Be still and know that I am God

1 Kgs 19:9.11-16, Mt. 5:27-32. In today's first reading, the Prophet Elijah gives us a lovely example of perseverance in faith-expression. While his country men were busy profaning the places of worship, torn down the Lord’s altars and killing the prophets, Elijah stood his ground in faithfulness to God and awaited the Lord’s intervention. One thing is certain, God would always respond to those who call upon Him in faith, though He may delay by our timing, but certainly He would attend to us in His own time and in His own way. This calls for humility and patience in accepting our dependency on God and saying let His will be done, especially at very challenging moments. In that disposition, patiently discern His presence and not impose our own will. God moves and works in a mysterious way. Elijah the prophet was clearly, such a seeker as he set out on his journey to the mountain of God, Mount Sinai also known as Mount Horeb. In a cave in that mountain, he met the divine presence, but not in the way he would have expected, in fire or storm or earthquake.

God manifests His presence in a quiet way, the sound of a gentle breeze or sheer silence. Such silence is not easy to come by in our noisy times. Yet, it is where the Lord can clearly be heard. To seek silence is, in a very real way, to seek the Lord, because it is where we become most attuned to the Lord. The powerful message is that our God does not delight in violence. Even when He cleanses, purges or purifies us, He does so lovingly. Hence, He manifests His presence in the low whispering sound. As Jesus tells us, only His own sheep recognise the voice of the Shepherd. We need to be in the spirit of Jesus in order to recognise and flow along with His spiritual prompts. Cultivating the presence of Jesus entails the discipline of choosing to surround ourselves with objects that enhance positive thinking. We are discouraged from surrounding ourselves with images and actions that prompt sinful mindsets, especially adulterous thoughts as He condemns in today's Gospel, that we do not keep our mind busy with lustful thought. One thing is obvious, the more we busy our minds with the Gospel values, like love and mercy, the more we remain conscious of God's presence and activities in our lives.

May the Lord help us as we forge ahead in our faith-expression like prophet Elijah, that we may run the race to the end and be led to the newness of life! Amen!! Keep safe and have a blessed day!!!