The evil one, uses every form of subtle prevarication and equivocation in order to hide his true intention.

"If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word.

He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth."

Make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet.

  

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Kings 19:19-21

Elijah left. He found Elisha,

Son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yokes of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah and said, "Let me say goodbye to my father and mother; then I will follow you."

 

Elijah said to him, "Return if you want, don't worry about what I did." However, Elisha turned back, took the yoke of oxen and slew them. He roasted their meat on the pieces of the yoke and gave it to his people who ate of it. After this, he followed Elijah and began ministering to him.

 

Ps 16:1b-2a, 5, 7-8, 9-10 You are my inheritance, O Lord.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

 Matthew 5:33-37

You have also heard that people were told in the past: Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this: do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God's throne; nor by the earth, because it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great king. Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes' and your 'No' mean 'No. Anything else you say comes from the evil one.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Reflection:

" Called to a truthful life."

The Gospel for today tells about the teaching of Jesus on making oaths. We continue to learn from Jesus' teachings found in the Sermon on the Mount. In this particular teaching, Jesus built on the Old Testament instruction concerning respect for the Lord's name (cf. Ex. 20:7; Lev. 19:12 and Dt. 5:11). In the Gospel of Matthew, the respect for the Lord's name is profoundly related to the virtue of truthfulness. We may reflect on the fact that it is so easy to make false oaths, and to make use of the name of the Lord to cover up our untruthfulness. Our untruthfulness normally finds expression in the false oaths we make. Now then, it becomes understandable why Jesus would teach his audience not to make oaths at all. The "yes" of a person with a truthful life is enough. If one's "yes" is truthful and truly meant by the one saying it, oaths are no longer needed. As Christians, we are called to a truthful life. A life lived in truth is a life with God. When we lead a truthful life, our Simple "yes" can already stand by itself. When we are truthful, God's name is truly respected.