Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 10, 2014 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Rom 9:1-5; Matt 14:22-33]After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave....[1 Kings]
The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake or the fire! These elements were worshiped by the Canaanite peoples. The Lord was in a 'tiny whispering sound." Elijah had fled to Mount Horeb, a sacred place in Jewish history. He was in danger of being killed by the murderous King Ahab and Queen Jezebel! [I recommend reading all of cahpter 19 to get the whole "feel" of this scripture.] God comes to him almost in silence and asks what may seem like an unnecessary question: "Elijah! Why are you here?"
This whole scene has always spoken to me in my own experience. Not every "crisis" was as desperate as Elijah's but the quiet question from God would always echo: "Why are you here?" Then I would pour out my fears, feelings, questions - whatever! Elijah was afraid for his life! After he tells Good how awful the situation is, God simply says, "Go back..." and tells him what he must do. "Go back?" Yesthat seems to have been the answer in prayer. "Go back and do what you must do."
Each of us can construct his or her own Mount Horeb to which we can bring our crises, worries anxieties. There will be no dramatic display of divine power to take those problems away. God will pass by almost in silence and the question will be the same: Why are you here? But the message will be cleaer and with the confidence of God's help, we will do what we must do. Some will find Mount Horeb in a church space. Others will find a place of natural beauty. Still others, a quiet corner somewhat. God will pass by and we will find help. AMEN
config
view
logs
4096.0 KB
111 ms
4
