The Prophet Elijah

20 July

The prophet Elijah has been described as a “gutsy prophet”  having qualities of courage and bravery, heroism and fearlessness. However Elijah also passed through times of discouragement, of fear and doubt. It was his strong faith and constant prayer that saw him through, connecting him to the presence of God in his life.
Who was Elijah who appears in the Bible in the 1st book of Kings? His name means “ the Lord is my God.” He came from Tishbe in Gilead but nothing is known of his birth and family.
He was a prophet, chosen by God for a particular mission as His messenger to the people of Israel at a particular time in history. King Ahab, the 7th king of the Northern kingdom of Israel had veered the people from the worship of the One True God to idol worship, especially after marrying Jezebel, daughter of a Phoenician king, who introduced the worship of the god Baal. It was Elijah’s mission to bring  the people of Israel back to honour God through the Covenant (a treaty, a promise of love and loyalty) of Abraham and Moses.
God sent Elijah to King Ahab with a call for repentance, otherwise a great famine was to strike the land. When Ahab and Jezebel persisted in their worship to Baal, the land was afflicted with a great drought for over 3years.

Elijah was blamed for this curse. When his life was threatened by the King, God directed him to a hiding and later to a dwelling of a widow and her son in Zarephath, declaring that the widow will provide for him. In fact, in spite of the famine, the widow’s bin of flour and the jar of oil continued to multiply, so that they were never hungry. During his stay, when the widow’s son fell ill and died, through the intercession of Elijah he was revived to life!
Eventually, Elijah was directed by God to face King Ahab. He proposed ‘a showdown’ that will manifest an outcome of the real existence of the One True God, stating “ If the Lord is God follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” A bull was prepared for the sacrifice and invocations were chanted by the prophets of Baal to send fire and start the sacrifice with his intervention. After a day of supplication to Baal nothing happened. It was when  Elijah invoked the God of Israel that a fire struck the bull for sacrifice, not only consuming  it but also the water and the wet wood surrounding it.

The Israelites were now convinced that the God of Israel is the Only One True God. Elijah then  prayed for the drought to end and it rained.
However Elijah continued to be threatened and persecuted especially by Jezabel. When Elijah felt that his mission was coming to an end, he sought out Elisha as directed by God to succeed him as the prophet designed by God to his Chosen People.

It is believed that Elijah did not die a natural death, but he was taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire in a whirlwind when he was in company with Elisha as they were about to cross the River Jordan that parted as Elijah struck it with his mantle that fell when Elijah was taken up, picked by Elisha, who put it over his shoulders and walked on as the next Prophet of the Lord God.

King Ahab called Elijah ‘troubler of Israel’, a trouble maker, because he did not like his message and he persecuted him. But Elijah stood firm.

  • Sometimes children are referred to as ‘nerds’ when they stand firm and refuse to join activities that do not seem right. It is not easy for children not to join the ‘bandwagon’ of peer pressure. Child psychologists state that even by the time they turn 7 , children begin to care less about what their parents say and more about what other children think about them.
  • Take opportunities to let the children talk about their experiences: agreeing to be mean to another child, bullying another child, agreeing to misbehave in class and other similar experiences
  • Encourage them to express what they felt in these situations – discuss what they can do.

Start by saying that Elijah had human emotions. So he too had moments of fear and anxiety. Sometimes we too have these experiences and so do our children.
– Encourage the children to talk about their fears and what makes them anxious when these occasions surface. Putting these negative feelings into words makes them more ‘manageable’
– We need to be careful not to dismiss what they feel , hoping that by doing so ‘it will drive their fears away’ Our role is to validate them, helping our children to face their feelings, empathize with them and offer coping strategies.
– A hug for the little ones works wonders. Substitute with back rubs for the older ones who feel they feel grown out of hugs. Or start the practice of Family Hugs  by asking for one “I need a hug” However if your child’s fears become persistent and intense to the point of interfering with their life you might consider seeking professional help.

Family Prayer Time
– Go to Mass as a family. When Mass is over do not rush out. Spend a few minutes in front of the Blessed Sacrament. In a whisper, prompt a statement declaring the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
– Spend a quiet moment at home perhaps after talking about an issue that had been of some concern. Ask for God’s help !
– Sing together: God will make a way :  
  

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God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Saints of the Church. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the holy life, helping you to connect the saints to daily life in a meaningful way.