HOBBLING ON OUR SPIRITUAL WALK


WEDNESDAY, TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP 

1 Kings 18:20-39; Ps 16:1-2,4-5,8,11; Mt 5:17-19

Hobbling on one leg then on the other

The prophet Elijah’s struggle with idol worshipping in Israel was decisive on Mount Carmel. He had tried various means to bring the people back to their God and the religion of their fathers to no avail. Hence, he took the battle head-on on the fixed day. The word of God inspired every one of Elijah’s actions. His decision to stop rain from falling on the land of Israel for three years was one of such prophetic actions. We understand that God directed him to make the prophetic utterance to King Ahab because the word of God came to him to direct him where to go, and also took care of his upkeep till the three years were over. Thus, the summoning of the King, the 450 prophets of Baal, and the whole people of Israel to Mount Carmel was the peak of the prophetic career of Elijah. A true prophet of God never does anything without inspiration from the word of God. We always read in the scriptures that the word of God came to a prophet to direct him on the course of action or proclamation. Thus, God always inspires the actions of the prophets, and because of that, their prophetic utterances or actions carry the authority of God. From Elijah’s address to the people, we understand that the problem of the people of Israel is their lack of faith in God. “Elijah stepped out in front of all the people. ‘How long’ he said ‘do you mean to hobble first on one leg then on the other? If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.’ But the people never said a word.” They were silent because they were confused about the true God.

The same malaise that plagued the religion of the people of Israel troubles our spiritual life. Many baptised Christians have no faith in God, and without faith, there is no spiritual growth or development. We have already established that God inspired the actions of the prophet Elijah. It follows that this particular encounter between the prophet Elijah, the people, and the 450 prophets of Baal, who were distracting and deceiving the people, was staged by God to call back his people from idolatry. Elijah confirmed this when he started his prayer. “‘O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel,’ he said ‘let them know today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, that I have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that you, the Lord, are God and are winning back their hearts.’” This simple prayer addressed to God shows that God is the one acting through his servant; he was the one who inspired all his actions and words. This illustrates what prayer should be for us Christians: an expression of our faith in God’s word and his will. Such a prayer is everywhere powerful and transformative. We must never pray like the prophets of Baal, shouting and ranting to make themselves heard by a dead god. Our God is a living God and knows what we want to ask, for he is the one who inspires every genuine prayer.

Again, when it comes to prayer, our sins defeat us, for we fail to muster enough faith in God because the evil one holds us subdued by bringing our past unfaithfulness to our memory. To take care of this, our Lord Jesus presents the Commandments or the Laws of God as a firm foundation for Christian spirituality. We must never assume that living in the abundance of the graces of Jesus Christ implies freedom to break the Commandments of God. The graces of our Lord Jesus Christ are to enable a spiritual life totally in conformity with the will of the Father. “Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved.” It follows, therefore, that a Christian shares in the prophetic, priestly, and kingly offices of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as we have established that God inspires the words and actions of the prophets, the Holy Spirit directs the life of a Christian who takes the word of God to heart in his life. According to Jesus Christ, meditating, contemplating, and living the word of God makes us truly great before God, even greater than the prophet Elijah. 

Let us pray: Grant us, Lord, to truly understand the dignity of the gift of faith you have given us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, and the divinity of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, making us your children, that we may put all our trust and confidence in your word. 

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