Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 19, 2018
First Reading: 1 Kings 21.17-29
17Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying18"Rise up, and descend to meet Ahab, the king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is descending to the vineyard of Naboth, so that he may take possession of it19And you shall speak to him, saying: ‘Thus says the Lord: You have killed. Moreover you have also taken possession.’ And after this, you shall add: ‘Thus says the Lord: In this place, where the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall also lick your blood.’ 20And Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you discovered me to be your enemy?" And he said: "I have discovered you to have been sold, so that you would do evil in the sight of the Lord21‘Behold, I will lead evil over you. And I will cut down your posterity. And I will put to death of Ahab whatever urinates against a wall, and whatever is lame, and whatever is last in Israel22And I will cause your house to be like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. For you have acted so that you provoked me to anger, and so that you caused Israel to sin.23And about Jezebel also, the Lord spoke, saying: ‘The dogs shall consume Jezebel in the field of Jezreel24If Ahab will have died in the city, the dogs will consume him. But if he will have died in the field, the birds of the air will consume him.’ 25And so, there was no other person similar to Ahab, who was sold so that he did evil in the sight of the Lord. For his wife, Jezebel, urged him on26And he became abominable, so much so that he followed the idols that the Amorites had made, whom the Lord consumed before the face of the sons of Israel27Then, when Ahab had heard these words, he tore his garments, and he put haircloth on his body, and he fasted, and he slept in sackcloth, and he walked with his head downcast28And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying29"Have you not seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Therefore, since he has humbled himself because of me, I will not lead in the evil during his days. Instead, during the days of his son, I will bring in the evil to his house.
Psalm 51
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity2Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin3For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me4Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment5For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me6For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me7You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow8In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult9Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities10Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being11Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit13I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you14Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice15O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise16For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted17A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn18Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up19Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar
Gospel: Matthew 5.43-48
43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.44But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you45In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust46For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way47And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way48Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Sermon
In today’s first reading, we encounter the dramatic story of King Ahab, who, through his greed and sin, brought down the wrath of God. Ahab’s desire for Naboth’s vineyard led him, under the influence of his wife Jezebel, to murder Naboth and seize the land. Elijah, the prophet, confronts Ahab with a stern warning from God: judgment will fall on Ahab’s house, and his descendants will suffer for his wickedness. Yet, when Ahab humbles himself, tears his garments, and fasts in repentance, God shows mercy, delaying the punishment to the time of Ahab’s son. This story reminds us that even in the face of great sin, repentance can lead to mercy, though the consequences of sin may still unfold over time.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to rethink our understanding of love and enemies. He says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” Jesus calls us to imitate the perfection of God, who showers his blessings equally on the just and the unjust. This teaching is radical because it asks us to move beyond reciprocal love and to embrace a love that seeks the good of all people, even those who wrong us. It is a call to live in a way that reflects the boundless mercy and love of our heavenly Father.
Both readings invite us to reflect on the nature of sin, judgment, and mercy. Ahab’s story shows us that sin has consequences, but repentance can soften God’s judgment. Jesus’ teaching, on the other hand, challenges us to go beyond mere avoidance of sin and to embrace a way of life marked by love, even for those who may oppose us. In our daily lives, we are called to examine our own hearts: Are there areas where we have turned away from God’s will? Are there relationships where we struggle to love? Let us turn to God with humility and repentance, and let us strive to love as God loves—without condition, without limit, and without exception. In doing so, we become true children of our Father in heaven, who is perfect in his love and mercy.