Monday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time
First Reading
1 Kings 17:1–6
Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab,
‘As the Lord lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except at my order.’
The word of the Lord came to him,
‘Go away from here, go eastwards, and hide yourself in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’
He did as the Lord had said; he went and stayed in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan.
The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 120(121)
Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel's guard.
Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.
The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.
Gospel
Matthew 5:1–12
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples.
Then he began to speak.
This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers:
they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven: this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.’
Reflection
The Church returns today to Ordinary Time, but the Gospel reminds us that there is nothing ordinary about Christian discipleship.
The first reading introduces Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. He boldly proclaims God's judgement to King Ahab and is immediately sent into the wilderness.
At first glance, the wilderness seems like a place of deprivation.
Yet it becomes a place of provision.
God commands ravens to feed Elijah and provides water from the stream. Every day Elijah learns a lesson that every disciple must eventually learn: God's providence is sufficient.
The Catechism teaches that trust in divine providence means recognising that God guides creation and cares for His children even when circumstances seem uncertain (CCC 302–305).
Elijah cannot see the future.
He cannot control the drought.
He simply obeys.
And God provides.
The Psalm beautifully reinforces this truth.
"Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
The God who created the universe is not distant from our daily needs. He guards, protects, and accompanies His people.
The Gospel then brings us to one of the most beloved passages in all of Scripture: the Beatitudes.
These opening words of the Sermon on the Mount describe the character of those who belong to the Kingdom of God.
The world defines happiness through wealth, comfort, power, recognition, and success.
Jesus presents a radically different vision.
The poor in spirit.
The gentle.
The merciful.
The pure in heart.
The peacemakers.
The persecuted.
These are called blessed.
Why?
Because true happiness is not found in possessing more but in belonging to God.
The Beatitudes are ultimately a portrait of Jesus Himself (CCC 1717).
He was poor in spirit.
He was merciful.
He was pure in heart.
He endured persecution.
To live the Beatitudes is to become more like Christ.
This is why the Beatitudes remain both challenging and beautiful.
They reveal that holiness is not measured by status or achievement but by surrender, trust, mercy, and love.
Like Elijah in the wilderness, we are called to trust.
Like the disciples on the mountain, we are called to listen.
And like Christ, we are called to live as citizens of the Kingdom even while walking through the ordinary realities of daily life.
One line to carry
Lord, teach me to trust Your providence and live the Beatitudes with courage and joy.
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