Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Wednesday 11th Week in Ordinary Time
June 18, 2014
Wednesday 11th Week in Ordinary Time
2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14 / Ps 31:20, 21, 24 / Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18
Reading: 2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14
Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. It happened this way: Elijah and Elisha had left Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, "I beg you to stay here, for Yahweh is sending me to Bethel." Elisha said, "I swear by Yahweh and by your life that I will never leave you." So they went down to Bethel together. Elijah said once more to Elisha, "Stay here, I beg you, for Yahweh is only sending me to the Jordan." But Elisha answered, "I swear by Yahweh and by your life that I will never leave you." And as they went on their way, fifty fellow prophets of Jericho followed them at a certain distance. When Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan Elijah took his mantle, rolled it, and struck the water with it. The water parted to both sides and they crossed over on dry ground. After they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "What shall I do for you before I am taken away from you? Ask me." Elisha said, "Grant that I may have the best of your spirit." Elijah answered, "Your request is most difficult. Yet if you see me while I am being taken from you, then you shall have it. But if not, you shall not have it." As they were talking on the way, a chariot of fire with horses of fire stood between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw him and cried out, "Father, my father, chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" When Elisha lost sight of him, he took hold of his own clothes and tore them. He then picked up the mantle which had fallen from Elijah and returned to the banks of the Jordan. There he struck the water with the mantle, but it did not part. So he asked, "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?" And as he struck the water again it parted. Elisha crossed over.
Gospel: Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18
Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full. If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you. When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you.
Reflection
Fasting, prayer and almsgiving are the three weapons of the Church that help fight against the three temptations that Jesus Christ himself underwent in the desert before he started his ministry. For the first temptation of bread, in which we seek only the comfort of our flesh and satisfaction of our bodies, fasting helps to remind us that we don't live from bread alone but from the word of God. In the second temptation, the devil presented Jesus with a way to escape the mediocre state he was born into, and to take the short cut his own way. But Jesus cut off the devil's lie by answering not to put God to the test. It means to trust that whatever history God has given us, it is not bad, that there is a meaning behind it all, and to discover that meaning, one needs to pray. Finally against the temptation of idols and riches, the best weapon is almsgiving to help us not be attached to money. And doing all these in secret assures us of a reward in Heaven.
Prayer Requests:
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
-- Wednesday 11th Week in Ordinary Time
2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14 / Ps 31:20, 21, 24 / Mt 6: 1-6, 16-18
Reading: 2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14
Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. It happened this way: Elijah and Elisha had left Gilgal, and Elijah said to Elisha, "I beg you to stay here, for Yahweh is sending me to Bethel." Elisha said, "I swear by Yahweh and by your life that I will never leave you." So they went down to Bethel together. Elijah said once more to Elisha, "Stay here, I beg you, for Yahweh is only sending me to the Jordan." But Elisha answered, "I swear by Yahweh and by your life that I will never leave you." And as they went on their way, fifty fellow prophets of Jericho followed them at a certain distance. When Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan Elijah took his mantle, rolled it, and struck the water with it. The water parted to both sides and they crossed over on dry ground. After they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "What shall I do for you before I am taken away from you? Ask me." Elisha said, "Grant that I may have the best of your spirit." Elijah answered, "Your request is most difficult. Yet if you see me while I am being taken from you, then you shall have it. But if not, you shall not have it." As they were talking on the way, a chariot of fire with horses of fire stood between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw him and cried out, "Father, my father, chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" When Elisha lost sight of him, he took hold of his own clothes and tore them. He then picked up the mantle which had fallen from Elijah and returned to the banks of the Jordan. There he struck the water with the mantle, but it did not part. So he asked, "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?" And as he struck the water again it parted. Elisha crossed over.
Gospel: Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18
Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full. If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you. When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you. When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already. When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you.
Reflection
Fasting, prayer and almsgiving are the three weapons of the Church that help fight against the three temptations that Jesus Christ himself underwent in the desert before he started his ministry. For the first temptation of bread, in which we seek only the comfort of our flesh and satisfaction of our bodies, fasting helps to remind us that we don't live from bread alone but from the word of God. In the second temptation, the devil presented Jesus with a way to escape the mediocre state he was born into, and to take the short cut his own way. But Jesus cut off the devil's lie by answering not to put God to the test. It means to trust that whatever history God has given us, it is not bad, that there is a meaning behind it all, and to discover that meaning, one needs to pray. Finally against the temptation of idols and riches, the best weapon is almsgiving to help us not be attached to money. And doing all these in secret assures us of a reward in Heaven.
Prayer Requests:
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary
… for families who are in need of healing
… for world peace and reconciliation
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
**************************************************
These reflections are distributed free and are for personal use only. Feel free to send the Daily Prayer reflections to your friends, colleagues and relatives; however, if you do, please include the following:
+================================================+
| The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the
| priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish
| http://www.marythequeen.org
| Distributed free and for personal use only.
+================================================+
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# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 5:39 AM 
