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Proper 14: 10th Sunday after Pentecost
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1 Kings 19:9-18
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At Horeb, the mount of God, Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”
He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” Then the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
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Today I want to talk about the prophet Elijah. Last Sunday we encountered this prophet on the Mount of Transfiguration. But today I to look back at a moment that was quite the opposite of "a mountaintop experience."
This moment occurs in the 19th chapter of 1 Kings. It is the optional Old Testament reading for this Sunday. In this chapter, we find the prophet in the grasp of fear and seeking safety. The King and the Queen were hostile to God. They had sought to take the people away from God. And when the likes of Elijah had spoken against them, these ones had suffered greatly. Once more the Queen has called for the death of the prophet Elijah.
Elijah goes to a deserted place. He hides himself in a cave. And while in that cave, we are told, the Word of God came to the prophet and called him out to stand before God. Elijah complies.
Now this is where things get interesting. There are a series of events that unfold. First, we are told about a great wind, so powerful that it split rocks. But Elijah had been called out to encounter God, not wind. God was not in the wind.
After the wind ceased, a great earthquake occurred. And yet, in spite of it's power, God was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake ceased, a great fire erupted. Only God was not in the fire either.
But then, in the absence of wind, earthquake and fire, the valley was filled with sheer silence. And in the whisper of that silence, Elijah knew beyond any shadow of doubt that at last he was standing in the presence of God. In that quiet place, in the silence, holy conversation between God and Elijah took place. This place of silence would provide Elijah with the spiritual strength to press on in faithful obedience to God.
Silence.
What a beautiful thing. This sermon came together in a silent place Wednesday afternoon. It followed a touch more than 2 days in which I was found in my sister and brother-in-law's home while my nephew, his wife, and their 4 children, the oldest of whom is 5, were also present. Trust me when I say that in those days, silence was rare!
Only silence isn't rare only when 4 kids 5 years old and under are present. Silence is a rare commodity. It's rare most often because we do so much to block out the possibility of it's presence. More times than not, silence is deafening and disconcerting for us. The liturgy is a wonderful proof of this. I remember the parish that raised me up as a candidate for ministry proved this regularly. In transition periods, such as when the lector would walk up to read the readings, the organist would play light "walking music." Silence could not occur, not even for a moment. Even among us, and I am guilty of this too, if there is a pause before the readings or the prayers of the people, we look around anxiously to see who should be doing the next thing, and why they have not yet begun their appointed task. But the worst moment for us is when I am unveiling the chalice and preparing the Altar for the Great Thanksgiving.
As uncomfortable as these silent moments might be, remember how vitally important that silence is for us. Music is wonderful. Conversation is a delight. But we should never lose sight of the fact that the chief purpose of our time together is to encounter, or rather to be encountered by, God. And if we get so caught up in other things that we neglect the silence, we can miss completely the presence of God.
The shocking part is how easily we can miss that presence. Recall with me for a moment the words of the prophet Isaiah quoted by the Evangelist Matthew:
"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench."
Consider for a moment how gentle a touch is needful and how soft a breath is required for these words to hold true. Jesus is that gentle and that soft.
It is a good thing that Jesus is such a presence in our midst. I say that because we need to be mindful that the Prophet and the Evangelist were both not concerned about reeds and wicks. If we think they were, we have missed the point. You see, my friends, we are those reeds and wicks. The winds, earthquakes and fires of life have often bruised us and broken us to such an extent that we can be overwhelmed by forces that have even the smallest degree of force.
But if we are to hear Jesus in his softness and tenderness, we need at times just to sit in the silence. And if we are so bold as to sit in the silence, perhaps we may just encounter the whispering of God. Listen for that whisper. Tune out all the noise that often distracts us. Trust that this whisper will provide us with what we need when we return to the hustle and bustle of daily living.
Today I want to invite you to that silence. There will be no music at distribution. We will take just a bit longer than normal in the transition between the clearing of the Altar and the Post-Communion Collect and Blessing that marks the ending of the liturgy and our return to service in the world for the sake of the Gospel. Resist the urge to push away the silence with small talk with those near you. In the silence, having encountered the Living Word of God who in bread and wine calls us to God, listen for the whispering voice of God. And let this be a reminder that God still speaks, waiting for us to listen, to hear, and to embrace his gentle presence.
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Father Timothy Alleman
Rector of The Church of the Holy Cross
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