Daily Readings - Tue Jun 19 2018
1 Kings
17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,18"Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession.19And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Have you killed and also taken possession?"' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood."'"20Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.21Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.22And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin.23And of Jezebel the LORD also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.'24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat."25(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.26He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the people of Israel.)27And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,29"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house."
Matthew
43"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48You therefore must be perfect, 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.