Elijah’s God was the one who answered with fire. Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, “The LORD is God! The LORD is God!” The powerful manifestation of divine power caused the people to have a profound experience. However, it was not sustained. Despite the theophany, the people soon relapsed to their old ways. Although the conjunction of the first lesson and the gospel is coincidental in ordinary time since we are going through the two books chapter by chapter, a contrast is set up by the words of Jesus with Elijah’s experience. Jesus urges us to “teach and obey the commandments.” It is that daily fidelity to living a godly life which causes a genuine conversion. The dramatic moment might cause shock and awe at what God can do but it is the grind of everyday kindness, compassion, forgiveness, generosity which changes our hearts for the long term.
JUNE122024
By Church Staff
