The disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” As good Jewish people the disciples knew their story — for good and for ill. They knew of King David and they knew of the exile. Asking about Elijah was their effort to understand how the history of the nation impacted current events. For us today, looking at the history of the United States provides some glorious moments — the Declaration of Independence — and some disgraceful moments — slavery, the treatment of the native peoples, child labor. In our current political environment there is an attack on educating people in the story of our country. Looking at the negatives of our history might make children feel bad, it is said. But as any Catholic knows, confession is the prelude to conversion. Until we confess our sins we won’t be able to move forward and correct them. We should not fear a self-examination because God continues to work in us and with us so that we can be reformed as the children of God we were made to be.
