The evil one, uses every form of subtle prevarication and equivocation in order to hide his true intention.

"If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word.

He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

Make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Kings 19:19-21

Elijah left. He found Elisha,

 After all, none of those who are pronounced ‘blessed’ are what the world would ordinarily regard as such.

Our pride hinders us from seeing that we are totally dependent on God.

All who strive to live the Beatitudes set by Christ in the Gospel are on the way to becoming “Blessed!”

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1 Kings 17:1-6

Now Elijah, the prophet from

Jesus clearly said that the law of God didn’t just ask for pureness on the outside,

but also pureness in the soul.

God doesn’t just abhor sin on the outside, but even more so sin inside our hearts.

Jesus is making it clear again and again, that’s it not just the action that is sinful, but the thought also.

We must be careful about what we look at and what we think about. Lust will destroy us,

as will other sinful thoughts, as those sins will lead to even greater sins.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-16

On reaching the place,

With the fall of Adam and Eve in paradise.

God uses a lowly maiden, was full of grace declared her unconditional obedience to God’s holy will.

She, the sinless one, the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, would be the “cause of our joy”

The Savior would be born of The Woman whom the Archangel Gabriel will great “Ave Maria!”

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Genesis 3:9-15

Yahweh God called the man

 We know that we are not on good terms with someone.

The holy voice from within us invites us, need to be reconciled with others.

We tend to overlook the smaller sins that we commit everyday unaware.

Even to our smallest sins. For if left uncheck, they might grow.

 St. Anthony of Padua, priest & doctor

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Kings 18:41-46

Elijah then said to Ahab,

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

2 Timothy 4:1-8

In the presence of God

 At a time when the Teachers of the Law and the Scribes and Pharisees are preoccupied with its letter,

Jesus does not abolish the Law but comes to give it a deeper meaning and insight.

He did not come to abolish but to fulfill the law.

It’s a fulfillment based on a proper understanding of the role of the law in enhancing the lives of believers.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Kings 18:20-39*

So Ahab sent for all the people

 The Immaculate Heart of Mary signifies, The great purity and love of the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary for God.

This purity is manifested in her “Yes” to the Father at the Incarnation.

Mary’s interior life and the beauties of her soul,

The attraction is the love of her Immaculate Heart for Jesus and for God, for humanity.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

2 Timothy 4:1-8

In the presence of God and Christ Jesus,

The very name ‘Barnabas’ meant” son of encouragement” or son of consolation.”

It is all about healing the sicknesses of our souls bringing us back to a life of hope,

cleansing us from all that make us impure, and driving out our internal demons of fear, hatred, and violence. 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3

The hand of the Lord

This Heart calls to our heart. By handing ourselves over to him and with him,

to discover the fullness of love which alone is eternity and which alone sustains the world.”

Lord, like John the Beloved Disciple, rest my weary head on your heart,

so that I may know how real, how true, how fleshand-blood your love is for me.

‘They shall look on him whom they pierced.’ were the price of our salvation.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9

I loved Israel