Faith Working Through Love
I Kings 17:17-24; 3 Kingdoms 17:17-24
In the aftermath of the miracle of the flour and the oil, the household of the widow was certainly filled with joy and thanksgiving. Indeed, they could have echoed King David’s glad refrain: “He brought me up out of a miserable pit and from miry clay and He established my feet on a rock and kept straight my steps. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn to our God” (Psalm 40:2,3).
Elijah had not departed from Zarephath – he never moved until God told him to go.Although he may have wondered why he remained, the next episode will reveal that his work there was not yet finished.
After a time, the widow’s son became ill and died. Such a trauma naturally pierced her soul, producing intense emotional and spiritual turbulence. How could this be? Didn’t God make everything right in her life? Or, was it an empty hope – a dream? In her distress, she lashed out at Elijah with some misguided accusations … “What have I to do with you, O man of God? You came to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to kill my son” (vs.18).
We must recall here that this woman dwelt in a pagan land where Baal was worshipped and wicked rulers had no regard for the well-being of their subjects. Her husband had died, leaving her in poverty and now her son was gone. There was no one left to show her love, mercy and compassion. That is, until Elijah arrived. But now it all seemed to slip away; her mind and soul were in turmoil.
Although she was attacking Elijah, her rage was really toward God Himself. She must have buried within herself a weight of guilt from the past and now assumed that God was inflicting punishment by killing her son. She was hurt, so afraid and so unacquainted with the character of the living God.
How would Elijah respond? What could he do?
May we borrow a phrase from the pen of St. Paul. In writing to the churches of Galatia (present-day Turkey) who were entangled in a controversy pertaining Judaism and Christianity, he offers a profound word of pastoral counsel: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision (following the Jewish Law) nor uncircumcision (free from the Jewish Law) avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).
This man, who had stood with courage before malicious rulers, now stood with compassion before this grieving mother. He could see that it was not the time for word; it was the time for deed. No words he could utter would bring relief to her soul. No explanation nor exhortation would restore peace to her heart and mind. So, perhaps he just stood quietly before her for a few moments.
In what happens next, we witness a magnificent expression of love – not in word but in deed. The gifts that God had bestowed upon Elijah from birth, were refreshed at Cherith and refined here at Zarephath would now flow through him for this woman. Beginning with the simple phrase, “Give me your son” (vs, 19), we behold “faith working through love”.
Taking the lifeless boy from her arms, the prophet took the stairs to his room and laid the child on his bed. His woeful cry to the Lord was followed by stretching his body on the boy three times, “O Lord my God, let the soul of this child come back to him” (vs. 21). Elijah gave his own body as a sacramental vessel through which the love and life of God could enter the widow’s son. “So it happened and the child cried out” (vs. 22).
Elijah’s response to the widow must bring to our remembrance the divine work of our Lord Jesus Christ. He came to a people who were lost and sat in darkness – not to condemn them but to save them (John 3:17). He became flesh and dwelt among us …. full of grace and truth (John1: 14). During His three-year ministry, He stretched Himself out and touched the lives of multitudes, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, to bring them healing, hope and life. Finally, He willingly stretched His arms of love upon the Cross to draw all men to Himself. Having finished His work, He placed those who believed in Him in the arms of the Church.
Again, quietly descending the stairs, Elijah placed the child in his mother’s arms – “Behold, your son lives” (vs. 23).
I could only wish that I had the ability and the vocabulary to describe what that moment must have been like, but I do not. With you, I can only stand in awe of the love of God and the faith of Elijah – that faith working through love.
She then whispered a beautiful confession of faith: “Now I know that you are a man of God, and the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth” (vs.24). One can perceive the inner joy and peace conveyed in these words. This woman had given all for her children, but there was no one who had cared for her soul. That had changed now; she had found an earthly shepherd in Elijah and the Good Shepherd above. She could now “lie down in green pastures and be led beside the still waters” because “He has restored her soul” (Psalm 23:2,3).
And it had come about in Zarephath by “faith working through love”.
As we here reflect on this beautiful story, we may be reminded once again of the Church – yesterday and today. Her history, and each of ours as well, has been marked with moments of joy and spiritual delight …. only to be followed by times of disappointment and loss. Sometimes, good words or edifying messages are really helpful. At other times, however, it’s that silent, tranquil act of faith working through love that brings the healing and hope we need.
May God grant each of us the wisdom and discernment to so offer ourselves to others who are struggling through those hard times. Likewise, may the Lord send each of you an Elijah who will sense your deepest needs and offer relief by faith working through love.
Grace, mercy and peace from our Lord,
Fr. Andrew
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