Reading 1 Sir 48:1-4, 9-11
In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Their staff of bread he shattered,
in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord's word he shut up the heavens
and three times brought down fire.
How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses.
You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
and who falls asleep in your friendship.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2ac And 3b, 15-16, 18-19
R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Gospel Mt 17:9a, 10-13
As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
Meditation: Sirach 48:1-4,9-11
“Like a fire there appeared the prophet whose words were as a flaming furnace.” (Sirach 48:1)
What a bold man of God the prophet Elijah was! We may shudder at some of the stern images of him in Scripture, but we can’t escape the fact that he was completely committed to the Lord and that he dedicated his life to preaching God’s word. For instance, Elijah called down fire not only to consume a sacrifice but also to burn up his enemies. He also caused a drought in Israel until the people recognized their thirst for God and cried out for mercy.
In a similar way, John the Baptist preached boldly against injustice, and he did it with menacing overtones. Urging people to repent before it was too late, he warned them: “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees” (Matthew 3:10).
While we might think that these prophets were focused only on doom and gloom, in reality they were voices of reconciliation. God had called them and sent them to deliver a message that would turn the people back to him so that they would be ready to welcome his presence. They urged their people—and they still urge us today—to prepare themselves for the momentous work that God was preparing to do in their midst. The prophets may have spoken harshly at times, but it was always out of a burning passion for God and an equally burning passion to see their fellow Israelites draw closer to him.
As Christmas approaches, take some time to think about the purifying fire of God’s love that prophets like Elijah proclaimed. Is there anything keeping you at the edge of the circle, far from his blazing fire? It’s only natural to want to avoid fires. We all know what it feels like to be burned—both physically and metaphorically. But this is godly fire. This is the fire of holiness and love. This is the fire that cleanses and sets free, the fire that burns up sin but heals the sinner. You don’t have to worry about getting too close. You may get warm, but you won’t get burned!
“Lord, your love is a consuming fire. Ignite that fire in my heart, so that I can be ready to throw open the door and welcome you.”
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