Daily Readings - Wed Jun 13 2018
1 Kings
20Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and he gathered together the prophets on mount Carmel21Then Elijah, drawing near to all the people, said: "How long will you waver between two sides? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal is, then follow him." And the people did not respond a word to him22And Elijah said again to the people: "I alone remain as a prophet of the Lord. But the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men23Let two oxen be given to us. And let them choose one ox for themselves, and, cutting it into pieces, let them set it on the wood. But they may not place fire under it. And I will prepare the other ox, and set it on the wood. But I will not place fire under it24Call upon the names of your gods. And I will call on the name of my Lord. And the God who will have heeded with fire, let him be God." And in response, all the people said, "Excellent proposition.25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: "Choose for yourselves one ox, and prepare it first. For you are many. And call on the names of your gods, but do not place fire under it.26And when they had taken an ox, which he had given to them, they prepared it. And they called on the name of Baal, from morning even until midday, saying, "O Baal, heed us." And there was no voice, nor did anyone respond. And so they leaped upon the altar that they had made27And when it was now midday, Elijah ridiculed them, saying: "Cry out with a louder voice. For he is a god, and perhaps he is talking, or at an inn, or on a journey, or certainly he may be asleep, and must be awakened.28Then they cried out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves, in accord with their ritual, with knives and lancets, until they were entirely covered in blood29Then, after midday had passed, and they were prophesying, the time had arrived when the sacrifice is usually offered. And there was no voice heard, neither did anyone heed or respond to the praying30Elijah said to all the people, "Draw near to me." And as the people were drawing near to him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down31And he took twelve stones, in accord with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name.32And he built from the stones an altar to the name of the Lord. And he made a trench for water, like two furrows of plowed land, all around the altar33And he arranged the wood, and he cut the ox into pieces, and he placed it on the wood34And he said, "Fill four containers with water, and pour it over the holocaust, and over the wood." And again, he said, "Do this a second time." And when they had done it a second time, he said, "Do it also a third time." And they did so a third time35And the water was running down around the altar, and the pit of the trench was filled with water36And when it was now time for the holocaust to be offered, the prophet Elijah, drawing near, said: "O Lord, God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, reveal this day that you are the God of Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have acted, in all these things, in accord with your precept37Heed me, O Lord, heed me, so that this people may learn that you are the Lord God, and that you have converted their heart again.38Then the fire of the Lord fell down and devoured the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and even the dust, and it absorbed the water that was in the trench39And when all the people had seen it, they fell upon their face, and they said: "The Lord himself is God! The Lord himself is God!
Matthew
17Do not think that I have come to loosen the law or the prophets. I have not come to loosen, but to fulfill18Amen I say to you, certainly, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota, not one dot shall pass away from the law, until all is done19Therefore, whoever will have loosened one of the least of these commandments, and have taught men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever will have done and taught these, such a one shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and commitment to God's will. The first reading from 1 Kings recounts the dramatic showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah, standing alone as a prophet of the Lord, challenges the people to decide whom they will follow. Through a miraculous display of fire, God demonstrates His power, and the people acknowledge His sovereignty. This story underscores the importance of unwavering trust in God, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a complementary message. Jesus emphasizes that He has come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He stresses that every detail of the law matters and that teaching others to disregard even the smallest part of it diminishes one's standing in the kingdom of heaven. This teaching challenges us to approach God's commandments with reverence and integrity, recognizing their enduring value in guiding our lives.
Both readings call us to a deep commitment to God's truth. Elijah's courage to stand alone and trust in God's power, coupled with Jesus' emphasis on the enduring nature of God's law, remind us that our faith must be lived out in fidelity and trust. In our daily lives, this means remaining steadfast in our beliefs, even when faced with challenges, and ensuring that our actions align with the teachings of Christ. Let us strive to embody this commitment, trusting in God's providence and upholding His truth in all we do.