Daily Readings - Thu Jun 13 2024
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 trust in God and the importance of right relationships. The first reading from 1 Kings tells the story of Elijah, who, after a long drought, trusts in God’s promise of rain. Despite the initial absence of any sign, Elijah persists in prayer, and eventually, the skies grow dark, and the rain comes. This passage reminds us of the importance of faith and perseverance, even when we cannot yet see the fruits of our efforts. Elijah’s trust in God’s word is unwavering, and his actions demonstrate a deep reliance on divine providence.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to the interior dimensions of our faith. Jesus teaches that true righteousness goes beyond external observance of the law. He emphasizes that anger and harsh words can damage our relationships and separate us from God. Jesus calls us to reconciliation, urging us to resolve conflicts quickly and to seek peace with others before offering worship. This teaching challenges us to examine our hearts and our interactions with those around us, reminding us that our relationship with God is deeply tied to our relationships with others.
These readings are connected by the theme of trust—trust in God’s promises and trust in the transformative power of love and reconciliation. Elijah’s story shows us that trusting God can lead to unexpected and life-giving outcomes. Jesus’ teaching, on the other hand, calls us to trust in the power of mercy and forgiveness to heal our relationships. In our daily lives, we are invited to imitate Elijah’s faith and to follow Jesus’ call to reconciliation. Let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God’s plan, even when the path ahead is unclear? Are we willing to take the first step toward healing a broken relationship? May we cultivate the kind of trust and love that allows God’s grace to flow through us, bringing life and renewal to all we encounter.