“ Then Elijah said to all the people come closer to me and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the alter of the Lord that had been thrown down(1 King 18: 30).” The very person Elijah reminds us to build up or to repair the alter of the lord. When we go back to the period of Elijah it is true that he repaired the alter which they used to offer sacrifice. In our era or this 2G world what actually Elijah means of repairing the alter is nothing but repairing ourselves. We have to meditate it with the words of St. Paul saying don’t you know that you are the temple of Holy spirit? Being human and christian what all things do we need to repair or to reconstruct? First let us turn back to our prayer life. It is said that Elijah was very zealous for God. He silently conveys the message that to be with God or to have God experience we should inculcate a zealous mind and heart to lead a good prayer life.
Paulo Cohelo in his book Fifth Mountain writes “ Life becomes meaningful when it has an aim in front of it.” Let us think of ourselves . What is my real aim or do I have a goal to realize as human and christian? If not try to have one, otherwise we will be just like others who swim along with the current. Oxford dictionary defines Prophet as person sent by God to teach the people and give them the messages from God. ‘ URIM’ and ‘TUMIM’ are the beautiful words we see in the book of Leviticus. This is what priests used to keep close to their chest to know the messages from Yaweh. Prophet Elijah asks us not to keep but to carry Jesus in our hearts. Old testament clearly pictures out that prophets were the persons who stood agonst all kinds of immoral acts. We log in our day both with a bed coffe and breaking news like corruption, bribe, injustice and etc.Growing as a spokepersons of God what is our attitude and apptitude towards these kinds of immoral acts? Are we in the edge of seat to realize the Kingdom of God here in the earth? It is the second aspect which Elijah gives us to ponder over.
“Opportunities can come as disguised.” It is an ancient saying. Thirdly Elijah calls us to pay our attention on opportunities. Never turn our face from the realm of troubles and struggles, instead we have to makse use of the opportunities to gain more valuable things, remember what Jesus said “Unless and untill a seed of wheat unties itself remains us a seed of wheat if it explores bear fruits 100,60,30. Elijah’s life glance makes it more better he did everything from God experience that he had. Philosophy begins with know thyself, Epstemology begins with I think therefore I am, and Theology begins with word that became God but Prophecy with thy God and Lord. There can be no self understanding with out God understanding.
Introduction- Delivered on the festal eve of Prophet Elijah.
Jithin Kalan CMI