Peace... and the fire within us!

THE WORD IN ADVENT

December 11, 2021: Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12; Matthew 17: 10-13

Elijah is taken up in fire...Elijah was gone! But the glory that was involved in the event, made people believe that he would come back! And Jesus explains what it means: that Elijah would come back... in fact he had come back! And he would come back again... in us!

The fire within Elijah that was seen all his life when he lived a prophet amidst his people, was seen also when he returned to the Lord at the culmination of his life time - he was taken up in fire! Whenever the same fire returns in someone, the Elijah returns! That is why Jesus idenitified in John the Baptist, the Elijah who had to return.

While John identified Jesus as the Lamb of God and pointed out to the people, Jesus identified John as the Elijah who had to return according to the traditional prophecy! People of God identify each other, in the Lord and the Lord-given mission. 

Each one takes on oneself the responsibilities that the Lord entrusts, with all the difficulties and with all the sacrifices involved. The readiness and the eagerness with which one takes up these sacrifices, is the fire that burns within! As long as this fire burns within, there will be perfect peace too! There would be no anxiety or fear, even when the worst of experiences have to be encountered.

The real preparation for the Reign is to kindle and sustain that fire within us! It would fill us with peace within and inspire peace all around us, a peace that glows with the fire within us!