Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 26 : 7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
Hear my voice when I call, o Lord, have mercy on me and answer. My heart says to You, “I seek Your face, o Lord.”
Do not hide Your face from me nor turn away Your servant in anger. You are my Protector, do not reject me.
I hope, I am sure, that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Trust in the Lord, be strong and courageous. Yes, put your hope in the Lord!
Liturgical Colour : Green
1 Kings 19 : 9a, 11-16
On reaching the place, Elijah came to the cave and stayed in it. Then YHVH said, “Go up and stand on the mount, waiting for YHVH.” And YHVH passed by.
There was first a windstorm, wild wind which rent the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before YHVH, but YHVH was not in the wind. After the storm, an earthquake, but YHVH was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, a fire, but YHVH was not in the fire; after the fire, the murmur of a gentle breeze.
When Elijah perceived it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then he heard a voice addressing him again, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I am burning with jealous love for YHVH, the God of Hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken Your Covenant, thrown down Your altars and slain Your prophets with the sword. No one is left but myself, yet they still seek my life to take it away.”
YHVH said to him, “Take the road back through the desert and go to Damascus, for you must anoint Hazael as king of Syria. You shall also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king over Israel. And Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abel Meholah, you shall anoint as prophet in your place.”
Liturgical Colour : White
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Lord speaking to us through the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded that each and every one of us ought to obey the Lord our God, listen to Him and His words, walking in the path that He has shown to us. All of us as God’s beloved and holy people had been called to a life that is truly full of His grace and love by living our lives each day with the desire to be righteous, full of virtue and truly being worthy of the Lord. All of us have been called to be like God Himself, full of love, compassion and mercy towards each other, just as the Lord has always been loving and compassionate towards us in each and every moments of our lives.
In our first reading today, we heard from the First Book of Kings of Israel and Judah of the continuation of the story of the life and ministry of the prophet Elijah that happened during the reign of king Ahab of Israel, the wicked and unfaithful king who had led the people of Israel down a path of rebellion and disobedience against God. At that time, the people of the northern kingdom of Israel had long been disobedient against God, refusing to follow His Law and commandments because of the kings that had been wicked and stubborn in their ways, promoting pagan worship and the establishment of pagan idols and abominations, altars and sacrifices that were not directed to the Lord, their one and only true God.
And king Ahab brought this to a new low by his wicked actions and further disobedience against God. He persecuted the prophets and messengers of God, slaughtering and destroying them, refusing to listen to the words of premonition and warning which these prophets had spoken in reminding the people of the consequences of their wickedness and their sins against God. Elijah was the only prophet of God who remained active and alive back then, and he had to endure many hardships amidst his ministry. Elijah spoke of a great drought and famine that would strike against the whole land of Israel, and everything indeed happened as he had said, as rain did not come towards the land of Israel for several years.
In what we have heard in our first reading today was the moment when God through the prophet Elijah was showing His power to king Ahab of Israel. He showed to Ahab just how He had withheld the rain from coming over the land for years, He also brought the rain back over the land. By doing this, He essentially showed that He is truly in charge of all things, and just as He has also shown His might at Mount Carmel earlier on, bringing down fire upon the sacrificial offerings of Elijah while Baal, the god that king Ahab and the Israelites worshipped failed to do so, all these served to further highlight to the king and to the people of Israel of their folly of not obeying the words and the Law of God, their Lord and Master. The people have sinned because they preferred to follow their own ways and did not truly believe in God as they should have done.
In our Gospel passage today, we are all also reminded of this by the Lord Himself, Who told the people to be truly and genuinely faithful to the Lord, and to believe in Him in a way more genuine and appropriate than those of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. The Lord has mentioned this because those teachers of the Law and the Pharisees had been opposing Him on various occasions, doubting and questioning Him and His disciples because they disagreed on how the Lord and His disciples had been observing and practicing the Law of God. However, the reality was such that those teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were so focused and even obsessed with trivial details and rituals, the way how the Law and the commandments ought to be observed that they ended up failing to understand the true purpose, importance and significance of the Law of God.
What does this mean? It means that they observed the Law more with their external appearances and actions, but it was often not accompanied by genuine obedience and understanding of the Law and the commandments of God. This means that they often merely paid lip service and were doing everything that they had done in fulfilling the commandments and rules of the Law more so that they could feel proud of their accomplishments and their sense of superiority against others around them whom they deemed to be inferior and less worthy than them in their way of observing God’s Law and commandments. Essentially they have also made idols out of their preoccupation and obsession with the way how the Law should be observed in their minds, and like those of king Ahab and the Israelites in the past, all these distracted them from their faith to the Lord.
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, a great and renowned saint whose faith and life was truly inspirational and are good examples for us all to follow in our own lives, in how we should dedicate ourselves to serve the Lord at all times. St. Anthony of Padua was born into a wealthy family in what is now Portugal, and he was called by God to be His servant and follower, dedicating himself to be a priest and missionary of God. He became a member of the Franciscans and was ordained a priest. However, his dream and desire to go forth in missionary works was prevented by sickness, and instead, St. Anthony of Padua chose to continue his missions and works among the people of the places he ministered in.
St. Anthony of Padua was well-known for his great eloquence and wisdom, his care, love and concern for the poor and the needy. That was why through the works of St. Anthony of Padua, many people were touched in their lives and came to believe in the Lord, and they were also touched by the loving words of St. Anthony of Padua who had revealed to them the truth and love of God. St. Anthony of Padua dedicated his time and effort to care for those who have been neglected by the world, and he has also put the effort to reach out to everyone, finding those who have been lost from God and helping them all to come back towards Him. His inspirations and help for us have inspired countless people throughout history and even right up to this very day.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, today let us all therefore be reminded of the need for each and every one of us to renew our faith and commitment to the Lord. Through the words of the Lord and the life and actions of St. Anthony of Padua, all of us are reminded that as Christians, each and every one of us must indeed centre and focus our whole lives, our attention and all of our efforts on the Lord. May the Lord our loving God continue to strengthen us in faith and in our conviction so that by our every words, actions and deeds we may continue to glorify Him and proclaim Him and His Good News to all the people around us. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : White
Matthew 5 : 20-26
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “I tell you then, if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to our people in the past : Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you : whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial.”
“Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council. Whoever calls a brother or a sister, ‘Fool!’ deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.”
“Do not forget this : be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.”
Liturgical Colour : White
Psalm 64 : 10abcd, 10e-11, 12-13
You water the land and care for it, enriching it with natural resources. God’s stream is filled with water.
So You prepare the earth to give us its fruits. You drench the furrows in the land and level the ridges; You soften the soil with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with Your goodness; abundance flows everywhere. The deserts have become pasture land, the hills are clothed with gladness.
Liturgical Colour : White
1 Kings 18 : 41-46
Elijah then said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for the sound of rain is rushing in.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah, in the meantime, went to the top of Carmel, bowed to the ground and put his face between his knees.
Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look in the direction of the sea.” The man went up, looked, and said, “There is nothing.” Then Elijah said, “Go again;” and seven times he went. At the seventh time, he perceived a little cloud, the size of a man’s hand, rising out of the sea. Elijah told him, “Go, tell Ahab : Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”
A little later the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a strong rain fell. Ahab was riding on his way to Jezreel. As for Elijah, the hand of YHVH was on him, and tucking his cloak in his belt, he ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we heard from the Sacred Scriptures the story of the confrontation between the Lord’s prophet and the many prophets of Baal at Mount Moriah, and then from the New Testament where the Lord told His disciples after He was likely confronted by the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees who often criticised Him about not following the Law and commandments of God in the manner that they had preferred and enforced among the people of God. The Lord essentially reiterated that He came not to eradicate or annul the Law, but to restore the Law’s true intention, meaning and purpose before it had been twisted and misunderstood by the people over the past many centuries of its application and practice.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah in which the continuation of the story of the ministry of the prophet Elijah in the northern kingdom of Israel was told to us. We heard how the prophet Elijah, like the other prophets of God before him had faced a lot of hardships, challenges and trials in the midst of their ministry and works among the people of God. Many of the prophets of God had been persecuted and they had to suffer amidst their work and ministry among the Israelites, many of whom had wandered off from the path of God and from His teachings, and by the reign of king Ahab, the people of God had forgotten their Lord and Master, and most of them including the king himself worshipped many pagan idols and abominations of their neighbours.
King Ahab himself was infamous for his many wicked actions and exploits, and he did not live his life or acted in the manner that the Lord had entrusted to him to do, as he sought worldly glory and pleasures, and in one of the accounts of the Book of Kings, plotted with the help and accomplices of his wife, the wicked queen Jezebel, to have an innocent man named Naboth condemned to death on false accusations and charges just because he desired Naboth’s vineyard, which stood upon the latter’s ancestral lands. All these had led to the great anger of God against Ahab and the people of Israel, and yet, at the same time, He still wanted them to come back to Him and be reconciled to Him, and hence He sent Elijah to them.
As we all heard, the prophet Elijah had to contend alone against all the many prophets and priests of Baal, one against four hundred and fifty of the latter, in front of many of the Israelites and the king himself at Mount Carmel. The prophet Elijah issued the challenges against those who worshipped and served Baal to see which among God and Baal was indeed the one and only True God, and we heard in that passage today from the Book of Kings how Baal did not even respond to the prayers and requests of his many priests and prophets. On the other hand, God responded to the prayers of Elijah, sending down a great fire from Heaven to consume all of the offerings and sacrifices that Elijah had placed on the altar he built on Mount Carmel.
Through that occasion, the people could clearly see who was indeed the one and only True God, that is the Lord Himself, and not the false god Baal. God wanted to show and remind His people that He was their Lord and Master, as the One Who had been with them throughout time and history, and Who had saved them again and again from their oppressors and from everyone who had troubled them. He rescued them from their slavery in Egypt, brought them to the Promised Land and helped them to settle down, to live in peace, harmony and prosperity, and yet, those people still disobeyed Him and betrayed Him, choosing to follow pagan idols and gods instead of obeying and worshipping the one and only True God.
In our Gospel passage today, we heard from the Gospel of St. Matthew and as I have mentioned earlier, in this particular passage, we heard of the Lord speaking to His disciples and the people, reiterating that He had come into this world to renew and to complete the Law and the words of the Lord which He had constantly passed and revealed to us all these time. However, some among the people, especially the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law misunderstood His intentions, and they refused to believe in Him because they perceived Him and His teachings and works as efforts to overcome and to abolish the Law of God, accusing Him therefore of blasphemy and crimes that He did not actually do, opposing Him and His efforts simply because they were jealous of Him and His successes and popularity.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this is where we are all reminded that we should not easily allow ourselves to be swayed by the many temptations of the world which could lead us astray down the wrong path in life. That was how the people of Israel fell into sin and disobedience against God, how king Ahab fell into his wickedness and evils, and how the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who were tempted by worldly glory and power, by their attachments to rules and traditions, that they all refused to obey the Lord and instead preferring to walk down their own paths in life, opposing God’s works and not following the path that He has shown to all of them. This is what we should not do in our own lives.
Let us all therefore commit ourselves anew to the Lord, brothers and sisters in Christ, and let us all continue to do our part so that in whatever we do in life, in all of our words, actions and deeds, and in our every interactions with one another, in every moments of our daily lives, we will always strive to do what God has taught and commanded us to do. Let us truly obey Him and follow His path in all the things we do in our lives, and let us no longer be stubborn or hardened in our hearts, but instead, let us be humble and allow the Lord to lead us down the right path in life, to guide us into the path towards righteousness and eternal life, as we have all been expected to do. May all of us be truly holy and committed to the Lord, at all times. Amen.
Liturgical Colour : Green
Matthew 5 : 17-19
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “Do not think that I have come to annul the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to annul them but to fulfil them. I tell you this : as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or dot in the Law will change until all is fulfilled.”
Liturgical Colour : Green
Psalm 15 : 1-2a, 4, 5 and 8, 11
Keep me safe, o God, for in You I take refuge. I say to YHVH, “You are my Lord.”
Those who run after foreign gods only have their sorrows multiplied.
Let me not shed blood for them, nor their names be heard on my lips.
O YHVH, my inheritance and my cup, my chosen portion – hold secure my lot. I keep YHVH always before me; for with Him at my right hand, I will never be shaken.
You will show me the path of life, in Your presence, the fullness of joy, at Your right hand, happiness forever.
Liturgical Colour : Green
1 Kings 18 : 20-39
So Ahab sent for all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel. Then Elijah addressed the people and asked, “How long will you follow two ways at the same time? If YHVH is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God then follow him.” The people remained silent.
So Elijah continued, “I am the only prophet of YHVH left here to face Baal’s four hundred and fifty prophets. Get us two bulls. Let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood; and I will do the same with the other bull. But we will not set it on fire. Then you shall call on the name of your gods while I shall call on the Name of YHVH. The God Who answers with fire is the true one.” Then the people answered, “That is right.”
Then Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many. Then call on the name of your god lest you are left without fire!” So they took the bull and prepared it, and they called on the name of Baal, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice; and no one answered them while they went on, dancing on one foot around the altar they had built.
By noontime, Elijah began to mock them, “Shout out louder. Baal is a busy god; or he may have gone out, or perhaps he has gone on a trip, or he is sleeping and must be wakened.” So they shouted louder gashing their skin with knives, as they are used to doing, until they bled. It was already past noon and they were still raving on, until the time of the evening offering. But still there was no voice. No one answered or gave a sign of life.
Then Elijah said to the people, “Draw closer to me,” and the people drew closer to him. He then repaired the altar of YHVH which had been thrown down. He took twelve stones corresponding to the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob whom YHVH had addressed saying, “Israel shall be your name.” With these stones, he built an altar to the Name of YHVH; and dug a trench around it that would contain about thirty litres.
He then arranged the firewood, cut the bull in pieces and laid them on the wood. Then, he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the firewood.” He said, “Do it again;” and they did it again; “one more time,” and they did it a third time. The water ran around the altar and filled the trench.
When the time of the evening offering came, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O YHVH, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel; and that I am Your servant, doing all these things at Your command. Answer me, o YHVH, answer me so that this people may know that You, o YHVH, are God; and that You are turning back their hearts to You.”
Then the fire of YHVH fell and consumed the burnt offering, together with the wood, the stones also, and the dust; the water also dried up in the trench. All the people witnessed this. Then they fell on their faces and said, “YHVH is God! YHVH is God!”
petercanisiusmichaeldavidkang 