Today’s Readings – Saturday of Week 10 of Ordinary Time - First Reading

Commentary on 1 Kings 19:19-21

Immediately following the passage describing Elijah’s meeting God at Horeb (Is 19:11-16) comes today’s short passage which is actually borrowed from the Elisha cycle or tradition. Elijah has basically finished the work God had given him to do and is getting ready to hand on to his successor, Elisha.

Coming from the mountain where he had met the Lord (in the “sound of sheer silence” or “a gentle breeze” in some translations), he comes upon Elisha ploughing behind twelve oxen yoked to ploughs. Elisha himself was following the last one. It seems the other eleven were being driven by Elisha’s servants.

That number of animals and assistants indicated that Elisha was a farmer of some means, perhaps even rich by the … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:6-11; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30

There exists a hillside in Los Altos, California where retired priests and brothers from the Jesuit order go to reside when they have reached the age of retirement. They rest in this building that bears the name “Sa … Continue