Gospel of 13 June 2018

Wednesday of the XNUMXth week of Ordinary Time

First book of Kings 18,20-39.
In those days, Ahab called together all the Israelites and gathered the prophets on Mount Carmel.
Elijah approached all the people and said: “How long will you limp with your two feet? If the Lord is God, follow him! If Baal is, follow him! " The people answered nothing.
Elijah added to the people: “I am left alone, as a prophet of the Lord, while the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty.
Give us two bulls; they choose one, quarter it and put it on the wood without setting a fire on it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood without setting a fire on it.
You will call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord. The divinity who will respond by granting fire is God! ”. All the people replied: "The proposal is good!".
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: “Choose the bullock and start yourself because you are more numerous. Call on the name of your God, but without setting the fire on. "
They took the bull, prepared it and invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting: "Baal, answer us!". But there was no breath, no response. They kept jumping around the altar they had erected.
Since it was already noon, Elijah began to mock them saying: “Cry out louder, because he is a god! Maybe he is thoughtless or busy or traveling; if he is ever asleep, he will wake up ”.
They shouted louder and made incisions, according to their custom, with swords and spears, until they were all bathed in blood.
After noon, those still acted as potters and the time had come when sacrifices are customarily offered, but there was no voice, no response, no sign of attention.
Elijah said to all the people: "Come closer!" Everyone approached. The altar of the Lord, which had been demolished, was once again settled.
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of tribes of the descendants of Jacob, to whom the Lord had said: "Israel will be your name."
With stones he raised an altar to the Lord; dug around a canal, capable of containing two sizes of seed.
He laid out the wood, tore up the bullock and placed it on the wood.
Then he said: "Fill four jugs with water and pour them on the burnt offering and on the wood!". And they did. He said, "Do it again!" And they repeated the gesture. He said again: "For the third time!". They did it for the third time.
Water flowed around the altar; the canaletto also filled up with water.
At the moment of the offering, the prophet Elijah came up and said: “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and that I have done all these things for you. command.
Answer me, Lord, answer me and this people know that you are the Lord God and that they convert their hearts! ”.
The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones and the ash, drying up the canal water.
At this sight, all prostrated themselves on the ground and exclaimed: “The Lord is God! The Lord is God! ".

Salmi 16(15),1-2a.4.5.8.11.
Protect me, O God: I take refuge in you.
I said to God: "You are my Lord".
Hurry others to build idols: I will not spread their libations of blood or pronounce their names with my lips.
The Lord is my part of inheritance and my cup:

my life is in your hands.
I always place the Lord before me,
it's on my right, I can't waver.
You will show me the path of life,

full joy in your presence,
endless sweetness to your right.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 5,17-19.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: «Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to give fulfillment.
Truly I say to you, until heaven and earth have passed, not even an iota or a sign will pass by the law, without everything being accomplished.
Therefore whoever transgresses one of these precepts, even the least, and teaches men to do the same, will be considered minimum in the kingdom of heaven. Those who observe them and teach them to men will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. »