Walking In Peace

Click here for the Sunday Gospel for the second Sunday of Lent

In the story of the transfiguration, we get a couple of interesting old testament figures, Moses and Elijah, helping things out. In our version today, Mark just notes their appearance and that they were conversing with Jesus (how Peter knew who they were is a story for another time).

Elijah is a very colorful character. Elijah is sometimes noted as the greatest prophet of the Old Testament. When his earthy life had ended he was takin up in a fiery chariot to heaven, leaving Elisha his successor, with a two fold dose of his spirit! 

When Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal, he gets pretty sarcastic when the Baals don’t answer a challenge, he says that maybe they are asleep or on a journey. Elijah had no such problem.

Every Passover, Jews set out an extra cup of wine in hopes that Elijah will join them for dinner. The return of Elijah was supposed to harken the appearance of the Messiah as revealed in Malachi. We should really be setting a place for Jesus at every meal!