Why did the Lord our God send the two most great prophets of all time? I believe with all my heart, that it was for the reason as scripture says; to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children. And most importantly of all to turn the hearts of children of God our Heavenly Father back to Him. For He could not bear to see His children suffering from the devastation and consequence of sin!
So loved He the world that He gave us His only Begotten Son, that whomsoever believes in Him shall have eternal life. So came He the greatest prophet of all! The Word made flesh, to take the sin of the world upon Himself. So that we might have hope of eternal life with Him.
Just as He bore His cross for us, so shall we bear our cross to follow after Him. Amen
Saint John of the Cross, Pray for us…
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First reading
Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12
The prophet Elijah will come again
The prophet Elijah arose like a fire,
his word flaring like a torch.
It was he who brought famine on the people,
and who decimated them in his zeal.
By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens,
he also, three times, brought down fire.
How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah!
Has anyone reason to boast as you have?
Taken up in the whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses;
designated in the prophecies of doom
to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks,
to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children,
and to restore the tribes of Jacob,
Happy shall they be who see you,
and those who have fallen asleep in love.
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Gospel
Matthew 17:10-13
Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him
As they came down from the mountain the disciples put this question to Jesus, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist.
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