In today's Gospel, Matthew 17: 9a, 10-13, the disciples ask Jesus why the scribes keep saying that "Elijah must come first". Jesus tells them that "Elijah has already come" "to restore all things" but the people "did not recognize him". They simply continued doing "whatever they pleased." He then adds that the Son of Man "will...also suffer at their hands."
"Elijahs" also come to us each day to restore those parts of us that need to be reconciled to God. Do we listen or do we continue doing whatever we please? Sadly, the example we see before us as we watch the news each evening tells us that people, for the most part, continue doing "whatever they please": passing legislature that brings suffering to the poor and needy, stealing money from the poor to line the pockets of the rich in what is called "tax reform", leaving millions without health insurance, separating children from their parents in enforcing the government's new immigration demands, calling the news "fake news" and lying to us in a myriad of other ways. People of integrity rise up to confront the corruption, the deceitfulness, the greediness and other criminal acts such as sexual assault on women and these people are not recognized or silenced in some way!
With the psalmist, in today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 80, we cry out: "Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved."
Though we do not have the power to change other people, we can change ourselves and become open to persons in our lives who challenge us to look at those parts of us that need to be restored by grace!
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