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reading of the book of
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ecclesiasticus in those days the Prophet
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Elijah appeared like a fire and his word
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burned like a torch he brought famine
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upon them and in his Zeal reduced them
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to a few people by the word of the Lord
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he closed the sky and caused fire to
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fall from there three times oh Elijah
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how glorious you became by your wonders
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who could boast of being like you you
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were caught up in a whirlwind of fire in
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a chariot of horses also of fire you in
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the threats of future times were
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appointed to calm the anger of the Lord
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before the Wrath to turn the heart of
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the father to the son and to restore the
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tribes of Jacob happy are those who saw
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you and those who fell asleep in your
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friendship word of the Lord thank God
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proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Matthew Glory To
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You Lord as they came down from the
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mountain the disciples asked Jesus why
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do the teachers of the law say that
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Elijah must come first Jesus replied
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Elijah is coming and will put everything
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in order now I tell you Elijah has
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already come but but they did not
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recognize him instead they did whatever
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they wanted with him so the son of man
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will also be mistreated by them then the
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disciples understood that Jesus was
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speaking to them about John the Baptist
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Salvation Glory To You
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Lord my brothers and sisters in Christ
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the word of God that we hear today in
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invites us to reflect on the mystery of
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the prophetic Mission and on how God
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manifests himself in our history
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preparing us for moments of
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transformation and encounter with him
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wisdom of ecclesiasticus and the clarity
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of Matthew's gospel we are called to
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recognize God's actions in our lives
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even when he acts in unexpected ways
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let's start with an imagination exercise
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think of a garden that needs to be
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renewed the ground is hard covered in
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stones and weed seeds before planting
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flowers and trees it is necessary to
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prepare the land remove what impedes
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growth and make the land fertile this is
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exactly what prophets do they prepare
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the soil of our hearts so that the word
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of God can take deep roots and produce
2:46
abundant fruit in the first reading the
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author of ecclesiasticus presents Elijah
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as one of those great prophets sent by
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God to transform the Arid terrain of
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humanity he is described as a consuming
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one whose word was like a burning
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furnace Elijah performed impressive
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wonders he brought down fire from heaven
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faced Kings and denounced idolatry more
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than his extraordinary Deeds however
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what makes Elijah special is his
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faithfulness to God in times of great
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corruption and spiritual decadence
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Elijah was caught up to heaven in a
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chariot of fire but his mission did not
3:25
end with his departure he was promised
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as the one who would come before the
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great day of the Lord to restore the
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hearts of the fathers to the children
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and prepare the people for the Messiah
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here is the central message Elijah's
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mission is an invitation to conversion
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to the restoration of the Covenant with
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God when we turn to the gospel Jesus
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makes a direct connection between Elijah
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and John the Baptist the disciples ask
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why the scribes say that Elijah must
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come before the Messiah and Jesus
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reveals that Elijah already came in the
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person of John the Baptist but was not
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recognized John the Baptist like Elijah
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called the people to repentance
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challenged the powerful and announced
4:08
the coming of Christ however he was also
4:11
rejected arrested and killed here's a
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profound lesson God often Works in our
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lives in ways we don't expect John the
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Baptist did not come in a chariot of
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fire but as a voice crying in the
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wilderness he did not perform
4:28
spectacular Miracles like a Elijah but
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his word and testimony were just as
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powerful this challenges us to open our
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eyes and hearts to recognize God's
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actions even in the simplest and most
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seemingly common situations let's bring
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these truths into our reality how many
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times do we wait for God to speak to us
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in extraordinary ways maybe we want a
4:52
miracle or a clear answer to our prayers
4:54
but we ignore the signs of his presence
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in the small gestures of everyday life
4:59
in the smile of a child in the help of a
5:02
friend in the peace we feel during
5:04
prayer God is always acting but we need
5:07
to be attentive to recognize him allow
5:10
me to tell a story once a man was facing
5:15
great financial and spiritual
5:17
difficulties he prayed incessantly
5:20
asking God for a sign something great
5:22
that would help him overcome his
5:24
problems but as he waited for that sign
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he didn't realize that God was working
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through the the people around him a
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neighbor who offered him food a coworker
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who gave him words of encouragement and
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even a Bible passage he read for himself
5:38
chance and brought peace to his heart
5:41
God did not respond with a spectacular
5:43
Miracle but with small acts of Grace
5:46
that together transformed his life so
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too God may be calling us to conversion
5:53
and Mission in ways we may not expect as
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John the Baptist prepared the way for
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Christ we are also also called to be
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forerunners preparing the ground for God
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to touch the hearts of those around us
6:05
this can be done in several ways through
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an authentic testimony of Life words of
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encouragement or even through respectful
6:13
silence and attentive listening but
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Paving the way requires courage just as
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Elijah faced false prophets and John the
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Baptist challenged Herod we too face
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challenges as we seek to live and
6:25
Proclaim truth in a world that often
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prefers the comfort of error it takes
6:29
strength to resist the temptation to
6:31
conform but that strength is given to us
6:34
by God let us also think about the
6:37
figure of The Chariot of fire that took
6:39
Elijah away we can see in it a metaphor
6:42
for the transforming power of God in our
6:45
lives when we allow him to work within
6:48
us we are uplifted renewed and
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strengthened this does not mean that we
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will not face difficulties both Elijah
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and John the Baptist faced great
6:58
opposition and suffering
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but it does mean that we are never alone
7:02
and that God always keeps his promises
7:05
therefore today we are invited to three
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practical Reflections first we need to
7:11
ask ourselves are we recognizing God's
7:14
signs in our lives or are we so focused
7:18
on the extraordinary that we fail to
7:20
notice the graceful Ordinary second how
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can we become forerunners of Christ in
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our community what attitudes can we
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change and what actions can we take to
7:31
prepare the hearts of those around us to
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encounter God finally are we willing to
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face the challenges that come with
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faithfulness to God's calling like
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Elijah and John the Baptist we are
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called to be courageous even in the face
7:45
of adversity let us now collect
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ourselves in silence and ask the Lord to
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help us recognize his presence embrace
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our mission and have the courage to live
7:55
as Witnesses of his truth may he grant
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us the grace to be and at every moment
8:00
instruments of his love and light in a
8:02
world that needs it so much when we
8:05
leave here let us take with us the
8:07
certainty that God is acting in our
8:09
lives even in moments of silence and
8:12
simplicity may we be like Elijah and
8:14
John the Baptist voices that cry out in
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the desert preparing the way for the
8:19
Lord to transform Hearts May our life be
8:23
a chariot of fire that takes others to
8:25
encounter the living and true God Amen
8:37
St Michael the Archangel defend Us in
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battle be our protection against the
8:42
wickedness and snares of the devil may
8:45
God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
8:49
thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
8:51
the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
8:57
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
