HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II (3)

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II

THEME: GENTLE VOICE OF LOVE.

BY: Fr. Karabari Paul

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY JUNE 10 2022

‘… and after the fire a still small voice.’

Our reflection today is on 1Kings 19:9-16. When Jezebel heard that Elijah had killed her prophets, she threatened to do the same to him. She still had great power over the people, who, despite Elijah’s victory at Mt Carmel, soon returned to their idolatrous ways. Elijah fled south through the regions of Judah where, overcome with despair, he wanted only to die. But God sustained him, enabling him to keep moving south till he reached Mt Sinai, the place where God had made his covenant with Israel.
Elijah doubted whether the covenant had any more meaning for Israel. The people as a whole repeatedly rebelled against its commands, and they were spiritually unaffected by the drought and its spectacular removal. God then showed Elijah that although violent and spectacular events had some use, there would be lasting benefits only as people listened to God’s voice in their hearts and responded accordingly.

This story certainly tells us that great men and women of faith can get discouraged. That Christians can sometimes experience fear and defeat. We do not always live on the mountain top we must cross the valleys to get to the next peak.

This passage begins with Elijah lodging in a cave out of fear befor the Lord commanded him to go out of the cave and stand on the mount before the Lord, and the Lord passed by.

A strong wind ripped through the mountain dislodging rocks. But God was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but God was not in the earthquake. Then there was a fire, but God was not in the fire. There have been times when God was in the wind. On the day of Pentecost, sound of a mighty rushing wind as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Times when God was in the earthquake. When Paul and Silas were fastened in the stocks in the Philippian jail. Times when God was in the fire. The three Hebrew children.

Then their came a still small voice, and God was in the still small voice. God can speak in the wind, He can speak in an earthquake, and in the fire, but when we held down by fear and anxiety, God comes in a gentle way of love. He whispers in the still voice of love. That soft inner voice that assures us of His love. That still gentle voice that warns us when we are tempted to take the wrong path.

Don’t expect God to speak in some earthquake, or in fact, it’s awfully hard to hear God many times when our earth is shaking around us. It’s awfully hard to hear God in the midst of the tempest and the storms of life. It’s hard to hear God when it seems like everything around us is being consumed. Many times we need to get our hearts very quiet before God. We need to get away from the tempest. We need to get away from the shaking and the things around us to get alone to where we can really hear that still, small voice It’s a glorious experience to hear the still, small voice of love. That voice could come through a brother, sister, friend, minister, or a child assuring us that we can still try again and never give up. That God is not done with us. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. God bless you and your household always through Christ Our Lord Amen. Good morning.

Fr. Karabari Paul