Reading 1 1 Kgs 18:41-46
for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
So Ahab went up to eat and drink,
while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel,
crouched down to the earth,
and put his head between his knees.
“Climb up and look out to sea,” he directed his servant,
who went up and looked, but reported, “There is nothing.”
Seven times he said, “Go, look again!”
And the seventh time the youth reported,
“There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.”
Elijah said, “Go and say to Ahab,
‘Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.’”
In a trice the sky grew dark with clouds and wind,
and a heavy rain fell.
Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel.
But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah,
who girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab
as far as the approaches to Jezreel.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13
You have visited the land and watered it;
greatly have you enriched it.
God’s watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.
R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
Thus have you prepared the land:
drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods,
Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
You have crowned the year with your bounty,
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
Alleluia Jn 13:34
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples:“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,
You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother
will be liable to judgment,
and whoever says to his brother,
‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,
and there recall that your brother
has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.
Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,
and the judge will hand you over to the guard,
and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you,
you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
THE LIFE OF PURE GRACE
"You have heard the commandment imposed on your forefathers, 'You shall not commit murder; every murderer shall be liable to judgment.' What I say to you is..." –Matthew 5:21-22
Jesus has set the highest standards in history. For example, we are not to grow angry with our brothers and sisters in Christ (Mt 5:22). We are not to act, speak, or even think in anger (Mt 5:22). Furthermore, we must take the responsibility to be reconciled with those who are angry with us – even if we are not angry with them (Mt 5:23). Moreover, we must do this right away, or we will be punished (Mt 5:25). Also, this is only one area in which Jesus calls us to meet supernatural standards. In the Sermon on the Mount, He lists several other "highest" standards (see Mt 5:27ff).
Jesus demands what seems to be the impossible in many areas, particularly in our relationships with other Christians. Along with these highest standards, He provides the superabundant grace for us to be free of anger and full of love. So His humanly impossible demands are not unattainable. Jesus simply insists that we live by grace (Rm 4:16). We are privileged to be able to walk on the waters of this world (see Mt 14:28ff) and live in the Lord's supernatural dimension. We are awesomely privileged to be sharers in the divine nature (2 Pt 1:4) and live accordingly.
By grace, do the impossible. Be a Christian.
| PRAYER: | Father, send the Holy Spirit so that I will live every moment of my life in and by grace. |
| PROMISE: | "You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have You enriched it." –Ps 65:10 |
| PRAISE: | Though he lived as a hermit, St. Ephrem sought to improve the lives of those in the city. |
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