1ST READING
Elijah
is confronted with what must have been a daunting task – he is all
alone in taking on the numerous prophets of Baal. Elijah goes straight
into the battle and tackles the problem head-on. We will often be
confronted with challenges and difficulties in our lives. Let us pray
for the grace of God to be more like Elijah in believing in our capacity
to defeat them.
1 Kings 18:20-39
20 Ahab sent to all the children of Israel and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah
appealed to all the people and said, “How long will you straddle the
issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” The people,
however, did not answer him. 22 So
Elijah said to the people, “I am the only surviving prophet of the
Lord, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.
23 Give
us two young bulls. Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place
it on the wood, but start no fire. I shall prepare the other and place
it on the wood, but shall start no fire. 24 You
shall call on your Gods, and I will call on the Lord. The God who
answers with fire is God.” All the people answered, “Agreed!” 25 Elijah
then said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one young bull and prepare
it first, for there are more of you. Call upon your Gods, but do
not start the fire.” 26 Taking
the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it and
called on Baal from morning to noon, saying, “Answer us, Baal!” But
there was no sound, and no one answering. And they hopped around the
altar they had prepared. 27 When
it was noon, Elijah taunted them “Call louder, for he is a God and may
be meditating, or may have retired, or may be on a journey. Perhaps he
is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 They called out louder
and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until blood gushed over them. 29 Noon
passed and they remained in a prophetic state until the time for
offering sacrifice. But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no
one was listening. 30 Then
Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” When the people had
done so, he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been destroyed. 31 He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to
whom the Lord had said, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 He
built an altar in honor of the Lord with the stones, and made a trench
around the altar large enough for two measures of grain. 33 When he had arranged the wood, he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood. 34 “Fill
four jars with water,” he said, “and pour it over the burnt offering
and over the wood.” “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do
it a third time,”
he said, and they did it a third time. 35 The water flowed around the altar, and the trench was filled water. 36 At
the time for offering sacrifice, the prophet Elijah came forward and
said, “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day
that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all
these things by your command. 37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me, that this people may know that you, Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to their
senses.” 38 The Lord’s fire came down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench. 39 Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”
P S A L M
Psalm 16:1-2, 4, 5, 8, 11
R: Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
1 Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; 2 I say to the Lord, “My Lord are you.” (R) 4 They
multiply their sorrows who court other gods. Blood libations to them I
will not pour out, nor will I take their names upon my lips. (R) 5 O
Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. 8 I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. (R) 11 You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. (R)
GOSPEL
Jesus
comes to bring the fullness of the revelation of God’s love for us and
part of this is fulfilling the Law. In doing this, Jesus does not
abolish it but places it before us as a challenge to fulfill as well.
Ultimately, the Law is all about loving God and our neighbor. Let us
pray that we will grow in our capacity to do this every day.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Teach me your paths, my God, and guide me in your truth.
Matthew 5:17-19
17 Jesus
said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the
law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen,
I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter
or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all
things have taken place. 19 Therefore,
whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches
others to do so will be
called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches
these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”
think: Ultimately,
the Law is all about loving God and our neighbor. Let us pray that we
will grow in our capacity to do this every day.
LIST
LIST
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Kings 21-22
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