Can you imagine the whole universe disappearing in the blink of an eye? How eerily frightening that there would be nothing! But how did the universe come to be? There are many theories, like the Big Bang Theory. But it doesn’t explain how a magnificent design of planets, stars, and celestial bodies follow a particular course. There are countless galaxies and solar systems that are in constant movement, yet they do not collide or cause a major cosmic disruption to end the world.

The universe and all that’s in it follow a certain natural law that is guided by divine law. This divine law can’t help but guide all things to be complete. The wind, the weather, and even our breathing is guided by this.

But the divine law is not only in the universe; it is also in us. Because this divine law—God’s Law—is love. And God’s love wants us to fulfill our course and be complete. 

Tony P. Valenzuela (anthonyv1084@gmail.com)

reflect

You and I are not mistakes. There is no mistake in what God has created.

Lord, help me to see You in all things—in me, the people I meet, and the situations I encounter. Let me see Your course of love in everything.

St. Maximus of Naples, deacon and Doctor of the Church, pray for us.

Elijah is confronted with a daunting task—facing the numerous prophets of Baal alone! Yet, he marches boldly into the battle, tackling the challenge head-on. We, too, will encounter difficulties. Let us pray for God’s grace to be like Elijah, trusting in our ability to overcome obstacles with faith and perseverance.

²⁰ Ahab sent to all the children of Israel and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. ²¹ Elijah appealed to all the people and said, “How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.” The people, however, did not answer him. ²² So Elijah said to the people, “I am the only surviving prophet of the Lord, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. ²³ Give us two young bulls. Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood, but start no fire. I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood, but shall start no fire. ²⁴ You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the Lord. The God who answers with fire is God.” All the people answered, “Agreed!” ²⁵ Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one young bull and prepare it first, for there are more of you. Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire.” ²⁶ Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it and called on Baal from morning to noon, saying, “Answer us, Baal!” But there was no sound, and no one answering. And they hopped around the altar they had prepared. ²⁷ When it was noon, Elijah taunted them: “Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating, or may have retired, or may be on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” ²⁸ They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until blood gushed over them. ²⁹ Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state until the time for offering sacrifice. But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening. ³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” When the people had done so, he repaired the altar of the Lord thathad been destroyed. ³¹ He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Your name shall be Israel.” ³² He built an altar in honor of the Lord with the stones, and made a trench around the altar large enough for two measures of grain. ³³ When he had arranged the wood, he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood. ³⁴ “Fill four jars with water,” he said, “and pour it over the burnt offerings and over the wood.” “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time. ³⁵ The water flowed around the altar, and the trench was filled with the water. ³⁶ At the time for offering sacrifice, the prophet Elijah came forward and said, “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things by your command. ³⁷ Answer me, Lord! Answer me, that this people may know that you, Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to their senses.” ³⁸ The Lord’s fire came down and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench. ³⁹ Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 16:1-2, 4, 5, 8, 11

R: Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

¹ Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; ² I say to the Lord, “My Lord are you.” (R) ⁴ They multiply their sorrows who court other gods. Blood libations to them I will not pour out, nor will I take their names upon my lips. (R) ⁵ O Lord, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot. ⁸ I set the Lord ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. (R) ¹¹ You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever. (R)

Gospel | Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus is the fullness of God’s love revealed and the fulfillment of the Law. He does not abolish the Law but presents it as a challenge. Ultimately, the Law calls us to love God and our neighbor. Let us pray for the grace to grow daily in our capacity to fulfill this commandment.

Gospel Acclamation

Teach me your paths, my God, and guide me in your truth.

¹⁷ Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. ¹⁸ Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. ¹⁹ Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

Reflect

What is the difference between the law of God (The Commandments) and the secular law? Can you obey one and not the other? Why?

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 KING  17 - 18 today.

Perry Como had an old, old song that professed love “till the end of time, till the wells run dry.” Perry Como issued a promise, a pledge of his unending love for his beloved.

In today’s short Gospel passage, the Lord does not make a promise. Instead, He makes a confident proclamation of the eternal validity of the Law and the prophets of old. 

Talk is cheap nowadays. Promises made by politicians six years back (or even less) change drastically on account of the changing political landscape. Last year, on the occasion of the 39th anniversary of EDSA revolution, statements either for or against it by candidates—whether seeking reelection or trying to get a much coveted position—were contradictory. 

In truth, all of us are prone to this. The declarations we make may be affected by what is fashionable according to the prevailing “season.” Our allegiances can change for political expediency, personal welfare, or on account of shifting windows of opportunities. With the onset of cancel culture, “friends” in social media are “reported,” “hidden,” “muted,” or “blocked.”

Today’s Gospel passage is most reassuringly consistent. When it comes to His eternal will—understood as the Law—along with the teachings of the prophets about the same unchanging God, not a single iota will be deleted. God’s will remains the same today, yesterday, and forever.

But we come to Mass Sunday in and Sunday out to remind ourselves of such unchanging truths and eternal spiritual values. We humans easily forget. False narratives and fake news proliferate social media. The love of money and possessions, along with the pursuit of popularity, can skew our priorities toward change—not for the good, but for the worse.

The consistent, compelling, and compassionate unbending, loving commitment of an equally unchanging God for eternal truths that lead to eternal life are never seasonal. And that will remain so, “until all things have taken place.”

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB 

reflection question

How does God’s unchanging love affect how you relate to Him? 

Thank You, Lord God, for Your unchanging love. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________