The three readings in today’s Liturgy of the Word all provide us with the hope and support we need as we seek to do God’s will day in and day out. They provide hope and support in different ways.

One of the most memorable stories about the prophet Elijah illustrates what happens when we confront a challenge by placing complete trust in God.  The prophets of Baal cannot get their god to accept their sacrifice because, of course, Baal does not exist. Elijah’s God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, responds to Elijah’s prayer by sending down his fire to consume the burnt offerings. The Israelites fall to their knees and proclaim that “The LORD [Yahweh] is God.”

In the Responsorial Psalm, we ask God to “keep [us] safe,” and proclaim that with God at [our] right hand, [we] “shall not be disturbed.”

In the Gospel, a passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus proclaims that he fulfills the law and the prophets and that he expects us to obey him. In our daily obedience to Jesus’ command that we love one another as he has loved us, we help the Father’s kingdom flourish on earth.

Let Us Pray:

The Lord is my light and my salvation, of whom should I be afraid? Of whom should I be afraid?