19th week in Ordinary Time -Year B
How many times have we felt worthless? Or disappointed? Perhaps we grew up with insults and mistreatment from others, been called nicknames that make us feel less than others? In today's first reading (1 Kings 19:4-8), Elijah feels exhausted and dejected by his problems and physical fatigue and says to God, "Just kill me." But God sends him an angel who gives him food and water and thus restores his strength.
Paul in Ephesians (Eph 4:30, 5-2) tells the first Christians to avoid actions that grieve the Holy Spirit. To be "compassionate, generous, and forgiving to one another." Christ in the Gospel of John (6:41-51) tells the Jews that He is the living bread that came down from heaven. The Jews were murmuring about Jesus being just an ordinary man, but Jesus reassures them that no one comes to Him unless the Father sends him.
Now, what the Bible tells us today sounds nice, but how do we see it in ourselves? When our souls descended into this mortality that we now have, God assigned us guardian angels to take care of us and help us during our earthly life. When we are baptized, God sends us his Holy Spirit. Each one of us is an extension of God, our soul is divine.
But our actions and our words have consequences. Every time we do something wrong, when we speak badly of others, or when we think we are better than those who lack the basics, when we give into gossip that harms others, or deceive others for own benefit: with all of these actions we are hurting the Holy Spirit and our guardian angel, and also that of the other person and consequently we are hurting God directly.
But Jesus tells us that when we eat of Him, that living bread offers us eternal life. That is why the Eucharist is so essential in our Christian life because without Christ we are nothing. God strengthens us through the sharing of the bread and we become one with Him and our commitment to be better WITH everyone, to not judge or criticize is renewed. We are nourished in Jesus TO LOVE and RESPECT because that is what the Father wants from us . for us to truly be his children. Of course there are arguments between brothers, but there is also reconciliation, forgiveness. And that is when we worship God, by respecting each other.
PRAYER: Eternal Father, forgive each of my words that perhaps hurt your creation. I ask you to renew my commitment to be tolerant, generous, humble, wise, and prudent with everything I do or say today. May the Holy Spirit and my Angel that you assigned to me illuminate my day. All this in the holy name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.