Word to the Wise
Sunday, August 7, 2011 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13a; Rom 9:1-5; Matt 14:22-33,15]"Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by." A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord - but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake - but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire - but the Lord was not in the fire. 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]
Here in the United States, we are well informed about tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires. Their destructive force is terrifying. For those who don't get to experience them at first hand, there are "re-runs" on THE WEATHER CHANNEL! The survivors of Hurricanes Katrina/Rita in 2005, the Joplin tornado and Fukushima earthquake and forest fires out west in New Mexico and Arizona - all this year offer eloquent testimony. [To be complete, I should include the flooding on the Mississippi River this year as well.] Perhaps watching the "re-runs" might help us to understand the imagery and experience of Elijah in today's first scripture. Although these natural catastrophes display a awesome power that is beyond our control, we do not worship this power. We just get out of the way! When these forces are in action, the only "listening" possible is limited to directions from rescue authorities!
The passage above is the first scripture for this Sunday. In the full text, it is "bracketed" at the beginning and at the end by the same question: "Elijah, why are you here?" This question is spoken in a quiet voice: the tiny whispering sound. Elijah's relationship with God was such that he could recognize that voice. Mind you, Elijah was an active prophet! At the time of this incident, he was fleeing for his life! Human beings can also be great destructive forces! However, to truly listen to what God had to say to him in this very hard time, he had to be silent before the Lord.
Those huge destructive forces, thank the Lord, are not part of every day's challenges for everyone. Yet, there are powers of destruction almost as big in the noise and entertainment that are a constant barrage to our senses. If one goes into a religious bookstore, one will find shelves of books on spirituality or meditation of all kinds. Almost all of them will advise silence as a prerequisite to any form of spiritual experience. That will be especially true in Christian tradition (I'm sure it is part of non-Christian spirituality as well.) How many of us have the TV or computer in front of us most of the day? Is silence only possible when we are asleep? I know that God can speak to us in dreams, but that is not the ordinary manner. The voice of God is quite eloquent when we silence ourselves and remove the external and internal noises. It was only when Elijah did that that he learned how God was going to help him through his crisis. His example is a challenge to all of us. AMEN