One Foot in Front of the Other

by Gerry Palermo, posted in Catholic

Greetings on this the Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: 1 Kgs 17:1-6; Ps 121:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; Mt 5:1-12

Notes

Yesterday the sacred readings the three relationships or attitudes toward God.

  1. Reject God – as in Satan and those who think to attribute evil to good.
  2. Mistrust God – as in the relatives of Jesus not believing Jesus is safe from others nor himself.
  3. Followers of God – those who do the will of God.

Today the matter is expressed in a way to help those who reject or mistrust and reflect the attitude of those who follow.

Summary

Elijah listened to the Lord even as the Lord makes a rather odd assertion. I have commanded ravens to feed you there.

Snow, ice, sleet – dangers? And beauty!

And so it came about: He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream. There was no dew or rain but water from the depths of the earth.

For Elijah, trusting the Lord, he did not rely upon the ordinary sources of food and drink but on the miraculous gifts the Lord provided in a most obscure place in a most dire time. When it was time to leave the water dried up and Elijah was given a new safe haven, the home of the widow located in Zarephath of Sidon.

A path doesn’t give you the entire view, just the next view.

Conclusion for the rejecting and mistrusting: Always be open to the miraculous and trust the Lord as like the Lord’s plan for Elijah, the widow, her son, the village, to Ahab, all the Israelites and the prophets on Mount Carmel, and to all the Earth. A very long list, yes?

In our gospel portion today, When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: Blessed.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and who do the will of the Lord. These are my brothers, and sisters and mother.

To be Blessed is to be made holy; consecrated.

Conclusion for believers: Blessed are those who seek the path of holiness in the gentleness of Jesus. So much is written on how to understand these nine expression of blessedness – holiness. For you each must decide what applies to you – how to implement. Free will, indeed.

Reflection

Then here is your reflection for today. The pivotal case to be made is by the Psalmist. Yes, the middle sacred writing binds together the Old and New in the experience of the psalm.

Psalm 121

A blessing given to someone embarking on a dangerous journey whether a soldier going on a campaign or a pilgrim returning home from the Temple. People look anxiously at the wooded hills. Will God protect them on their journey? The speaker declares that God is not confined to a place or a time, that every step is guarded; night and day God watches over their every movement. (USCCB Commentary on Psalm 121, https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/121?0).

You are on the journey of life. Mountains are filled with dangers. Risks exist in the day and in the night. These are facts. Just start walking and be at peace.

One foot in front of the other on the path of rightness

Personal Reflection

Looking backwards on one of the high ridges.

I can assure you that the ridge walking in the Smoky Mountains is not for the faint of heart. Some of the trail has sharp turns and assents and descents that are at a high angle. But so many have gone before me and did just fine. Just walk. Be careful, but walk! Life is a climb through mountain passes, day time and night time. Enough worrying.

Read the Psalmists courage:

I lift up my eyes toward the mountains;
whence shall help come to me?
My help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
May he not suffer your foot to slip;
may he slumber not who guards you:
Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps,
the guardian of Israel.
The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade;
he is beside you at your right hand.
The sun shall not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The LORD will guard you from all evil;
he will guard your life.
The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever.

Scripture References

First Reading

“Leave here, go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.” So he left and did as the LORD had commanded. He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream.

Responsorial

Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Gospel Acclamation

Rejoice and be glad; for your reward will be great in heaven.

Gospel

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry

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