Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB
Over the last few days during daily Mass our first reading was from the First Book of Kings in the Old Testament, chapters 17 – 18. We have been hearing of the prophet Elijah, and the struggles he was having in being a prophet for the Lord God. As we heard in today’s readings, Elijah is quoted as saying, "I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts.” 1 Kings, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB (1 Kings 19:14). Elijah’s love for God was central to who he was as a prophet.
He was anxious to bring the Jewish
people away from worshiping false gods to the worship of the one, true, God of
Israel. Earlier this week, we heard of the struggle between Elijah and prophets
of Baal, and how Elijah was able to prove that there was only one true God.
Though at first the people said, “The Lord is God, the Lord is God,” Elijah was
eventually rejected by the people, and he ran for fear of his life.
In today’s reading we see Elijah facing
his problems and how he was trying to figure out what to do next in his service
to God. He was having problems hearing the voice of God above the noise and
distractions of all the things going on around him. It wasn’t until he settled
down in silence that he hears God’s voice and was able to determine what God
was calling him to do.
We can use Elijah as an example of how
to live our lives. He was zealous in serving the Lord God of Israel but still
had problems with those around him that he was called to serve. We, too, are
called to be zealous for the Lord God in all our struggles. People may reject
us and our message of love of God, and we may be facing our own problems when
we are attempting to live out a God centered life. We need to take time from
our busy lives and make quiet time in prayer in order to hear what God is
calling us to do in our lives. Further, God will comfort us in our struggles. By
having God as the center of who we are and living out our lives zealously for
the Lord God, we then can have that peace that can only come from the God the
Father, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
FROM Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall on at least one occasion having a priest on retreat telling us--I think we were young single adults in our 20s & 30s at the time : "LET THE LORD LOVE YOU"!
Of course, the LORD always loves us & does not require our permission, but I think what the priest meant was just to pause in our busy lives in which we are always trying to serve GOD & to discern & do His will & become so busy serving that we tend to focus on the WHAT, almost to the exclusion of the WHY & just take time to BASK in the LORD'S LOVE somewhat like the way sun bathers bask in the sunshine!
Of course, there are times to examine our consciences & try to discern the next step, but sometimes we need to experience GOD loving us JUST BECAUSE HE LOVES US! And isn't knowing that we are loved just because He loves us without conditions what we need the most?
Of course, we seek GOD'S approval & should always seek to please Him in everything we say & do & in every area of our lives. But sometimes we don't need to say anything or hear anything but we need to bask in the LORD'S loving Presence.
In two weeks I plan to go to Mount Alvernia Retreat House on retreat with members of my Secular Franciscan fraternity & some members of neighboring fraternities. I think I need to keep this in mind.