Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Sirach 48:1–14
There is a Jewish tradition that looks for Elijah during the celebration of Passover.
Doors are opened. A cup of wine is prepared. The people wait.
Perhaps Elijah will come.
Perhaps this will be the night when he announces the messianic age of God’s blessing.
Our first reading comes from the Book of Sirach, written around 196–175 BC, nearly seven hundred years after the ministry of Elijah.
For the author of this book, no prophet compares with Elijah.
Elijah burned like fire. His word blazed like a torch. He called Israel back to the Lord. He defended the covenant. He prepared the people for the day of God.
And Sirach considers blessed those who would live to see Elijah return.
“Blessed is he who shall have seen you” (Sir. 48:11).
Blessed are those who would see Elijah come.
Blessed are those who would see the promise near.
Blessed are those who would stand at the doorway of the messianic age.
That longing should challenge us.
For we too are waiting.
Not for Elijah, but for Christ.
Saint Paul hoped to see Christ return before his death.
Saint John ended the Book of Revelation with the cry of the Spirit and the Church:
“Come” (Rev. 22:17).
And at every Eucharist, we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
But do we really mean what we profess?
Not long ago, a Catholic woman in a certain country heard that there was a community that prayed daily for the coming of Jesus Christ.
She was shocked.
She could not understand how anyone could pray for the end of the world.
Perhaps many of us feel the same.
We do not open our doors. We do not prepare a cup of wine. We do not wait through the night with burning hearts.
Yet if Elijah’s coming would announce the messianic age of God’s blessing, Christ’s coming will bring that blessing to its fullness.
He will fulfill God’s plan of salvation.
He will usher the whole creation into a new heaven and a new earth.
No more death. No more sin. No more tears. No more exile from God.
But the Book of Revelation ends with a clear cry:
“Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20).
This is the prayer of the Church.
This is the cry of the Bride.
This is the longing of creation.
When the Lord Jesus came the first time, He brought countless blessings to the world.
He healed the sick. He forgave sinners. He touched lepers. He welcomed children. He raised the dead. He opened the way to the Father.
Imagine, then, what will happen when He comes again.
Let us long for Him.
For when Christ comes, humanity will be blessed. The dead will rise. Creation will be made new.
And God will be all in all.
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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