Celebración de la palabra

Friday June 12

Friday of 10th Week of Ordinary Time

GOD RESTORES US

Introduction

The experience of Elijah in God’s word today is a deeply moving human experience, wherein God shows himself as the Lord of life and resurrection as soon as a person discovers who he is when confronted with God whom he begins to understand a bit. Elijah, God’s loyal, formidable, fiery prophet, encounters defeat, despair and persecution the day after his victory.
He doubts himself, his future, his task, the people, and withdraws into the desert of himself. And then Elijah experiences God, not the formidable God of storm, earthquake and fire, which he pictured in his heart, but the God found in the gentle breeze caressing his face. This experience of the living God raises Elijah back to his feet and gives him the strength to return to people and to hope again in people and in the future. For now, he takes God on God’s terms. Could this not be our own experience?

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
we fear to take ourselves as we are,
with our weaknesses and our strength,
with our cowardice, failures, and projections.
God, touch us, seize us,
throw us down to earth if necessary,
that we may discover you as the source of life and strength
and constant resurrection
by the power of Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives with you and with us for ever.

Reading 1: 1 KGS 19:9A, 11-16

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.
But the word of the LORD came to him,
"Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by."
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire.
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.
A voice said to him, "Elijah, why are you here?"
He replied, "I have been most zealous for the LORD,
the God of hosts.
But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant,
torn down your altars,
and put your prophets to the sword.
I alone am left, and they seek to take my life."
The LORD said to him,
"Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.
When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram.
Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,
and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah,
as prophet to succeed you."

Responsorial Psalm 27:7-8A, 8B-9ABC, 13-14

R. (8b) I long to see your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

Alleluia PHIL 2:15D, 16A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 5:27-32

Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you,
everyone who looks at a woman with lust
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
If your right eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.
And if your right hand causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one of your members
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.
"It was also said,
Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.
But I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)
causes her to commit adultery,
and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Commentary

At the time of Catherine Drexel’s canonization as a saint of the church, one of the sisters who had lived with her for many years was asked what it was like to live with a saint. The sister responded unhesitatingly, “I never thought of her as a saint, just a very fine woman.”
In today’s reading from Kings, Elijah returns to Mount Horeb, the same location where God had spoken with Moses in the great theophany of covenant making. The prophet was advised to exit from the cave to witness the Lord’s passing by. There was first a heavy wind in which the Lord was not present. This was followed by an earthquake and then a fire, but the Lord was not present in either. Finally there was a still whispering sound in which the Lord’s voice was heard. God frequently manifests himself in the least pretentious manner. It may be an unexpected act of kindness, a moment of good news, or the tragedy of an unexpected loss. These are our “sounds of silence” in which the presence of God is so clearly felt. They are moments we want to cherish, small revelations of the divine, and often contain insights for our own spiritual life.
In events of great importance, it is often difficult to hear the voice of God. At times it seems as if God is absent. But in the sounds of silence,” we are often led to prayer and reflection. They are quiet ways in which God is at work, and we should not underestimate their importance.

Points to Ponder

Listening to God in the sounds of silence
Following God’s lead
Hearing God’s whisper

Intercessions

– That the Church may be the living sign of God’s love for people by its concern for the poorest among us, we pray:
– That the leaders of the world may look after the welfare of the people entrusted to them and bring them peace, justice, and dignity, we pray:
– That we may learn to take ourselves as we are with all our faults and weaknesses and entrust ourselves into the hands of God, were pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our living God,
your Son Jesus taught us
to seek your will not in our way
but in your own way and on your own terms.
As he is with us now,
may he help us with his word and his body
to bend our wills to yours.
And when we feel hurt in our struggles,
and disappointed with people,
do not allow us to withdraw within ourselves
but keep us going your way, not ours, to people.
For this was the way of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord, our God of hope,
we have learned from your Son
and from those who were close to him
that faith and hope grow in us
when they are tested in trials and struggles.
God, help us win our struggles,
for they are your struggles in us.
Let your Spirit storm or breeze in us
and let us experience you as you are.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

We could end this celebration by saying again: God is with you! Don’t forget this, especially when your life or your task is difficult. God is there, and in him you can trust. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.