First Reading

Reading from the First Book of Kings

1 Kings 18, 20-39

In those days, King Ahab sent messengers throughout Israel and gathered the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah approached the people and said to them: “How long will you go on wavering? If the Lord is the true God, follow him; and if Baal is, follow Baal”.

But the people did not know what to answer him. Then Elijah said to them: “I am the only survivor of the prophets of the Lord; on the other hand, the prophets of Baal number four hundred and fifty. Let two young bulls be given to us; let them choose one, slaughter it, and place it on the wood without lighting a fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood without lighting a fire. You will call upon your god, and I will call upon the Lord; and the God who answers by sending fire, that one is the true God”.

The whole people answered: “Very well”. Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: “Choose a bull and begin first, since you are more numerous. Call upon your god, but without lighting a fire”.

They took the bull they were given, prepared it, and called upon Baal from morning until noon, saying: “Baal, answer us”. But no answer was heard, and they kept dancing and leaping around the altar they had made. At noon, Elijah began to mock them, saying: “Cry louder, for perhaps Baal, your god, is very busy talking or has some business or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and you will wake him”.

They cried out louder and began to cut themselves, according to their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood ran down their bodies. When noon had passed, they went into a trance until the time of the offering, but no answer was heard, nor was there anyone who heeded their pleas.

Then Elijah said to the people: “Come closer to me”. And all the people drew near to him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. He took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob (to whom the Lord had said: You shall be called Israel). With the stones he built an altar in honor of the Lord and made a trench around the altar, the width of a furrow. He arranged the wood, slaughtered the bull, and placed it on the wood.

Then he said: “Fill four jars with water and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood”. And they did so. He said to them again: “Do it a second time”. And they did it again. He said to them once more: “Do it a third time”. And they did so. The water ran around the altar and filled the trench completely.

At the time of the offering, the prophet Elijah came forward and said: “Lord, God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; let it be known today that you are the God of Israel, that I am your servant, and that by your command I have done all these things. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that all this people may know that you, Lord, are the true God, who can turn hearts”.

Then the fire of the Lord came down and consumed the victim for the burnt offering and the wood, and dried up the water in the trench. When the people saw this, they were filled with awe, and falling prostrate on the ground, they said: “The Lord is the true God. The Lord is the true God”.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 5, 17-19

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. I assure you that before heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of the law will fail to be fulfilled.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps them and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven”.