your goal? Commit yourself to the full participation in the New Law of Christ and you will be eternally grateful that you did.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
LIGHT MY FIRE
“Elijah appealed to all the people and said, ‘How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow Him; if Baal, follow him.’ ” —1 Kings 18:21
The chosen people of Elijah’s time straddled the issue of total commitment to the Lord. By calling down fire from heaven (see 1 Kgs 18:24ff), Elijah tried to move the people from lukewarmness to a zealous, total commitment to the Lord. Unfortunately, although Elijah was successful in bringing down fire from heaven, he was unsuccessful in putting fire into the hearts of God’s people.
The Lord is sick of and nauseated by lukewarmness (see Rv 3:16). In total love, He died on the cross for each of us. He rightly expects us to accept the grace to love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength, and all our minds (Lk 10:27). He commands us “to stir into flame” the fire of the Holy Spirit within us (2 Tm 1:6), Whom we received in Baptism and Confirmation. “Our God is a consuming Fire” (Heb 12:29), and He lives within us (Jn 17:23; cf 1 Cor 6:19). So let the fire of His presence, power, and love burn in us forever (see Lk 12:49). Let the fire of Pentecost blaze in us and from us to “renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30).
Prayer: Father, set our hearts on fire as Jesus interprets for us the Scriptures (Lk 24:32).
Promise: “Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true.” —Mt 5:18
Praise: For many years, Velma has regularly brought Holy Communion to those who have no one else to visit them.
Reflection 3
By Fr. Miquel MASATS i Roca
(Girona, Spain)
“I have come not to abolish but to fulfill”
Today, we listen to the Lord saying: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets… but to fulfill” (Mt 5:17). In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us that the Old Testament is part of the Divine Revelation: First, God made himself known to men through the prophets. The chosen People gathered on Saturdays in the synagogue to listen to God's Word. And just as a good Jew knew the Scriptures and put them into practice, we Christians should frequently meditate —if possible, every day— upon the Scriptures.
In Jesus we have the plenitude of Revelation. He is the Verb, God's Word, that became flesh, and made his dwelling among us (cf. Jn 1:14) to let us know He is God and how He loves us. God wants of man a response of love, expressed upon the fulfillment of his teachings: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).
We can find a good explanation of today's Gospel in St. John's first letter: “For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1Jn 5:3). To keep God's commandments means that we truly love him through our deeds. Love is not only a feeling; love also wants deeds, deeds of love, to live the double precept of charity.
Jesus teaches us the malice of scandal: “Whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:19). Because —as St. John says— “Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1Jn 2,4).
At the same time, He shows us how important good example is: “But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:19). Good example is the first element of the Christian Apostolate.
Prayers
My most glorious Lord, You came to bring our lives to the fullness of grace and holiness. You call us to the heights of Heaven. Help me to see my high calling, dear Lord, and to work diligently to embrace all that You now command by Your New Law of grace and mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, grant this day, to direct and sanctify, to rule and govern our hearts, minds, and bodies, so that all our thoughts, words, and deeds may be in accord with your Father's law and wisdom. And thus may we be saved and protected through your mighty help.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 163: Glorifying God in Your “Wretchedness”
Do you see the wretchedness of your own soul? Some may be offended by such a question. But if we understood the Mercy of God, and realized that it is our “wretchedness” that enables Him to be glorified the most, we would not shy away from such a thought. Many want to be holy and to see themselves as holy. It’s easy to think, “If I am good, God will be pleased.” But what we fail to realize is that God is glorified most when we see our littleness, our nothingness, and our wretchedness before Him. It is then that He can manifest His glory to the greatest extent through us. True, we have infinite dignity and value as persons as a result of being made in God’s image and as a result of God taking on our human nature. But in our actions, we are sinners incapable of doing anything good. When we realize this, we open the door for God to enter in and manifest His Mercy. We let Him act through our weakness and do glorious things. This is the way we give glory to God (See Diary #836).
When you consider your holiness, do you tend to think highly of yourself, as if you have done many good things for God? This is pride. Humility is the virtue that allows you to see your weakness and complete dependence upon the Mercy of God. It enables you to realize that without Him, you can do nothing. It enables you to cry out with St. Paul, “Wretched man that I am” (Romans 7:24). But in that cry, you also perceive the unlimited Mercy of God using you in your weakness and, thus, become an image of His glory.
Lord, help me to see clearly my weakness. Help me to humble myself before Your greatness and, in that act, to be open to Your transforming power in my life. I give my littleness to You, dear Lord. Manifest Your glory through me as You desire. Jesus, I trust in You.
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