Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
I think we can all relate to the prophet Elijah in the first reading today. He undertakes his journey with the best intentions. He keeps walking, but at the end of the day, he realizes he is simply human, “no better than my fathers.”(1 Kings 19:4) He is ready to give up on his journey to God’s mountain. Facing failure, he asks God for death. But God has a different idea. God’s angel brings food and drink to Elijah, and more importantly, God’s angel brings encouragement and reassurance that Elijah will not have to journey alone. God will keep waking Elijah up and encouraging him to eat until he is strong enough to complete the journey.
In the Gospel today Jesus again states that He is the Bread of Life. “I am the living bread that comes down from heaven: whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:51). Jesus cares so much for us that He laid down His life, literally gave His flesh for the life of the world. He remains with all of us who believe in Him today in the Eucharist. The food that is His Body and Blood makes everything possible for us.
But what happens when we lose sight of this? Life is not always easy, and its vicissitudes can weigh us down. We can feel as Elijah did, that we want to give up, that we are not up to the task despite our best efforts. Fortunately, our God is not only generous and loving beyond measure; God is also persistent. God’s angels, sometimes in unexpected guises, will keep waking us up, reminding of us of the nourishment that awaits us in the Eucharist, and encouraging us to return to it often. I invite you to join me this week in opening our hearts to accept the loving nudges of God’s angels.
I wish you and your loved one’s blessings of good health, renewed hope and continued nourishment,
Fr. Paul
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