The chosen people of Elijah's time straddled the issue of total commitment to the Lord. By calling down fire from heaven (see 1 Kgs 18:24ff), Elijah tried to move the people from lukewarmness to a zealous, total commitment to the Lord. Unfortunately, although Elijah was successful in bringing down fire from heaven, he was unsuccessful in putting fire into the hearts of God's people.
The Lord is sick of and nauseated by lukewarmness (see Rv 3:16). In total love, He died on the cross for each of us. He rightly expects us to accept the grace to love Him with all our hearts, all our souls, all our strength, and all our minds (Lk 10:27). He commands us "to stir into flame" the fire of the Holy Spirit within us (2 Tm 1:6), Whom we received in Baptism and Confirmation. "Our God is a consuming Fire" (Heb 12:29), and He lives within us (Jn 17:23; cf 1 Cor 6:19). So let the fire of His presence, power, and love burn in us forever (see Lk 12:49). Let the fire of Pentecost blaze in us and from us to "renew the face of the earth" (Ps 104:30).
| PRAYER: | Father, set our hearts on fire as Jesus interprets for us the Scriptures (Lk 24:32). |
| PROMISE: | "Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true." –Mt 5:18 |
| PRAISE: | For many years, Velma has regularly brought Holy Communion to those who have no one else to visit them. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College