Time for Truth

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be open to a radical change in our way of living that will be a more truthful testimony to our faith, hope and love.

Open to Change

In the Reading from the First Book of Kings, Elijah experiences a theophany and receives a commission.; 

* [19:1–21] The story of Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb begins as a flight from danger, but takes a surprising turn. The prophet makes his solitary way to the mountain where the Lord had appeared to Moses and the Israelites (“Horeb” is an alternate name for “Sinai”). Like Moses on the holy mountain, Elijah experiences a theophany and receives a commission.

* [19:19–21] Elijah’s act of throwing his mantle over the shoulders of Elisha associates him with Elijah as a servant (v. 21). Elisha will later succeed to Elijah’s position and prophetic power (2 Kgs 2:1–15). Elisha’s prompt response, destroying his plow and oxen, signifies a radical change from his former manner of living. (1 Kings CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 16 reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God .

* [Psalm 16] In the first section, the psalmist rejects the futile worship of false gods (Ps 16:2–5), preferring Israel’s God (Ps 16:1), the giver of the land (Ps 16:6). The second section reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God (Ps 16:7–11). (Psalms, PSALM 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents the Teaching About Oaths.

* [5:33] This is not an exact quotation of any Old Testament text, but see Ex 20:7; Dt 5:11; Lv 19:12. The purpose of an oath was to guarantee truthfulness by one’s calling on God as witness.

* [5:34–36] The use of these oath formularies that avoid the divine name is in fact equivalent to swearing by it, for all the things sworn by are related to God.

* [5:37] Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’: literally, “let your speech be ‘Yes, yes,’ ‘No, no.’” Some have understood this as a milder form of oath, permitted by Jesus. In view of Mt 5:34, “Do not swear at all,” that is unlikely. From the evil one: i.e., from the devil. Oath-taking presupposes a sinful weakness of the human race, namely, the tendency to lie. Jesus demands of his disciples a truthfulness that makes oaths unnecessary. (Matthew CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

David Crawford comments that common thread in these (and many other stories from Scripture) is of God interrupting someone who is busy – sometimes with a major life change, sometimes with an opportunity to serve or show love.

Many of us lead busy lives, with daily calendars filled with work responsibilities, family commitments, leisure activities, even church obligations. We resist anything that distracts us from what we have before us or that takes away from what we consider important. I am reminded that, as a child, I too often responded childishly when my mother or father asked me to do something. “I’m busy!” “Not now. I’m already doing something.” “Can’t someone else do it?” “Can it wait until my show is over?” Is our response equally childish when our Heavenly Father wants us to do something?

Our Heavenly Father will call us, in different ways, often at inopportune times. Listen for God’s voice. Heed the Spirit’s promptings to serve, to minister, to love. (Crawford, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes The Light of Truth, by Chromatius (died 406 AD)

"By the grace of gospel teaching, the law given by Moses acquired an advantage. The law prescribes that one must not swear falsely; but according to the gospel one must not swear at all. The Holy Spirit had seen fit to order this through Solomon when he said, 'Do not accustom your mouth to oaths' (Sirach 23:9). And again: 'Even as a well-chastised servant is not deterred from envy, whoever swears and does business will not be purged from sin' (Sirach 23:11). Therefore it is absolutely inappropriate for us to swear. What need is there for us to swear when we are not allowed to lie at all and our words must always be true and trustworthy, so much so that they may be taken as an oath? On this, the Lord not only forbids us to swear falsely but even to swear, lest we appear to tell the truth only when we swear and lest (while we should be truthful in our every word) we think it is all right to lie when we do not take an oath. For this is the purpose of an oath: Everyone who swears, swears to the fact what he is saying is true. Therefore the Lord does not want a gap between our oath and our ordinary speech. Even as there must be no faithlessness in an oath, in our words there must be no lie. For both false swearing and lying are punished with divine judgment, as the Scripture says: 'The mouth that lies kills the soul' (Wisdom 1:11). So whoever speaks the truth swears, for it is written: 'A faithful witness will not lie' (Proverbs 14:5). (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 24.2.2-4)

[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome describead him as a "most learned and most holy man."] (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:33-37 comments that we won’t need to swear to the truth of everything we say or the reliability of every promise we make. People will trust us not because of our words but because of the integrity of our lives.

Words matter to Jesus. There was never a conflict between what he said and what he did because he was perfectly committed to living out the truths he professed. In a similar way, he wants our words to be a clear reflection of the state of our hearts. So guard your words. Pay attention to what comes out of your mouth today, and see how your words match your deeds and your intentions. And where you see a discrepancy, seek the help of the Lord. Tell him that you want to become as honest and trustworthy as he is!

“Jesus, help me to be honest in word and deed!” (Meditation on Matthew 5:33-37, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Cynthia Bourgeault who offers a blessing to students of The Divine Exchange.

If we could just get across the hump and shift to this new paradigm, this whole new way of thinking from the collective, out and around rather than from the individual up, it may just happen that we see the shift to a whole new cosmovision, a whole new level of consciousness, maybe even within our own lifetimes.

These teachings have the power to help renew a deeper relationship and more confidence in this man, Jesus, and to see Christianity, the religion he seeded, as alive, modern, relevant, and fully up to the task of carrying this beautiful flowing vision of exchange and oneness into the new cosmovision. Christ and Christianity were born for this moment. The ball is in our collective hands. Let’s run with it. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit of Truth to inform our relationship with God and our neighbours.

References

Crawford, D. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-13-2026 

Matthew CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?33 

Meditation on Matthew 5:33-37. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/13/1591101/ 

1 Kings CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/19?9 

Psalms, PSALM 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/16? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Embracing the Divine Exchange: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/embracing-the-divine-exchange-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Let What You Say Be Simply Yes or No. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Life Love and Law

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the role of our relationship with God in guiding our charity and the precepts with which we navigate our lives.

Law and Life 

The Reading from the First Book of Kings presents Elijah’s conflict with the prophets of Baal.

* [18:1–45] The story of the conflict with the prophets of Baal (vv. 21–40) is embedded in the story of the drought and its ending (vv. 1–20, 41–45). The connection between the two stories is found in Canaanite theology, in whose pantheon Baal, “the Cloud Rider,” the god of rain and storm, was recognized as the one who brings fertility. Worship of many gods was virtually universal in the ancient world; the Israelite requirement of exclusive worship of the Lord (Ex 20:3) was unique. The people of Israel had apparently become comfortable worshiping both Baal and the Lord, perhaps assigning mutually exclusive spheres of influence to each. By claiming authority over the rain (17:1; 18:1), the Lord was challenging Baal’s power in Baal’s own domain. The entire drought story in chaps. 17–18 implies what becomes explicit in 18:21–40: this is a struggle between the Lord and Baal for the loyalties of the people of Israel. (1 Kings, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 16 rejects the futile worship of false gods.

* [Psalm 16] In the first section, the psalmist rejects the futile worship of false gods (Ps 16:2–5), preferring Israel’s God (Ps 16:1), the giver of the land (Ps 16:6). The second section reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God (Ps 16:7–11). (Psalms, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims Jesus Teaching About the Law in the Sermon on the Mount.

* [5:17–20] This statement of Jesus’ position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew’s sermon documentation (see note on Mt 5:1–7:29), other Q material (cf. Mt 18; Lk 16:17), and the evangelist’s own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Mt 5:18). Yet the “passing away” of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The “turning of the ages” comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of “new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus’ ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Mt 5:21–48) show.

* [5:19] Probably these commandments means those of the Mosaic law. But this is an interim ethic “until heaven and earth pass away.” (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Kent Beausoleil, SJ, comments that we have the invitation—some would even say a ‘call’—to collaborate, co-labor, co-create with God.  Jesus, seems to be egging on his listeners back then, as well as us today, to make a stance.  This fulfillment is not a passive event. It demands active participation.

In the end then, the choice is ours always, but the needed commitment to work for the building of God’s plan of salvation requires our collaboration.  Will you come sow the good seed of God’s love, water it, and help it to grow, or will your action destroy the possibility of divine love coming to have ever greater life?  Will you help me Jesus asks, to fulfill God’s plan for your own, and the world’s growth (or groaning) to fulfillment?  In the end then, this fulfillment is not a passive event. It demands active participation. (Beausoleil, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “What you teach, you should do,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD)

"While it is sinful to abolish the least of the commandments, all the more so the great and most important ones. Hence the Holy Spirit affirms through Solomon: 'Whoever despises the little things shall gradually die' (Sirach 19:1b). Consequently nothing in the divine commandments must be abolished, nothing altered. Everything must be preserved and taught faithfully and devotedly that the glory of the heavenly kingdom may not be lost. Indeed, those things considered least important and small by the unfaithful or by worldly people are not small before God but necessary. For the Lord taught the commandments and did them. Even small things point to the great future of the kingdom of heaven. For this reason, not only words but also deeds are important; and you should not only teach, but what you teach, you should do." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.2.1-3)

[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man."] (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39 comments that our world is not so different from Elijah’s. Violent atrocities dominate the headlines. In a world with so much injustice, it’s easy to wonder why God doesn’t just come and destroy all evildoers so that the righteous can live in peace.

But look at the fire on Carmel, and you’ll see something different. You’ll see God reaching out to accept your offerings just as he accepted Elijah’s. You’ll see his fire surrounding your prayers, your acts of obedience, and the sacrifices you make in serving his people. He never rejects the offering of a heart intent on loving him!

“Here I am, Father; I offer you my thoughts, my words, and my actions—my very life—as a sacrifice of praise!” (Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the reading from 1 Kings is in the context of  Elijah having been persecuted by Queen Jezebel, who was descended from a family of a pagan priesthood. In the contest with the priests of Baal and embarrassment to the Queen on her home territory, Elijah calls for “Fire from the Shy” to determine the true god of fertility. The priests of Baal are mocked by Elijah and when Baal does not respond, the Prophet of Israel declares the non-existence of Baal and that Yahweh is also a God of fertility. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel, the instruction to observe the smallest part of the Law seems in contrast with the message of Paul. Friar Jude proposes that the demographics of the Church growing among Gentiles tended to favour accepting Paul and we tend to keep very few of the Jewish Laws even as Matthew asserts that we are the New Israel.

The daily meditation from the Center for Action and Contemplation was not available at publication time.

We seek the wisdom of the Spirit as we contemplate the meaning of observing the Law to our Baptismal Anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in our community.

References

Beausoleil, K. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-10-2026 

Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5? 

Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/10/1589288/ 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/18? 

Psalms, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/16?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Great Are Those Who Teach and Obey the Commandments. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/ 

Courage and Confidence

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that our confidence in the life-giving message of Jesus often requires us to live with the courage of our convictions.

Truth and Power

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles proclaims the assurance to Paul that he will be Jesus witness in Rome

* [23:11] The occurrence of the vision of Christ consoling Paul and assuring him that he will be his witness in Rome prepares the reader for the final section of Acts: the journey of Paul and the word he preaches to Rome under the protection of the Romans. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 16 reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God.

* [Psalm 16] In the first section, the psalmist rejects the futile worship of false gods (Ps 16:2–5), preferring Israel’s God (Ps 16:1), the giver of the land (Ps 16:6). The second section reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God (Ps 16:7–11). (Psalms, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus prays for the believers who ultimately will join him in heaven.

* [17:24] Where I am: Jesus prays for the believers ultimately to join him in heaven. Then they will not see his glory as in a mirror but clearly (2 Cor 3:18; 1 Jn 3:2).

* [17:26] I will make it known: through the Advocate. (John, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

Desiree Nownes comments that the reading in Acts recounts times fraught with turmoil and unrest as society tries to figure out whom to believe. How similar does this sound to what American society is dealing with right now?

Jesus is praying for each of us to find him in each other. The hope that we see ourselves in each other and in turn through God’s eyes. This is a prayer of understanding and a shared experience so that we can finally know that we are a reflection of God’s love. For me the reading always come back to hope and love, yet the juxtaposition of judgement and othering is hard to combat from the society’s turmoil. But just as Paul was put to the test in front of the Sanhedrin, we must continue to speak of God’s love, God’s hope, and God’s faith in us all. That is the truth that will and can set us on the path of forgiveness and salvation. (Nownes, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Prayer of unity for all who believe,” by Cyprian of Carthage - first martyr bishop of Africa, 200-258 A.D.

"The Lord's loving-kindness, no less than his mercy, is great in respect of our salvation in that, not content to redeem us with his blood, he in addition prayed for us. See now what the desire of his petition was, that just as the Father and Son are one, so also we should abide in absolute unity. From this, it may be evident how greatly someone sins who divides unity and peace, since even the Lord himself petitioned for this same thing. He no doubt desired that his people should in this way be saved and live in peace since he knew that discord cannot come into the kingdom of God." (excerpt from THE LORD'S PRAYER 30.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 comments that anyone who seeks to serve the Lord and witness to His gospel knows that there’s always the risk of rejection or failure. Just living a confident life as a believer requires a good amount of courage!...courage grows through humble obedience. It comes as we place God’s will and his calling above our own will and desires. It comes as we surrender ourselves to his plan and trust in the Lord’s presence and provision.

The next time you sense that the Lord is urging you to “take courage,” remember St. Paul. Then step out in faith, trusting that God is at your side!

“Jesus, I believe that you are always with me, offering me your grace and courage!” (Meditation on Acts 22:30; 23:6-11, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Acts, Paul is arrested by Roman authorities following a riot about bringing pagans into the Temple. Paul will be able to explain the Way to the Sanhedrin. He divides them because of his speaking about resurrection, a concept more favourable to the Pharisees than the Sadducees. In the Gospel of John, Jesus prays for the disciples leaving them with those who reject His message, named as the “world. The Gospel recognizes an institution is developing to accept Jesus and the Gospel. John’s Gospel dates to 90 CE, to the second or third generation of believers. Friar Jude comments that there would be followers of the Way through the preaching of the disciple and a community of the Father and Son would follow him.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Carmen Acevedo Butcher shares a contemplative practice that allows her to accept “just this”. She encourages us to begin contemplative practice wherever we are in our lives.

If we wait to start singing—or any kind of contemplative practice—until we feel peaceful or worthy, we’ll be waiting a very long time. Sometimes, we do a practice, and if we don’t feel peaceful or holy immediately, we think we’ve failed or are doing it wrong. But that’s not the point. The point is that we do them like breathing, just in and out, over and over again. Fidelity to the practice brings about a healing alchemical effect.

Sometimes I’ll begin to sing, “Be still and know that I am God,” and at the same time I’m thinking, “I’m so stressed out today.” It turns into a little dialogue with God, “Why can’t I be stiller and know that you are?” All these thoughts go around, and this practice—this repetition of “Be still and know I am God”—holds the space of stillness and silence. We can pause and “Be still” enough to remember that we are made in God’s image, and we can honor our own voice, God’s voice within us. We don’t have to wait for a special key. The key is already within us. (Rohr, n.d.)

We invoke the Spirit to “fill the hearts of the faithful” and kindle in us “the fire of your love” as we proclaim with courage and confidence your mission to renew the face of the earth. 

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/23 

John, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/17?20 

Meditation on Acts 22:30; 23:6-11. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/21/1573334/ 

Nownes, D. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-may-21-2026 

Psalms, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/16?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Lift Your Voice to God. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/lift-your-voice-to-god/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). May They Become Perfectly One. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 21, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/