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| St. Elijah and the Hearth Bread |
Extending, again to my Carmelite brothers and sisters everywhere, a blessed feast day. Just four days after Our Lady of Mt. Carmel comes the feast of Elijah, the biblical prophet.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Elijah, the prophets and conversion of heart2581 For the People of God, the Temple was to be the place of their education in prayer: pilgrimages, feasts and sacrifices, the evening offering, the incense, and the bread of the Presence ("shewbread") - all these signs of the holiness and glory of God Most High and Most Near were appeals to and ways of prayer. But ritualism often encouraged an excessively external worship. The people needed education in faith and conversion of heart; this was the mission of the prophets, both before and after the Exile.
2582 Elijah is the "father" of the prophets, "the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob."30 Elijah's name, "The Lord is my God," foretells the people's cry in response to his prayer on Mount Carmel.31 St. James refers to Elijah in order to encourage us to pray: "The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."32
2583 After Elijah had learned mercy during his retreat at the Wadi Cherith, he teaches the widow of Zarephath to believe in The Word of God and confirms her faith by his urgent prayer: God brings the widow's child back to life.33
The sacrifice on Mount Carmel is a decisive test for the faith of the People of God. In response to Elijah's plea, "Answer me, O LORD, answer me," the Lord's fire consumes the holocaust, at the time of the evening oblation. The Eastern liturgies repeat Elijah's plea in the Eucharistic epiclesis.
Finally, taking the desert road that leads to the place where the living and true God reveals himself to his people, Elijah, like Moses before him, hides "in a cleft of he rock" until the mysterious presence of God has passed by.34 But only on the mountain of the Transfiguration will Moses and Elijah behold the unveiled face of him whom they sought; "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God [shines] in the face of Christ," crucified and risen.35
2584 In their "one to one" encounters with God, the prophets draw light and strength for their mission. Their prayer is not flight from this unfaithful world, but rather attentiveness to The Word of God. At times their prayer is an argument or a complaint, but it is always an intercession that awaits and prepares for the intervention of the Savior God, the Lord of history.36Those footnotes can be found in the CCC link provided above the quote, if you want to refer back to Scripture.
I belong to the secular branch of the Order of Discalced Carmelites, thus the "S" in OCDS. The OCD is the Carmelite branch is the fruit of reforms by St. Teresa of Avila and we are sometimes referred to as "Teresians". Prior to that, there were just the Carmelites, now referred to as the branch of "Ancient Observance." Those in this branch carry "O. Carm" after their names rather than OCD. They are also referred to as "calced." More on the history of the Carmelite order can be found here.
I'll leave you with additional information to peruse.
For more on Elijah:
- Catholic Encyclopedia at New Advent on Elias (Elijah)
- St. Elijah and the Carmelite Order
- Book: Elijah, Prophet of Carmel
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski
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