Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 14, 2018
First Reading: 1 Kings 18.41-46
41And Elijah said to Ahab "Ascend; eat and drink. For there is the sound of an abundance of rain.42Ahab ascended, so that he might eat and drink. But Elijah ascended to the top of Carmel, and bending down to the ground, he placed his face between his knees43And he said to his servant, "Ascend, and gaze out toward the sea." And when he had ascended, and had contemplated, he said, "There is nothing." And again, he said to him, "Return seven times.44And at the seventh time, behold, a little cloud ascended from the sea like the footstep of a man. And he said: "Ascend, and say to Ahab, ‘Yoke your chariot, and descend; otherwise, the rain may prevent you.’ 45And as he was turning himself this way and that, behold, the heavens were darkened, and there were clouds and wind, and a great rainstorm occurred. And so Ahab, going up, went away to Jezreel46And the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah. And cinching his waist, he ran before Ahab, until he arrived at Jezreel
Psalm 65
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David. A Canticle of Jeremiah and Ezekiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go into exile. O God, a hymn adorns you in Zion, and a vow will be repaid to you in Jerusalem2Hear my prayer: all flesh will come to you3Words of iniquity have prevailed over us. And you will pardon our impieties4Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken up. He will dwell in your courts. We will be filled with the good things of your house. Holy is your temple5wonderful in equity. Hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of a sea far away6You prepare the mountains in your virtue, wrapped with power7You stir up the depths of the sea, the noise of its waves. The nations will be troubled8and those who dwell at the limits will be afraid, before your signs. You will make the passing of morning and evening enjoyable9You have visited the earth, and you have saturated it. You have enriched it in so many ways. The river of God has been filled with water. You have prepared their food. For thus is its preparation10Drench its streams, multiply its fruits; it will spring up and rejoice in its showers11You will bless the crown of the year with your kindness, and your fields will be filled with abundance12The beauty of the desert will fatten, and the hills will be wrapped with exultation13The rams of the sheep have been clothed, and the valleys will abound with grain. They will cry out; yes, they will even utter a hymn
Gospel: Matthew 5.20-26
20For I say to you, that unless your justice has surpassed that of the scribes and the Pharisees you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven21You have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not murder; whoever will have murdered shall be liable to judgment.22But I say to you, that anyone who becomes angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment. But whoever will have called his brother, ‘Idiot,’ shall be liable to the council. Then, whoever will have called him, ‘Worthless,’ shall be liable to the fires of Hell23Therefore, if you offer your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you24leave your gift there, before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to your brother, and then you may approach and offer your gift25Be reconciled with your adversary quickly, while you are still on the way with him, lest perhaps the adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you will be thrown in prison26Amen I say to you, that you shall not go forth from there, until you have repaid the last quarter
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, trust, and the call to live according to God’s will. The first reading from 1 Kings tells the story of Elijah, who, after a great victory over the prophets of Baal, humbly bends down in prayer, trusting that God will send the much-needed rain to end the drought. His persistence and faith are rewarded as the skies darken and the rain pours down. This passage reminds us of the importance of trust in God’s providence, even when the signs are not immediately apparent.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to a deeper understanding of righteousness. He goes beyond the external observance of the law and calls us to examine our hearts. Anger, insults, and unresolved conflicts are not just minor faults but serious obstacles to living as children of God. Jesus emphasizes the urgency of reconciliation, teaching us that our relationship with God cannot be separated from our relationships with others. We are called to approach the altar with clean hearts, seeking forgiveness and healing before offering our worship.
These readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in both trust and action. Like Elijah, we are to trust in God’s plan, even when the path seems uncertain. Like the teachings of Jesus, we are to examine our hearts and seek reconciliation, knowing that our spiritual lives are deeply intertwined with our relationships. Let us strive to live with the humility of Elijah and the compassion of Christ, trusting in God’s grace to guide us and to bring life-giving rain to the parched areas of our souls.