(1Kg 17:1-6, Ps 34, Mt
5:1-12)
The Story
Prophet Elijah had just
pronounced to King Ahab the impending drought. At once, God warned Elijah to
flee to the brook Cherith in the East of the Jordan for safety. There God
had already arranged for him food and water--ravens brought him bread and meat
every morning and evening. This reminds us of the words of the Psalmist: "our
help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."
In the Gospel of today, Jesus proclaims the beatitudes. His presence on the hill, the gathering of the disciples and crowd around Him portrays for us the image of a new Moses who pronounces the new law, the new way of life; the pathway to blessedness.
The Place of Nourishment
In silent meditation I began
to place the experience of Elijah side by side with the beatitudes. A new
illumination began to emerge. I came to perceive the Beatitudes as the New Brook
Cherith, where God is assuring us of blessedness and a sure supply of
nourishment. Thus the beatitudes have assumed a visual form, uniquely located
but visible only to those in search of it.
As a place of refuge, the Brook
Cherith is not located in the open nor can it be accessed by passers-by. In the
same way, the beatitudes, as the hiding place, is visible to the poor in spirit,
the mourners, the humble, those who hunger for God, the merciful, the pure of
heart, the peace lovers and those persecuted for righteousness.Therefore, as Elijah ran to the brook Cherith and received a sure supply of nourishment, so shall we be constantly renewed only if we embrace and hide our lives in the beatitudes; our New Brook Cherith.
If we find ourselves running
dry of spiritual nourishment and lacking the assurance of blessedness, then it
could imply that we are not in the place where God has already ordered
that we should be fed.
