1848- Defeated for the third time running for US Congress.

1855- Defeated for US Senate.
1856- Defeated for US Vice President.
1858- Defeated again for US Senate.
1860- Elected President of America.
These are facts about Abraham Lincoln.

God told Elijah that He will send rain upon the earth. Even if his servant kept giving a negative report each time he checked for rain, Elijah unfiinchingly commanded him to check again. And again. And again. On the seventh command, there was a teeny-weeny manifestation that rain was coming. That was enough for Elijah. In a flash, rain fell heavily upon the earth. Imagine if Elijah gave up on the sixth attempt and concluded that God wasn’t reliable.

Are you still waiting for God to deliver on a promise, like maybe your one true love? Are you tired of waiting? Just remember: God is faithful. He is never late. He is always on time. You might just give up when God was about to answer you. Ronna Ledesma (ronna_ledesma@yahoo.com.ph)

Reflect: “Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.” (Jack Ma)

If You say so, Lord, that’s all that matters. The “when” is not important anymore. 

 

St. Albert Chmielowski, pray for us.

God’s hand is upon the weather and the drought is about to end. Elijah needs to go down from Mount Carmel before the coming rains make it impossible. God gives him “flying feet” as he rushes past the chariot of Ahab to Jezreel. If we want our ministries to move forward, if we want to help change lives, if we want to see communities transformed, then we must pray that the people surrender to God’s grace and allow the Holy Spirit to take control.

1 Kings 18:41-46

41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 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. 43 “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!” 44 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.’” 45 In a trice, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel. 46 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.

P S A L M 

Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13

R: It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

9 [10] You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it. God’s watercourses are filled; you have prepared the grain. (R) 10 [11] Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods, softening it with showers, blessing its yield. (R) 11 [12] You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with a rich harvest; 12 [13] the untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills. (R)

GOSPEL

Righteousness is a difficult concept to understand. The way we use the word today is tinged with pejorative color. But righteousness as taught by Jesus is akin to holiness, and we strive to be holy like Him. Let us live in righteousness and truth so that the Gospel will be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you. 

Matthew 5:20-26

CHRISTIAN MORALITY

VERSUS HUMAN MORALITY

On countless occasions, I have heard people describe their sense of goodness in this way: “I am true to what is asked by human decency.” “I have satisfied what the legal standards require.” “I abide by the requirements of law and order.” Rereading Jesus’ teaching about Christian righteousness, however, makes us realize that Jesus is not contented with such human boasts. Morality, for Jesus, is much more than satisfying human sense of justice.

* Human sense of right or wrong is shifting sand. There is a great tendency among us humans to change standards of good and evil, not from a state of compromise to perfection. History has proven that the human evolution of moral criteria is towards relativism and permissiveness; that is, from summit to nadir.

* Human criteria of morality is often minimalist. Everyone seems to be satisfied with what is “satisfactory.” Jesus wants excellence. Therefore, He wants goodness that is rooted in the interiority of the heart — goodness that is overflowing, that is willing to do more.

* Human sense of morality emphasizes being a “keeper,” while Jesus wants us more to be givers. Along this line, Jesus says that even if one is at peace in conscience but remembers that someone else has something against him, such a person must take the initiative nonetheless and seek reconciliation with the other. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS -------

Meditate on this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ,You gave Your all —Your Body and Your Blood, Your humanity and Your divinity — for our salvation. You poured out Yourself in a true act of love for all of us. While we were yet sinners, You offered Yourself. Give us Your Spirit of generosity.”

Lord Jesus, help us to grow more and more every day in our patience, in our ability to forgive, in our willingness to forego. May we learn to give without counting the cost, save that of knowing that we are following Your most holy will. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________________