Today's first reading is a dramatic and vivid account of a contest in which Elijah, the prophet of the One and One Only God, emerged clearly victorious. The story is so told that the point at issue is perfectly clear. There cannot be two Gods .Only one of the two contestants can be the all creative, all powerful, all loving God. Elijah's God is the God of the people of Israel. We believe that that same God is the God of modern day Jews, modern day Muslims and modern day Christians. He is the God who brings back to him those who stray from him and even those who doubt him.

The Gospel is addressed to all those who live in the new age, an age in which the death and resurrection of Christ has established the Kingdom of God even here on earth. Our creative and loving God can best be served by an enlightened following of the Law.

Jesus' deeper, more refined, more understanding presentation of the Law ensured that all the essentials of the Law would be attained. He showed how we can grasp the fundamental meaning of the Law while avoiding a narrow literalness. He infused love, humility and a spirit of sacrifice into the Law and so helped us to avoid rigidity, fear and pride. The One All-attracting God of Elijah can best be loved and served by men and women bathed in the teaching of Christ.