deceit and lies

1 kings 21:1-16; Ps 5 Lord, listen to my groaning; Mt 5:38-42

As you go back and reread the Old Testament, we discover so of the same trends that we encounter into day's society and culture.

Men in power have a tendency to abuse their power.  Those who have much always seem to want more.  Corruption in the heart seems to raise its ugly head.

This morning we encounter the King of Israel, Ahab, abusing his power and authority just to get more.

Rather than serving the people and the land to the honor of God, he seeks to demean the office by his lust for more.

Again, we see this all the time.  Turn on the news and there it hits us int he face.

The little guy seems to always get pommeled.  The small business takes a hit by the the man with the giant stick.

Naboth the Jezreelite did not have a chance.  He was squeezed out.

Though it was the king wife's who engineered the take over of Naboth's vineyard, it was the King's duty to protect and serve.  The King was guilty because he did nothing to stop it, and he gloated in the opportunity to possess the land that was not rightly his.

Possessions possess.

It seems unfair.  But we must wait.  Justice belongs to God.  In the end, the Lord comes forth to seek justice on behalf of the little guy.

We must stay tuned....

So much in life is this waiting.  We too must learn to fight for justice but also there is time when we let God fight for us as well.  We must stay tuned, tuned in to the Lord for he will come and justice will be served.

When it seems we have no way, God makes a way.

ELijah is sent, and justice arrives.

Often times, God may decide to send us to bring about justice.  Sometimes, we may be the chosen Instrument to let justice reign in the lives of others.

This is where prayer is essential.

Elijah was open to hearing God's word and then acting on it because of his life of prayer.  We too must do the same.

At baptism we are all consecrated prophets.  we must simply engaged the calling and put it into act.

The fortnight for freedom the USCCB has aced us to participate in in a good way to be prophetic.  The CHurch has asked us to pray for justice, for the protection of our religious liberty from June 21-July 4th.

IT is time we fought and let justice reign.

Go tot->www.fortnight4freedom.org. and begin to be a prophet.