Praying for Rain - Part 11

 
Hello Everyone:

It has been a long break for me – so sorry for the delay in this story of Elijah.

So much is happening and so much to happen in the next few years. The new “normal” is upon us and it isn’t Christocentric – at all!  There is so much on the internet on so many sites with their perspective and timelines. God only knows. Our duty is to prepare spiritually and to pray for souls that when God does pass judgement upon this world – we pray for our own salvation and that of our families and that we participate in helping to win many souls for Christ. This is the whole meaning of the Fatima message. It is a warning--- time is short and we need to beg God to be merciful to the entire world. All the Fatima prayers that were taught bring us to this same thought of reparation for sin and for us to beg God to save souls. Even the little prayer most say at the end of each decade of the Rosary – pleads for souls! This little prayer is the greatest accomplishment of the Fatima message. Even if the reparation prayers are not said on a regular basis at least this little ejaculatory prayer is said by most who pray the Rosary all over the world.

Well – let us get back to Elijah. I left off with the success of God’s response in giving Elijah the answer to his prayers in sending down fire to consume his sacrifice which was the true sacrifice given to the true God. It gives us pause for the “New Mass”. Will we see a day when it will no longer be found? Are we turning back to the “Traditional Latin Mass”, the Mass of all times, the Mass of the saints? Time will tell but it sure does look that way as many churches close and diocesan priests are few. God’s will be done.

We are now to cover 1 Kings 18:41-45 which talks about the coming of the rain cloud to take care of the drought stricken people and land. With the death of the wicked, deceitful, false prophets being over.... now was the time for a new beginning. What a better way than a fresh rain to bring new life to a barren land and people. Not only had the famine devastated Israel, but so also had the fire that fell on Carmel compelled the people to fall on their faces to the power and presence of the one true God. Israel stood stripped of all physical and spiritual support and were now dependent upon the true God of Israel. They were humbled. Before God could send His rain of blessings both corporal and spiritual, these people had to be broken and repentant. Israel was now on its way to being refreshed and revived and God would restore His people.

When Elijah pleaded to the Good God to send down fire to take his sacrifice, it was public. This second plea for God’s assistance was in private. He knelt prostrate on the dry ground and waited upon God to send rain not only to a parched land but to all the parched souls that inhabited this land. This took a bit more prayer and a bit more pleading!  Six times Elijah sent his young servant (the widow’s son) to check for signs of rain to no avail. Not a single sign on the horizon of any changes in the climate.  No matter, it was in God that Elijah’s faith was – not in the signs. He knew in his heart, God in His own time would answer his prayers.

Now on the seventh look by his servant boy, was there a cloud of hope! The number seven has the signification of fullness, perfection, universality. It is a number that is often used in the religious and civil life of the Hebrew people. In the Bible we see… “seven days”, “seven stars”, “seven candlesticks”, “seven lamps”, “seven angels”, “seven churches”, etc.

When the boy gave the message that there was a cloud to Elijah, Elijah arose to his feet from prayer to look. He wished to be alone so he sent the boy to tell Ahab, “Prepare thy chariot and go down lest the rain prevent thee.” So the boy left on his errand leaving Elijah on Mt. Carmel.

The explanation of this scene of Elijah and the cloud is best described by the Carmelite monks They received interior light regarding their “Founder and Father”.  Tomorrow’s post will be the full account of the Carmelite Order on this scene. (I am worse than a TV series – leaving you hanging)

Until tomorrow - Take care and God bless!
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, pray for us!
St. Elijah, pray for us!

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