READING OF THE DAY
A reading from the Second Book of Kings
2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,
he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here;
the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”
“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.
And so the two went on together.
Fifty of the guild prophets followed and
when the two stopped at the Jordan,
they stood facing them at a distance.
Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up
and struck the water, which divided,
and both crossed over on dry ground.
When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha,
“Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you.”
Elisha answered, “May I receive a double portion of your spirit.”
“You have asked something that is not easy,” Elijah replied.
“Still, if you see me taken up from you,
your wish will be granted; otherwise not.”
As they walked on conversing,
a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them,
and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
When Elisha saw it happen he cried out,
“My father! my father! Israel’s chariots and drivers!”
But when he could no longer see him,
Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two.
Then he picked up Elijah’s mantle that had fallen from him,
and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan.
Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah,
Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
“Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?”
When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
WEDNESDAY OF THE ELEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Mt 6:1-6, 16-18
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
The Word of God today teaches everyone to practice the following three acts of virtue: First: prayer, second: charity, and third: fasting and self-denial. These three actions are very important for the life of a Christian in living in close union with God and sharing with others the graces that God gives us freely, because of His immense love. Jesus Himself came to earth as a human and performed these three virtuous deeds, thanks to which He always lived in union with God the Father in all His works.
The first act of charity is prayer: God wants everyone to have a life of prayer, a deep and intimate union with God the Father. Paying attention to our inner life means knowing how to put on Jesus Christ, who is also in the image of God the Father. When people do not know how to open their hearts to receive God's Love into their souls, they will not have true peace and happiness.
The second virtue is charity. When people have God in their hearts, they should introduce God to those around them, and bring God to others through their inner life that combines with God and others. We also need to demonstrate a life of a loving witness, which is the act of charity and sharing with everyone how God the Father's love has manifested itself in our own lives. God invites everyone: To live pleasing to God, each person should know how to bring God's love to others through sacrifice and charity, specifically through sharing with them both spiritually and materially.
The third thing is fasting and self-mortification: In order to have wealth to share with our brothers and sisters, God also wants everyone to have a life of sacrifice and self-denial, to fast mentally and physically such as: giving up passions, pleasures, and things that satisfy the body; Live a spirit of poverty and simplicity in all things.
That is the virtuous work that God wants everyone to do following the example of Jesus Christ: He Himself lived a life of prayer, in deep and intimate union with God the Father, thanks to which He obeyed God the Father, and did everything according to the will of God the Father. The Gospel tells us very specifically about the self-sacrifice of Jesus while living with His disciples: He lived simply and was poor. He fasted and prayed continuously. He sympathized and had compassion for each poor person, the sick person, and the most sinful and impoverished person in society. He was so passionate for humanity that He sacrificed Himself and died to save humanity.
Now, God also calls all of His disciples to practice what Jesus did and what He taught. Go out and announce these things to all creatures. But when you do it, do it out of fear of God the Father, out of love for Him and love for others. Work for the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, placing that Name above all your words and actions. Do not do it to impress our own name, so that God will reward us appropriately in the next life in Heaven. God the Father warns those who perform the above three virtuous deeds: If we only do it for our own name, so that people will praise us, we are not worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven; God cannot pay for it in the next life, because this life has already been paid for in this world.
Once again, God the Father calls everyone to be alert, humble themselves before God the Father, and put the Name of Jesus Christ above all their words and deeds so that everyone can know how to give thanks. Thank God the Father in every situation, and practice well the good deeds that He has taught, to be happy in this life and the next.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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