FIRST READING
“Elisha arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.”
A reading from the first Book of Kings (1 Kings 19:19-2 1)
In those days: Elijah departed from Mount Horeb, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 16: 1-2a and 5.7-8.9- 10 (R. see 5a)
R/. It is you, O Lord, who are my portion.
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord.”
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
you yourself who secure my lot. R.
I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I keep the Lord before me always;
with him at my right hand, I shall not be moved. R.
And so, my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my flesh shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to hell,
nor let your holy one see corruption. R.
ALLELUIA Psalm 119:36a.29b
Alleluia. Bend my heart, O God, to your decrees, grant me mercy by your law. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“I say to you, “Do not swear at all.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 5 :33-37)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Today more than ever there is a need to walk the talk on our part. Living a life worthy of our calling makes us faithful witnesses of Jesus here on earth. Our personal integrity and commitment will make us trustworthy and will lead us to become true and faithful disciples of Jesus. We come across many performers in Christianity today who tempt people with their ‘offer’ to change and become like Christ. However, these performers lack credibility, as the values of the beatitudes have not touched them yet. A genuine messenger of Christ should make his or her conscience a guide to the truth. Jesus wants his followers to possess kindness, honesty, compassion, justice, transparency and pure motives and only these will help us to live a gospel based life.