B Cycle – 19^th Sunday in Ordinary Time 24

1Kgs.19:4-8

There is no doubt Elijah was one of the great prophets in salvation history.  We know there is no hierarchy in the Kingdom of God, yet we humans cannot keep from ranking everything we encounter in order of importance or quality and Elijah’s importance cannot be understated.  The simple fact that some people believed Jesus was Elijah reincarnated (Mt. 16:14) confirms Elijah’s status among the people.  What is amazing is we, by our baptism are called to become prophets just as important and meaningful as Elijan. 

To grasp that is our destiny, we need to understand why in today’s reading Elijah is asking God to “take his life, for he is no better than his fathers.” Elijah was running away from Jezabel because she said she was going to take his life.  Keep in mind, Elija had just challenged the prophets of Baal to call upon their god to determine whose God was God of all Israel.  We do not have time to go over all the events of that day, but you should read the account in 1 Kings 18 beginning with verse twenty. 

But he was there because God told him to go and awaken the Israelites faith in God.  Elijan challenged the prophets of Baal to sacrifice an ox, by placing it on a wood and calling upon Baal to ignite the fire to cook the offering.  From morning to night they chanted, danced, and cut themselves but Baal did not answer.  Elijah taunted them saying, their god was busy, asleep, or just did not have time to answer them. Then he took his ox offering, built an alter with twelve stones, placed wood upon the altar, poured water upon it three times and called upon the God of Israel to answer.  Fire comes down from heaven, consumes the offering, the wood the stones and the people, in response, shout out – The Lord is God.  Then Elijah slays all four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal which ignites Jezabel’s wrath.

 Now the great prophet is fleeing for his life. Where is his confidence in God’s provident care?  Why has he given up and hopes God would take his life instead of having to face Jezabel’s wrath.  Why is this story critical to our own attempts to follow God’s will during turmoil?  Do we believe God does not care what we are going through?  What is missing is our own understanding of who we are and why we exist. 

The truth is we face the prophets of Baal each day of our lives.  We like the Israelites have abandoned God and hold to a form of religion that allows us to feel holy while our hearts are far from God.  We need the Elijahs among us to show us how easily we have fallen under the illusion of “all is well” with our relationship with God.  God did more that day than consume an offering.  He shows an unfaithful people He was and always will be waiting to embrace anyone when they return to Him. We like the Israelites have quietly slipped away from Him.  However, He remains steadfast in His desire to have us acknowledge Him and seek His presence. 

So, why did Elijah flee from Jezabel’s forces?  Why not stay and show them more of God’s power available to those who believe in His name?  Perhaps, it is because there is another lesson we are to learn.  Trust in God can be strong one day and because we feel God’s presence we act on that belief.  Our ability to trust God changes if we disconnected with God.  That is when life can seem dismal, and we feel alone and weak instead of trusting in God to overcome those negative forces.  Perhaps there is more to the story which we have not ever considered. What we need more than anything else is to trust God’s desire for us to be intimate with Him and to believe His love is greater than our sin, especially our lack of trust. 

Elijah was fleeing for his life instead of facing Jezabel and depending on God to protect him.  Elijah flees and we are given a lesson on how God responds to our lack of trust.  God is not angry with him, instead God provides for Him.  A hearth cake and a jug of water, eat it and drink and you will have strength for the journey.  Can it be any clearer?  What God has given us in bread and wind is enough to sustain us until we are ready to encounter the living God.  You really need to read verse nine when has Elijah reaching his destination – Mt. Horeb. 

What comes next is the rest of the story and it begins with God asking Elijah – “what are you doing here.”  That question lies at the heart of where Elijah and each of us find ourselves.  Elijah’s answer is to tell God all his troubles and why he is fleeing Jezabel.  That is what we do, isn’t it? We focus on our troubles, our challenges, our inability, our fears, everything the world wants us to focus on to keep us from trusting God.  Can we answer that question? Perhaps we cannot answer because we have not even begun to trust God being with us as we encounter our storms.    

Elijah’s story does not end there, because we know God tells him to pay attention for, He will reveal Himself to Elijah (1Kings.19:11).  My brothers and sisters this is what we need more than anything else – to encounter God by listening and responding.  We need to answer the question “what are we doing here” and have God show us how He has helped us overcome the prophets of Baal. The times we have been fed and given the life giving water of the Spirit. We need to learn to recognize the voice of God whispering to our hearts even when we hide ourselves from His presence.  He has given us all we need to begin a journey to discover the heart of God.