To live the Beatitudes our lives into a credible manifestation of our faith.

Allowing ourselves to be shaped by the breath of the Spirit.

we can illuminate our lives and those of others.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Kings 17:7-16

After a while,

The brook dried up because no rain had fallen in the land. Then the Lord spoke to Elijah,

"Go to Zarephath of the Sidonites and stay there. I have given word to a widow there, to give you food."

So Elijah went to Zarephath. On reaching the gate of the town, he saw a widow gathering sticks.

He called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel that I may drink."

 

As she was going to bring it, he called after her and said, "Bring me also a piece of bread."

But she answered, "As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread left, but only a handful of flour in a jar

and a little oil in a jug. I am just now gathering some sticks

so that I may go in and prepare something for myself and my son to eat and die."

 

Elijah then said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go, and do as you have said.

But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me. Then make some for yourself and your son.

For this is the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not be emptied nor shall the jug of oil fail,

until the day when the Lord sends rain to the earth."

So she went and did as Elijah told her; and she had food for herself, Elijah and her son from that day on.

The jar of flour was not emptied nor did the jug of oil fail, in accordance with what the Lord had said through Elijah.

 

Ps 4:2-3, 4-5, 7b-8

 Lord, let your face shine on us.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16

You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

It has become useless. It can only be thrown away and people will trample on it.

You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden.

No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead, it is put on a lamp stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way, your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do, and praise your Father in heaven.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

We are called to embrace the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit, the gift of the Risen Lord, enables us to live the Beatitudes and transform

our lives into a credible manifestation of our faith. We do not become credible witnesses through our own efforts

but by embracing God's glorious presence and allowing ourselves to be shaped by the breath of the Spirit.

 

Thus, after presenting the Beatitudes –  the "Charter" of the Kingdom –  Jesus makes His proposal concrete.

It is not enough to identify ourselves as believers; it is insufficient to deceive ourselves into thinking that devotion

can change the world. Only by daring to live out the gospel in concrete ways do we

become the salt that seasons our lives and the lives of others.

 

By allowing our hearts to be ignited by the fire of the Lord's presence,

we can illuminate our lives and those of others.

We live in a time of significant and painful change within Christianity.

We are called to embrace the Gospel seriously, avoiding the reduction of Christianity to a weary social

and cultural echo of past devout traditions. Instead, we must return it to its essence:

a joyful and passionate experience of God in Jesus.