Category: Daily Reflections

“Then Elisha, filled with a twofold portion of his spirit, wrought many marvels.” –Sirach 48:12 Elijah humbled Israel’s economy by stopping the rain for three-and-a-half years. “Three times [he] brought down fire” (Sir 48:3). He slit the throats of several hundred false prophets (1 Kgs 18:19, 40). He “brought a dead man back to life” (Sir 48:5). He was “taken aloft in a whirlwind, in a chariot with fiery horses” (Sir 48:9). Yet these were not the greatest things Elijah did. His greatest work was to make Elisha his disciple. This led to Hazael and Jehu being anointed, who finally...

“Your Father Who sees what is hidden will repay you.” –Matthew 6:18 We are in the middle of three weeks of reading Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In the first ten days, He set a standard of holiness that was “out of this world.” He teaches us to regard lowliness and persecution as blessed (see Mt 5:3, 10). We aren’t allowed even to get angry or look lustfully (Mt 5:22, 28). Jesus went so far as to require that we offer no resistance to injury, turn the other cheek, and love our enemies (Mt 5:39, 44). He finally was “totally...

“Have you found me out, my enemy?” –1 Kings 21:20 May our enemies find us out, that is, find out that we genuinely love them in truth. May our enemies find us out, that is, find out that we are praying and fasting for them, and offering Masses and sacrifices for them. May our enemies find us out, finding that we have no hatred in our hearts for them, but only true love (Mt 5:44ff). May our enemies find us out, that is, find out that after we have suffered loss and pain as a result of their hatred, and...

“His fellow citizens – the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city – did as Jezebel had ordered them.” –1 Kings 21:11 To get Naboth’s property, Jezebel, the queen of Samaria, ordered the elders and nobles of Naboth’s city to get two scoundrels to falsely accuse Naboth and then to stone him to death (1 Kgs 21:11ff). Many people obeyed Jezebel and thereby participated in Naboth being murdered. When Jesus was crucified, many people obeyed orders from Pontius Pilate and the religious leaders. Thus, they “did the dirty work” of putting God to death. Throughout history, masses of...

“And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom.” –Ezekiel 17:24 The Bible begins with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gn 2:9). It ends with the trees of life on the banks of the river of life-giving waters in heaven (Rv 22:1-2). Ezekiel described the Messianic kingdom as a majestic cedar tree on a high mountain (Ez 17:22-23). In contrast, Jesus described His kingdom in a...