Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

 Lectionary: 186

You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
and who falls asleep in your friendship.

 L ooking forward to Elijah's return, I think, may be like looking forward to one's surgery. We'd like to get it over with; but it's going to be difficult, and probably uncomfortable and awkward -- and it might not help. But we count the days nonetheless, and are ready when that day arrives. 

The disciples, like everyone, wondered what would happen when Elijah returned. They were familiar since their infancy with the story of his astonishing ascension into heaven. Every child saw with a child's vivid imagination the flaming horses and chariot, manned by a six-winged seraph angel. They saw Elisha astounded and fallen to the ground as Elijah calmly stepped into the vehicle and was taken aloft with a roar of thunder. 

They wondered where had he gone, and that he had not technically died. Everyone must die but clearly Elijah had not, and surely people don't die in heaven. So he must return and what will that be like? Malachi explained it all when he prophesied, 

Now I am sending to you

Elijah the prophet,

Before the day of the LORD comes,

the great and terrible day;

He will turn the heart of fathers to their sons,

and the heart of sons to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike

the land with utter destruction. (Malachi 3:23-24)

Elijah was serious business, and the practice of their Jewish religion meant a constant awareness, readiness, and alertness for that great and terrible day. Everyone knows we stand under judgment and the day will come when it is too late to reconcile with one's families, neighbors, and enemies. On that day the LORD himself will settle differences, and it might be with utter destruction. Apocalypse means revelation, and that's a good thing. But Elijah means trouble!  

As they descended Mount Tabor, Jesus explained the ministry of Saint John the Baptist in terms of Elijah. Not only had they failed to recognize Elijah in the leather-clad, locust eating prophet, he had been summarily executed at the whim of a girl. The authorities had disposed of God's  emissary like someone carelessly knocking a grasshopper off the sleeve of his coat. That augured no good for anyone. 

But some people had heard John's call for repentance, Jesus among them. They had considered their ways in the light of their faith and turned back to the Lord with both renewed religious zeal and charitable works of mercy. The disciples had followed up their baptism in the Jordan river by following the Lord on his trek to Jerusalem. They didn't know what to expect, but they hoped as their religion had taught them. 

They hoped as we hope, that this Christmas will signal the coming of something new, of new year of the Lord, 2025. We do not believe the future is determined except by the mercy and justice of God. We do not see a victory for liberals or conservatives, communists or capitalists, racists or egalitarians. Although it's unimaginable, we see a reconciliation of justice and mercy such as we cannot effect. 

And we hope that John's ministry, painful Elijah's, will heal us.