Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Reflections Wednesday June 8 2022

Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Reflection

Wednesday June 8, 2022

Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading I: 1 Kgs18:20-39

Ahab sent to all the children of Israel and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. 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. 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. 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. 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!” 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.” 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. 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.” They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until blood gushed over them. 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. 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. 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.” 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. When he had arranged the wood, he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood. “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. The water flowed around the altar, and the trench was filled with the water. 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. 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.” The LORD’s fire came down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench. Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!”

Responsorial Psalm: 16:1b-2ab,4,5ab and 8,11

R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

1. Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”

2. 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.

3. O LORD, my allotted portion and cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

4. You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

Alleluia: Ps 25:4b,5a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Teach me your paths, my God, and guide me in your truth.

Gospel: Mt 5:17-19

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. 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. 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.”

Catholic Daily Reflections Wednesday June 8 2022

Today Jesus is stern with his disciples. He tells them that he has not come to abolish the law or the prophets. Rather, he has come to fulfill their prophecy. He emphatically tells his disciples that until the earth and heaven pass away, not even a part of a letter of law will pass from the law until “all things have taken place.”

Jesus also warns his disciples that anyone who breaks the law or entices another to break the law will be called “least” in the kingdom of heaven. He then tells his disciples that everyone who obeys and teaches the commandments will be called the “greatest” in the kingdom of heaven.

Which category do we fall into: the breaker of the law, one who entices another to break God’s law? Or do we teach the commandments of God by our word, our love, our actions and our attitude? It can be fairly easy to keep “the letter of the law.”

However, Jesus desires more from us! Jesus calls us to live the core and foundation of the law and his teaching every day of our lives. Jesus also hopes that we will be “lovers” of everyone, even the people whom we don’t like and the individuals who may have wounded us! God, Jesus and the Spirit are pure Love. Love is the law and the gift that we are called to live and to share.

It may sound easy but we know that it is not as easy to do. Love is difficult and it may be very painful at times. Yet love is the greatest gift to receive and a tremendous gift to give! Yes, we need law to keep our world somewhat in order. However, we cannot live a full and satisfying life without love! Love is what gives life meaning.

If we do not have love and if we do not love others, we are horribly impoverished. Today share the gift of love to every person you encounter. It may be a smile, a kind word, a loving look or a gentle touch. Truly there is no greater gift than the gift of love!

Source:

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/kaum-awam.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/hidup-bakti-biarawan-biarawati.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/pembantu-uskup-imam-dan-diakon.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/uskup.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/paus.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/dewan-para-uskup.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/para-rasul.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/hierarki-dan-keanggotaan-gereja-katolik.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/gereja-yang-apostolik.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/gereja-yang-katolik.html

https://www.novenapray.com/2022/06/gereja-yang-kudus.html