In both of today's readings, we hear about the prophets. We hear from Jesus in the Gospel that He has not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). One of those prophets was Elijah, about whom we hear in the first reading.
He had challenged the prophets of Baal, who numbered over 450. The challenge that he presents to them is to construct an altar and place the sacrificial offering, the animal that they had slaughtered, upon their altar. And he would do the same on a separate altar.
Then they would pray to their false god, Baal, non-existent, and he would pray to the one true and only God, the Lord God Almighty, Yahweh.
And whichever sacrifice is set ablaze, that is a sign that it is that prophet who worships and serves the one true and living God.
And so we see in this first reading something that is very reminiscent of what later happens to Saint Francis.
We know that Elijah confronts the worship of Baal under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. So he is indirectly challenging the king himself.
Mount Carmel becomes a dramatic contest between the true God and false worship.
Well, Saint Francis, in the year 1219 during the Fifth Crusade, confronts the Sultan, King al-Kamil.
He is a Muslim ruler, and Francis crosses those battle lines unarmed, seeking conversion rather than conquest.
The main parallels in both stories include that Elijah stands virtually alone against 450 prophets of Baal, and Francis stands virtually alone before one of the most powerful Muslim rulers of his day.
Elijah challenges false religion to reveal its power, or its lack thereof.
Francis reportedly proposes a trial by fire similar to Elijah's challenge, except Saint Francis asked the sultan to light a path of hot, burning embers, and he and the Muslim priests would walk through them, and whoever exited that path unscathed and unharmed is the one who belongs to and worships the true God.
The sultan agreed, but the story has it that the priests did not.
They were too afraid.
And so what we have in both stories, more than a story about miraculous fire, is the story of miraculous courage.
For it took truly the Spirit of God in both men, the prophet Elijah and Saint Francis, to stand before the masses and proclaim the truth in charity.
Francis seeks the conversion of the sultan and his people.
Elijah seeks the conversion of Israel.
And neither of them relied on military force.
Neither approached the problem with violence, but rather they both relied heavily upon God, His providence, and the truth that He revealed.
Now, truth should not be hidden or compromised.
Elijah didn't just say, “Well, you know, these people can just do what they want as long as they leave me alone in my little cave to worship the true God.”
No.
Out of concern, out of love—and that is what true charity is, that you want the good of the other, willing and wishing the good of the other—he approaches them with love.
But he needed a lot of courage.
And so do we, my brothers and sisters.
How many times do we find ourselves in situations where we wish we could have the courage to walk up to somebody and speak to them about the truth?
And so we need to pray for that courage because it comes from God.
God does not need violence to defend His truth.
Authentic evangelization requires only courage.
Courage.
The goal is conversion, not humiliation of opponents.
Holiness is often more persuasive than argument.
In fact, Bishop Fulton Sheen used to say repeatedly that the only argument the world is still ready to listen to and heed is holiness.
Holiness.
My brothers and sisters, our Lord reminds us in today's Gospel:
“Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)
Take the Word of God, take His instructions to us, His commandments to us, and grow in humility and respect, and in learning what it means to heed His admonitions.
It's a lifelong journey, but the blessings we receive, the graces that are imparted when one remains loyal to God, as is seen in both the life of the prophet Elijah and of Saint Francis, who were willing to shed even their blood in testimony of the truth, will be a life of illumined faith.
Faith that gives us all the joy that this world cannot give.
For in doing the will of God, we shall delight in nothing else than in accomplishing the mission He has given to each and every one of us.
Amen.
Add comment
Comments