There is some important background information that might help us understand Sunday’s first reading from the First Book of Kings (19, 4-8): the prophet Elijah had just come from a dangerous showdown with 450 prophets of a (supposed) god called Baal, in the land ruled by Jezebel. The God of Israel had easily won this encounter, but Elijah had gone ahead and done great violence against the surviving prophets anyway. Queen Jezebel, understandably enraged, sent a message that she would do the same thing to Elijah (and more) within that same day.
The details of the “prophetic showdown” include these: Elijah himself had arranged a contest between the god of Ahab, called Baal, and the one true God of Israel. He had the Baal prophets arrange a sacrifice for the burning of a young bull, but he would not allow them to light the fire. Baal himself should do this. They agreed and for much of the day they carried on with incantations, calling out to their god, hopping around, and even slashing themselves with swords, but nothing at all happened. “There was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening” (First Kings 18, 29). Elijah taunted them with the famous lines, “Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating, or may have retired, or may be on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” Elijah then arranged a similar sacrifice, this time to the God of Israel; He was so sure of God that he doused the wood with jar after jar of water. Then, after his short prayer, the wood burst into flames (18, 21-40). The Baalite people threw themselves to the ground and worshipped the God of Israel. Nevertheless, Elijah had their prophets killed.
By the point of our reading for today’s Mass, Elijah was frightened, exhausted, and dispirited. He had come back to find the Israelites being unfaithful to the one true God, so he became miserable—in spite of God’s great triumph. In response, God could have been harsh to Elijah, but instead, a quiet touch from God’s angel awakened the prophet. The angel whispered, “Get up and eat.” And, lo and behold, “There at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water.” Elijah did eat and drink, but then settled right back to sleep again. The angel whispered tenderly, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” Elijah did and was strengthened.
As we arrive at John 6, 41-51, we find the people surrounding Jesus exhausted and dispirited, but also murmuring and complaining. Jesus orders them to stop grousing and just listen and see. Like last week (from a little earlier in chapter 6), He makes a clear connection between the manna that came down from heaven (in the desert, for the Israelites) and Himself. He is “the living bread that came down from heaven.” He Himself is the divine food that will always satisfy our deepest hunger, the hunger for a life intimately involved with the God of all. Jesus is the full revelation of the Father’s love, the Word made flesh, who provides access to eternal life here and now. It is time to stop murmuring and complaining. It is time to start listening and seeing. It is time to start praising Him and giving Him thanks.
Let us pray. “Father, help us to realize that the Way of your Son is the only way to life. We thank you for the precious gifts of your presence, your blessing, and your life, all of which we know through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you for ever and ever. Amen.”
