If you have ever been discouraged and disheartened, you have something in common with Elijah in our first reading. In fact, you have something in common with many of the prophets, most especially, Elijah and Moses, both of whom came to a point in their service to God that they actually asked to die. A message we can take from this is simple: “Sometimes doing the will of God is a nightmare, but God  is with you through it all.”

In order to understand the first reading, we have to look at the context. This scene follows soon after one of the great theophanies (manifestations of God’s power) in the Old Testament. A little history. Elijah the prophet is living in a time in Judah where there was great devotion to the false god Ba’al. This was the Phoenician god of fertility, which means not only one that would be the pagan god of many children, but more importantly in this culture of lots of healthy crops. Lots of  healthy crops means great financial prosperity. S0 imagine being faithful to the God of Israel YHWH and just barely getting by financially and then seeing someone who turns from God to do the forbidden practice of worshipping a false god and prospers in the the process. What are you going to do? By the way, if you feel you would remain devoted to YHWH nevertheless then you are also acknowledging that never have you buried St. Joseph upside down in your yard to sell a house. The practice of such a devotion to Ba’al would have begun in such a similar way.

Elijah the prophet is trying to lead people back to Yahweh and manifests great signs of YHWH’s power. The greatest of these precedes today’s first reading. Elijah has a duel on Mt Carmel with 150 prophets of Ba’al. He tells them to call down the power of Ba’al. Nothing happens. After hours of their attempts to do this, they finally give up. Elijah then calls down the power of God and theophany happens. God manifests Himself with great power and reveals that unlike  Ba’al, He is the true God. Elijah then calls for the slaughter of all the false prophets of Ba’al.

However, the prophets of Ba’al are loyal to the Queen of  Israel who is not Jewish, she is Phoenician and is considered the most evil woman in the bible to this day. Her evilness is surpassed only by two kings, both named Herod. She grows angry and threatens Elijah with death. Elijah runs as far as he can and then finally comes to a place to rest where he calls out to God that his life be taken for he says, he is no better than his ancestors. An angel comes and comforts him and sends him on a forty days journey to Mount Horeb where today’s first reading happens. It is there that Elijah pours out his heart to the Lord and the Lord comforts him and sends him to restore his kingdom with assistants to help him and tells him to anoint Elisha to succeed him.

“Sometimes doing the will of God is a nightmare, but God  is with you through it all.”

Do not be deceived, the more we take our faith seriously, the more difficult and scary it can be at times. It can be a great challenge and painful at times. However, know that the Lord is with you and gives you the strength to continue. Do not be afraid but stay close to the Lord and share with Him your feelings of discouragement and trepidation.

Call out to Him in your deepest of struggles and trust that He is guiding you.

You are trying to stay faithful to God especially  in difficult times, but if  you trust in Him you will come out the victor. I want to compare this with what happened on Thursday. The Dow fell five-hundred points. Why? Experts said that a global fear is grasping the investors. Really? What is it the Lord commands when it comes to fear. “Do not be afraid.” Maintain yourself on the path even in difficult times and know that the Lord is guiding you even during fearful times. As for those who rely on themselves or even foreign deities, what do they have to all back on in such times. Nothing. Europe has abandoned God and now has fallen on times of fear and instability. It is spreading to the US. Will you succumb to it?

When was the last time you heard of the great country of Phoenicia. Probably never, it has not graced the face of the Earth for millenia. Neither is the God Ba’al of any consequence  today. The Jewish people, however,  have been around since Abraham and Isaac and from them we are here. It turns out that Elijah was right and he ultimately won, defeating the most evil queen of the old testament who died exactly how Elijah had cursed her to die with dogs licking up her blood.

“Sometimes doing the will of God is a nightmare, but God  is with you through it all.”

Never fear always trust and bring your greatest fears to God in Jesus Christ always for He is with us always.

God Bless You,

Fr. Robert J Carr

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