07/06/2026
MASS READINGS OF THE DAY
Ordinary Time Year 2 Week 10 Monday
1 Kings 17:1-6
Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except at my order.’
The word of the Lord came to him, ‘Go away from here, go eastwards, and hide yourself in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’ He did as the Lord had said; he went and stayed in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.
Matthew 5:1-12
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven: this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.’
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Comment: In our first reading we see Elijah the prophet being told by the Lord to hide himself while He ordered the ravens to bring him food. It pleases God to mediate His providential care through creatures, a point seen ultimately in the Sacraments of the Church where He feeds us not with the bread of ravens but of angels. God cares particularly for His prophets who had a special vocation to preach His word and were often persecuted for it. Elijah was hated by Ahab and the false prophets of Baal for speaking up for the one true God. The prophets prefigure Jesus, the Word Incarnate, who was killed for testifying to the truth. Our gospel sees Jesus listing the characteristics of God’s servants, including the prophets. We can see them displayed in the life of Elijah, who was poor in spirit, was rejected by his contemporaries, hungered for what is right, was pure in heart and was persecuted for the cause of right. He now shares the reward of Jesus in heaven as His forerunner. Let us join him in testifying to the truth of God’s word in what we say and do and so share his crown.
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Let us pray for the persecuted Church that God, the Father of all consolation, may comfort her through His Word with the promise of the kingdom, and by the gifts of His Spirit enable her to complete His work on earth.
Lord, in Your mercy…
Let us pray that God may send new prophets to the earth to bring His people back to Him in repentance that they may work out their salvation and win everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ His Son, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Lord, in Your mercy…
Let us pray for ourselves and for those we know that we may receive the grace to model our lives on the beatitudes of today’s gospel and restore the likeness of Christ within us, to the glory of the Father and the salvation of our souls and those of our neighbours.
Lord, in Your mercy…