It is hard to imagine a more dramatic (or one-sided) presentation of a complete victory of the one true God of Jacob, through the most famous and powerful prophet of the Old Covenant, Elijah, over the false god, Baal, and its innumerable but ineffectual prophets. Elijah even goes so far as to taunt these false prophets and to insult their inattentive god. How sad the words describing their failure! “No one answered and no one was listening.” Are we to take this simply as the Israelites establishing bragging rights for the Jewish religion over that of the worshippers of Baal, or can this be applied personally and spiritually to us as we begin a new millennium?
All Scripture is useful and helpful in our return to God, or as Paul put it, “Everything written before our time was written for our instruction, that we might derive hope” (ROM 15:4), and 1 Kings 18:20-39 is no exception. What can we learn from this story, this outcome, this prophet? A great deal, if we are attentive, reverent, and open. Here are some obvious conclusions: (1) We are never to lose heart, no matter how strong the opposition; (2) In the face of evil, we must always be ready to make a clear, firm, even stern decision or choice for what shines forth as the one true God, rather than be influenced by delusions, shadows, idols; (3) we must not be rigidly controlled by laws, rules, customs, but be open, human, compassionate, trusting, and courageous, for it is the Spirit that gives life; (4) the seemingly mightier, attractive, false gods of this world are exposed and destroyed by the burning love of God. In that sense, at least, love really does conquer all!
The passage from Matthew’s Gospel really does verify, enlighten, and fulfill the first reading. Jesus does not waste time discussing this or that detail of the law, but he goes straight to the heart of the matter, appealing to the free decision of each person. YOU MUST LOVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART! If you do that, you need not straddle or waver or fear. Idols can exercise destructive power only in the absence of honest, ardent, enduring love for God. The love that surrenders (not overcomes) everything is mightier than the fire that came down upon Mt. Carmel and consumed all that had been prepared and offered. There is nothing in our human experience, in this entire world, that we need be afraid of, for the love of God that has been poured into our hearts is the only reality that lasts forever and conquers all. Whoever fulfills, lives, and teaches this will be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
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Since its inception in 1997, Online Ministries has been blessed to have myriad members of the Creighton University community offer their personal reflections on the daily scripture readings.
