Faith at Work!

Today’s first reading, 1 Kings 18: 20-39, presents the story of the challenge Elijah puts to the 450 prophets of Baal. He says to them: “I am the only surviving prophet of the Lord, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Give us two young bulls. Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood, but start no fire. I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood, but shall start no fire. You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the Lord,” the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Nothing happens with for hours while the 450 prophets call upon Baal. But when Elijah calls upon God, fire comes down from heaven within a brief moment and consumes his sacrifice.  “Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, ‘The Lord is God! The Lord is God!”

Elijah lived his faith in the one true God.  He was the witness whom Isaiah speaks about in Is 44: 8:
You are my witnesses. Is there any God except me?” Elijah knew the answer to that question. He lived it! In verse 6 of Is 44, Isaiah says:  “Thus says Yahweh, Israel’s king, Yahweh Sabaoth, his redeemer: I am the first and I am the last; there is no God except me.”

In what ways do you and I witness to the one true God, the One to whom, at every Eucharistic celebration, we offer the sacrifice of praise in memory of the Lord’s expiation for our sins on Calvary?  “You yourselves are my witnesses, declares Yahweh, and the servant [Jesus] whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that it is I. No god was formed before me, nor will be after me. I, I am Yahweh, and there is no other Savior but me…” (Is. 43: 10).

Thank you, Lord, for our faith and hope in You!  May such grow to the depth, the breadth, the height and width of Elijah’s faith!