Fear, food and Presence

Murmuring fear and depression are some of the attitudes which are addressed in the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. According to Father Larry Gillick SJ, Elijah is fleeing in fear from the promise of Jezebel that he will be killed for the actions which are detailed in the previous chapter of the First Book of Kings that demonstrated the power and authority of God over the state sponsored prophets of Baal. Our human experience of fear and flight is exhausting and the episode in the passage for today tells of the Presence of God with those in flight from situations which have become overwhelming. The angel of God restores the energy of Elijah under the broom tree where he has fallen asleep and gives him the will to continue to Horeb. Friar Jude Winkler comments that Elijah is exhibiting the signs of depression. The path of those carrying the wisdom and message of God is sometimes difficult. The psalmist offers the understanding that the support of God is always near for the humble and the downtrodden. In the Gospel of John, Jesus encounters the murmuring of the people about the actions of God to feed them and we are reminded of the discontent of the Israelites in the desert. Jesus, according to Friar Jude, is presenting Wisdom to the Jewish authorities that the Father calls all people to Him. Jesus is the feeding and Presence to the people that they know from their tradition. The exhortation in the Letter to the Ephesians addresses the manner in which we are not to grieve the Spirit with arguments that destroy peace. The tension we cause for others when we use anger, malice and aggressiveness, even in evangelization, to make our point is not the kindness, tender heartedness and forgiveness which brings the love, healing and feeding of God with us under the broom tree.