Friday June 16th Mass Readings

1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-16 At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter. But the word of the LORD came to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;t he LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD —but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake— but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?” He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” The LORD said to him,“Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram. Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel,and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you.”

Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14 R. (8b) I long to see your face, O Lord. Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks. R. I long to see your face, O Lord. Your presence, O LORD, I seek. Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off. R. I long to see your face, O Lord.I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R. I long to see your face, O Lord.

Reading II Rom 8:14-17 Brothers and sisters: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption,
through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.

Mt 5:27-32 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. “It was also said,Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

The ways that God appears are varied. In the first reading it is in a tiny, gentle breeze not in a grant or tremendous or dramatic way. God loves the disciples of God as beloved sons and daughters while to each other they are brothers and sisters. "if only we suffer with (Christ)" we will be glorified with him. Only following in love is not enough, but to be willing to suffer because of our love and suffer with a loving heart...is to me the Christian part of living a Gospel life. The Gospel calls for fideltity to God and to each other. Adultery is a violoation of love it is contrary to God's loving, gentle, caring ways. God's laws are laws of love. How we treat each other is how we live our lives in Christ. A life that can not be lived fully without the willingness to sacrifice in love for what is God's way. I pray today to greet the God in all I meet.