Daily Readings - Thu Jun 14 2018
1 Kings
41And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,43And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.44And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.45And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.46And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Matthew
20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.21Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
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.