Readings: Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4, 9-12; Psalm 80; Matthew 17:10-13
The First Reading of today is the praise of the person and deeds of Elijah. Elijah was a man who stood courageously for God. He was a preacher of truth and justice and his prayers were very powerful. God used him mightily in his days and he served God to the end. When it was time for him to depart from this world, God honoured him with a glorious passage from life.
As we contemplate the wonderful ministry of Elijah, the message for us is that God is still willing to raise up people like Elijah. God needs people who will surrender themselves to Him, people who are willing to be faithful to the Lord and serious in their commitment to Him, so that through them, He will manifest His greatness, love, power and glory.
St. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 2:20-21:
20 In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for noble use, some for ignoble. 21 If anyone purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work.
To be a vessel of God’s glory, the first necessity is the understanding or the recognition of who we are – we are people created for His glory. Our essence is to serve Him (Ephesians 2:10; Revelation 4:11). This is where our First Reading connects with the Gospel of today.
In today’s Gospel, the disciples were asking Jesus about the coming of Elijah. The Jews, interpreting Malachi 4:4-5, waited for the coming of Elijah before the coming of the Messiah. Now, the disciples recognised Jesus as the Messiah but they were confused that Elijah hadn’t come.
Jesus answered them by saying that God had fulfilled His promise. Elijah had come but people didn’t recognise him. People had different concepts and expectations. In the same way the Messiah has come and many people didn’t recognise Him.
Dear friends, God always fulfills His promise and God doesn’t disappoint. God moves in our midst. He has bestowed so much on us, like Elijah. He answers our prayers but most of the time we do not recognise it – we lack spiritual understanding and we are unable to discern the ways that God is moving in our lives.
Today, let us pray for understanding, for revelation and for spiritual awareness of the presence, power, and working of God, the ways in which He is blessing us, the road on which He is leading us, the opportunities He is giving us and the vision He is showing us.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on December 10, 2022