LET IT BE KNOWN THIS DAY
The people of Israel were
presented with a choice to accept the God of their fathers or to accept the
pagan god, Baal. They could not serve both any more than we can go north and
south at the same time. Of course, the marvelous event described in the first
reading was intended to convince the people that they should follow God and not
Baal. God sent lightning from heaven to set ablaze the water-soaked offering
upon the altar, which must have been a very convincing sign!
The God of Elijah
is our God, too - the Creator of heaven and earth. However, it is very unlikely
that in a challenge to modern pagans, God would repeat the miracle He performed
in answer to the prayer of Elijah. The reason is that God has already given us
the greatest sign possible to win our loyalty and our affection. He has not
sent lightning from heaven. Rather, He has sent His own Son.
Jesus - Who is
greater than Elijah - and the offering of Himself on the Cross is greater than
the holocaust consumed upon the altar erected by Elijah. In fact, Jesus is the
fulfillment of all the people and marvelous events of the entire Old Testament
era.
Jesus taught us
reverence for God's Law of Love and true freedom. The reverence He had for God
during His earthly ministry is an example for us to follow. We travel along
that same path as we follow God's Law by faithfully adhering to the Lord's Day,
having respect for our parents, for life, for property, for another person's
good name, and respect for oneself and for one's neighbor. Reverence and
respect for God's Commandments teach us the way of love - love of God and love
of each other. What is impossible for humans is possible for God and for we who
have faith in our heavenly Father. God gives us the grace to love as He loves,
to forgive as He forgives, to think as He thinks, and to act as He acts.
Today, the Church
honors St. Anthony of Padua,
Priest and Doctor of the Church. Anthony was recognized as a great man of
prayer and a great Scripture and theology scholar. He became the first friar to
teach theology to other friars. Soon he was called from that post to preach to
the Albigensians in France,
using his profound knowledge of Scripture and theology to convert and reassure
those who had been misled, putting them on the right path toward God.
In the Responsorial
Psalm we acclaim, "Keep me safe, O God; You are my hope" (Ps. 16:
1b). Let it be known, this day, that we
will walk in the path of life as Jesus showed us by following God's Commandments!