First Reading Friday June 14 2024 - 1 Kings 19: 9, 11-16
Today's reading opens with Elijah hiding in fear; he is alone and scared, seeking refuge in a cave on Mount Horeb. “But the word of the LORD came to him,” and Elijah heard the voice of God whispering in the wind: “Why are you here?” Elijah was not where God wanted him to be; he had run away from the mission that God had given him, overwhelmed by the magnitude of his task.
I think of how often I am like Elijah, hiding in fear and feeling overwhelmed by all that God has called me to do. How many times have I found myself in places and situations that are not part of God’s perfect plan? “Why are you here?” God asks me. If I am honest, I am running away from suffering and I am rejecting God's Divine Will. Too often I want a different mission... God forgive me.
The Church presents this reading today so that we can learn from Elijah’s example. Within the silence, Elijah was able to hear the voice of God whispering in the wind. This dialogue with God, this prayer, was enough to encourage Elijah to “go back to the desert” and complete what God had called him to do.
My sisters, I pray that when we are afraid and overwhelmed by the challenging circumstances of our daily lives, may we, like Elijah, “seek shelter” in the silence of prayer. May we be quiet enough to hear God whispering in the wind and encounter the living God who dwells within us. This encounter will give us the grace and encouragement we need to return to our mission and fulfill the work God has called us to do!