Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

 Lectionary: 368

You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses. 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.

Today's first reading from the writing of the wise man Sirach, recalls the terrifying Elijah and the mysterious belief that he must return one day. He had not exactly died as everyone must. Was his work not finished? Would he come back to put an end to wrath immediately before the Day of the LORD? 

The questions and speculation are rather secondary to the wonder of Elijah's spectacular disappearance; and seem to miss the point. But it's our nature to ask questions even about the most overwhelming mysteries. We're not long stunned by shock and awe before we're asking what we should make of this. How do the heavenly horses and flaming chariot and the prophet's disappearance into the wild blue yonder fit into the overall scheme of things? 

Nor was Elijah the only one whose "passing" aroused some questions. He found a distant companion in Enoch: "Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him." That cryptic verse in the early pages of Genesis has stirred much speculation throughout our long history. We find in the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews (11:5): 

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and “he was found no more because God had taken him.” Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God.

And finally, Catholics have always believe that Mary the Mother of God, like Enoch and Elijah, was assumed into heaven at the end of her life. Whether she died or not is moot since we assume it was a painless and immediate transfer into the highest heaven and the company of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Given the stories of Enoch and Elijah and appearance in the sky of a woman clothed with the sun (Revelation 12), one can hardly argue that Mary's Assumption is not biblical.  

But where is the Gospel in all this delightful speculation? What difference does Elijah's fiery chariot make to me? 

Hamlet provides an answer in his conversation with Horatio about the ghost of his father, the dead king, “There are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Because we do not know everything, and cannot answer every question, and have no particular right to an explanation in the first place, we should maintain a childlike willingness to be amazed, grateful, and delighted at the unexpected, inexplicable mysteries of God. 

"Does this amaze you?" Jesus asked when he spoke of Nathaniel's sleeping under the fig tree, 

"You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

We should not always be stupefied with anguish in this Vale of Tears. We can be elated at many signs and wonders, including the Lord's teaching us to dare to say, "Our Father, who art in heaven...." He has given us "power to be come children of God."

We should often exclaim with Elizabeth, "Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" And we should often feel the fearful reaction of Peter, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am sinful!" 

He will not go away; he will abide with us. We are completely astounded and overjoyed.