Two Simple Rules
Jun 13: Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Happy feast of St. Anthony, Doctor of the Church, and patron of lost things.
But you don’t have to be a doctor of the church to understand today’s readings. In fact, they’re about specific applications of the two great commandments: love God, and love your neighbor.
Reading 1
1 Kgs 18:41-46
Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain."
So Ahab went up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees. "Climb up and look out to sea," he directed his servant, who went up and looked, but reported, "There is nothing."
Seven times he said, "Go, look again!" And the seventh time the youth reported, "There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising from the sea."
Elijah said, "Go and say to Ahab, 'Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.'"
In a trice the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel. But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, who girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab as far as the approaches to Jezreel.
Remember the drought from earlier this week? Now it’s over! But what does this have to do with the burnt offering competition yesterday? Baal was supposedly the god of rain and storms, the “Cloud Rider.”
The Israelites had split their worship between Baal and the LORD, in clear violation of the First Commandment. By bringing the rain after Elijah’s sacrifice, God demonstrates Who is the One and only LORD.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13
R. (2a) It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
You have visited the land and watered it;
greatly have you enriched it.
God's watercourses are filled;
you have prepared the grain.
R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
Thus have you prepared the land:
drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods,
Softening it with showers,
blessing its yield.
R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
You have crowned the year with your bounty,
and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;
The untilled meadows overflow with it,
and rejoicing clothes the hills.
R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.
The weather is still beyond the control of mortal man; it’s definitely beyond the control of Baal.
Alleluia
Jn 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This sounds like hippie, feel-good saying, until you remember how Jesus defines love: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”1 Then you realize it’s a very serious command.
Gospel
Mt 5:20-26
Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."
As we heard yesterday, Jesus isn’t getting rid of the law, He’s making it stricter. But it’s not because He wants to make our lives more difficult, but in fact run more smoothly.
If we simply try to follow the letter of the law, we become lawyers, looking for loopholes and exceptions. If, however, we love our neighbors as ourselves, we’ll find the best and fairest resolution to a dispute. We’ll see the world as God sees it, not as humans do.