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| “Elijah Fed by Ravens” by and unknown Dutch potter 1577-78 |
Readings for Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: 1 Kings 17:1-6
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab:
“As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve,
during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.”
The Lord then said to Elijah:
“Leave here, go east
and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.
You shall drink of the stream,
and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.”
So he left and did as the Lord had commanded.
He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.
Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning,
and bread and meat in the evening,
and he drank from the stream.
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Commentary on 1 Kgs 17:1-6
This passage begins the section from 1 Kings called “Stories of the Prophets.” “Elijah the Tishbite: one of the most important figures in Old Testament history. As his name indicates ("Yahweh is my God"), Elijah was the successful leader in the struggle to preserve the knowledge and worship of Yahweh against the encroaching worship of Baal introduced into Israel by Jezebel, the Tyrian wife of Ahab.“ [4]
“Ahab with his Phoenician in-laws may believe all their myths about Baal and may participate with fervor in his rites, but he is no living God in the sense that Yahweh is. Can he truly guarantee fertility? Can he give life the way Yahweh does? As Yahweh’s minister, Elijah delivers a challenge, actually framed as a threat, to the effect that Yahweh, and he alone, can withhold the water on which all growing things depend, and will bring it back again only when he tells his prophet to say so.” [5]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 121:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. (see 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The Lord will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The Lord will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.
R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
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Commentary on Ps 121:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Psalm 121 is a hymn of blessing given prior to a long and difficult journey. These strophes explain that God is faithful, and will protect the traveler from harm – God is always with us (“he is beside you at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night”). The imagery in the opening strophes reminds us of Moses in Exodus 17:8-13 as he stood upon a high place so that the Israelites could see that God was with them. In this song of blessing we are reminded of God’s continuing guidance and the salvation he provides us through his Son.
CCC: Ps 121:2 1605
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Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
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Commentary on Mt 5:1-12
This section of the Sermon on the Mount begins the first of five great discourses in St. Matthew’s Gospel. He begins using a formula common in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”(Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:13; Sirach 25:8-9) This designation identifies those without material resources, completely dependent upon God. (This distinction is for the devout poor.) The discourse continues, blessing those who mourn, who are meek, who “hunger” for righteousness (to adopt the Lord’s law of love in their hearts), the merciful, the clean of heart (those who are reconciled to God), the peacemakers, the persecuted, and finally those who will be reviled because they profess faith in Christ.
The litany of praises for those to be blessed by the Lord has an overarching theme. It holds up the spiritual strength of complete dependence on God for life, health, and prosperity. St. Matthew captures the strength in that dependence, and God’s promise of salvation through the words of the Savior.
It is noteworthy that the word “Blessed” [μακάριοι (makάrios) in Greek and Beati in Latin] is translated “Happy” in many Old Testament texts. The idea of happiness or peace as a blessing from God is an important understanding about the intent of this discourse.
CCC: Mt 5:1 581; Mt 5:3-12 1716; Mt 5:3 544, 2546; Mt 5-7 2763; Mt 5-6 764; Mt 5:8 1720, 2518; Mt 5:9 2305, 2330; Mt 5:11-12 520
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Reflection:
“Those who practice the Beatitudes are imitators of God, of the divine nature. The Beatitudes are no longer now negative commandments that forbid sin, as the first Decalogue largely was, in keeping with its nature as the minimum necessary to obey God. The Beatitudes are the carta magna, as it were, that invites poor mortals to be like God here and now in this world, to live on the other side of sin, to incarnate the divine holiness, to become children of God in truth, begotten by the Word of Truth who, sitting on this mountain, is now dispensing life through his words.” [6]
The final reference in the Beatitudes from St. Matthew (“Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you”) is exemplified by the situation unfolding in 1 Kings for the prophet Elijah. Elijah is told by God to flee to the “Wadi Cherith” to avoid being killed by the worshipers of Baal. God protects the great prophet by keeping him safe and fed during his sojourn. The Lord blesses Elijah for his faithful witness in the face of persecution.
Jesus’ litany of blessings is so necessary. He extols Christian virtue, which flies in the face of the wisdom of the world. He holds up those who are powerless as beloved of God. He expresses his abiding love for those who seek the face of God, and encourages those who face the most difficult path. Faith in Christ is not an easy path, and Jesus’ support in this passage assures us of his unfailing faithfulness.
This great discourse provides hope and consolation for all of us. And, each of us goes through different times in our life of faith that bring us from being the “poor in spirit,” to being “peacemakers,” to being “persecuted.” In each stage the Lord extends his blessings. And how do we experience his love? We find it in the sacraments, where it is extended through his visible presence in the world, the Church. We also find his reassurance in prayer, hearing his voice of consolation, reminding us we are not alone in our struggles, that he is with us.
Today we hear once more the words of comfort and challenge in the Beatitudes. We are called once more to rededicate ourselves to the principles of Christian virtue and accept the blessings of our loving Father.
Pax
[1] The picture is of a plaque “Elijah Fed by Ravens” by and unknown Dutch potter 1577-78.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on 1 Kings 17; 1
[5] Simon J. DeVries, 1 Kings, 2nd ed., vol. 12, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Inc, 2003), 218.
[6] Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I, Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996 p. 184.
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