It is 10th June 2020.
The readings are from 1 Kings 18:20-39; and the Gospel from Matthew 5:17-19
In a world of cut throat competition in everything, religion and religious leaders are not spared. One wants to swallow the other is the trend of the day. Someone wants to prove that God exists forgetting the existence of the suffering humanity. A group of people walk on the foot of the others without realizing the hurt they inflict. God exists even if the humanity fails to display the proofs of God’s love. Beauty of a flower does not reduce or shrink in the absence of onlookers.
We have a scenario of uprooting false prophets by the prophet of God at the mount Carmel in the first reading. Challenging the evil is inherent in every God-fearing and selfless person. Truth stands alone and it does not require a group to prove its worth. Prophet Elijah stood firm against the 450 priests of Baal who infused idolatry in hearts of Israel. It is not a competition between God and Baal rather between truth and lies; one God and deities; one faithful and God-fearing prophet and many false prophets. God abolishes the unwanted in us so as to establish something good, new and lasting in our lives. God does not undermine the prayer of a faithful person. There is an unknown god or goddess we all worship secretly in our life ignoring God who saved us. Time has come to destroy the evil and the secret idol we all have be hiding.
By bringing rain, God brought the end of drought in land and heart in worshiping God alone. By acknowledging and being faithful to one God, we are deigned to be blessed. When our hearts and lives do not notice the unfaithfulness and going after many petty gods, we invite droughts and inflicts pain to our lives. The struggles to be faithful to one God continues even today without adequate faithfulness and prayer. It is time to work on our double standards in worshiping God and loving people. Who do we want to serve? God or gods? “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15)
The responsorial Psalm pleads, “Save me, Lord, I take refuge in you.” (Ps. 16:1).
The Gospel explains what the disciple of Christ needs to act. Having explained the qualities of a disciple in the Beatitude, Jesus encourages us to abide by law. Life of Jesus added its color to the interpretation of the law. Our interpretations of the law are to be seen in our reputed life. “Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5:19). Our reputation before God and people grow in following the commandments of God. To preserve we need to practice and to love we need to lean on. May the Lord bring the spiritual and material droughts and pandemic come to an end in His mercy and love. God bless you.