A few weeks ago when Thelma was here visiting and preaching, she said the scripture readings made her think of the song, “Shall We Dance” from The King And I and some of us even danced during our closing song at the 10 o’clock liturgy. Well these readings today remind me of the song from Oliver called “Food, Glorious Food”. Now don’t worry, I have no intention of singing that song. Although to look at me, you might have already come to understand how much that song has affected me.
The reading from the first Book of Kings also has special meaning to me because, as some of you know, many many years ago, I was in a Religious Order called the Carmelite Friars. And the men who first started that Order chose the Prophet Elijah as their spiritual father. As a result, this section of Kings, along with the next few verses, which Connie referred to last week, were always read at special events such as ordinations or a person taking his/her vows and entering the community.
Allow me just to tell you about the next section of that story. Before today’s reading, Elijah (who was also part of last week’s Gospel story of the Transfiguration) had just competed with the priests of Baal to show them that his God was more powerful than their’s. He, of course, won the competition and slaughtered the priests, so Jezebel said that Elijah had to be killed so he left the area. Today we learn about how God gave him support and sustenance for his journey to Mount Horeb and also courage in his time of despair. In the rest of the story, Elijah went into the cave and God asked him, “Why are you here?” He responded by saying how he was zealous for the Lord. God told Elijah to go stand at the entrance to the cave because the Lord would be passing by. There was a terrible storm knocking down stones, but God was not in the terrible storm. There was an earthquake and fire storm, but God was not in those. Then there was a quiet whispering wind. And Elijah hid his face in his cloak because he knew the Lord was in this wind. And again, the Lord asked Elijah why he was there. Elijah gave the same response; ‘He was zealous for the Lord’. As a member of the Carmelite Order, I was to be filled with zeal for the Lord and express that in my ministry. Well, now that I’m no longer a member of that community, I still work to keep that zeal alive in my heart.
I don’t have to do battles with the priests of other gods to show how powerful God is or how much God loves me and cares for me. I have that evidence ever before me. My problem is this: I don’t always pay attention to it. And I sometimes take things for granted.
I sometimes take food for granted. Food is a means to give us strength and sustain us during our day. Athletes have special diets before their competitions to give them the energy they need to compete. New born babies have special formulas or mother’s milk to help them grow strong and develop. But too often, I think, we don’t always appreciate the food that we have. Many diets tell us to pay attention when we eat: don’t eat and watch TV because you need to focus on eating instead of focusing on the TV program. They tell us to eat less fat, eat less carbs; eat this and stay away from that. And the list goes on and on of how we should live a healthy life. So how is it that we receive nourishment from the Lord?
In the reading from First Kings, Elijah gets room service. He’s tired so he lies down and goes to sleep and the angel taps him on the shoulder and gives him bread and water to eat. This happens more than once. Pretty good room service! After Elijah has eaten what God provided, he was able to go on his journey.
The psalmist tells us the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear and respect God and delivers them from their fears and troubles. The poor man cried and God heard and helped. See how good God is.
And John tells us how Jesus is the Bread of Life: our source of nourishment for ever lasting life.
Well, between First Kings, the psalm and the Gospel, we have a 3 course meal. Are you hungry yet? Interesting question. If you said yes, what are you hungry for? Some tangible food to fill our stomach or some spiritual food to fill and nourish our soul?
Some of you know my mother was visiting me from Florida last month and while she was here, we took her to some of her favorite restaurants from when she lived here. This led to some discussions about what was on the menu even before we got to the restaurant. We talked about how big the portions were or how spicy something was and how full we were all the other times we ate that this or that particular restaurant.
I don’t ever recall having such a conversation talking about how nourished we were after Sunday liturgy.
As I grew older, and perhaps wiser, I have had such discussions and that is one reason why I’m here today. Other churches were not nourishing me so I needed to find a place where I could be properly nourished to develop into the follower of Christ I want to be.
But now that I’m here, how do I get nourished? A former seminary teacher of mine use to tell me that just getting up and going to Liturgy was allowing for the possibility of God’s spirit to touch me and enter my heart. Liturgy did not always have to be the destructive wind and fire experience of Elijah on Mount Horeb. Sometimes our encounter with God, our opportunity to receive nourishment for our soul, can be the tiny whispering wind. It might be the simple hello and smile from those around us. It might be the ever-so-reserved Sign of Peace where we end up hugging or shaking hands with almost everyone present – old friend or new acquaintance.
But when being here is not the wind and fire experience that rocks my soul, how do I know or how do I block out the distractions to ensure I hear that whispering wind?
One way could be to face the challenge of the sin that weakens us as Paul tells the Ephesians. Get rid of malice and bitterness and evil speaking. Be tenderhearted and forgiving of one another as Christ forgave us. If we walk in love and be imitators of Christ, as difficult as that can be, we allow for the possibility to hear the tiny whispering sound of God’s voice. To use the food metaphor again: Get rid of the junk and only eat healthy food. Lead a healthy life full of love for one another.
How do we treat this ‘bread from heaven’ as Jesus refers to himself in the gospel? Do we use the paper plates and paper napkins that we throw away after we have eaten the super-sized meal-deal? Or do we use the table cloth and napkins with the good china? I don’t know if any of you saw in the Washington Post a week or so ago, but there was an ad for the Prime Rib restaurant down in DC. This is a very good restaurant, to be sure. The ad said that it’s too hot for coat and tie at the Prime Rib, so business casual is okay ….. until 6:00 PM. Then men had to wear jacket and tie to have dinner. Do we treat the ‘bread come down heaven’ with jacket and tie? (Metaphorically speaking of course). Do we savor each morsel or do we gulp it down? Do we take the time to really hear and listen to the teachings of Jesus even though we’ve heard and read them over and over again?
When we are presented with the bread and wine, do we really listen to the words being spoken, or have we heard them and said them so often that they’re just noise? From the Book of Common Prayer, the words that are suggested when giving the Sacrament read: “The Body/Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you in everlasting life”; or “The Body of Christ the bread of heaven; The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.” Those are pretty powerful words. Do they get lost in the noise of people moving up to the altar and returning to their seats? Do they get lost in the music we sing during this time? By coming to Jesus, we will never thirst and never be hungry. God’s love is no limitless, that there is always enough. (And there’s no need to ask to have it super-sized.)
Elijah received his nourishment from the Lord and continued his journey and mission. His nourishment was not only the bread and cake delivered by the angel, but the guidance and support of the Lord God of Hosts. The psalmist cried out to the Lord; took refuge in the Lord and now he rejoices in the Lord. Jesus tells us that in him there is no hunger or thirst, but eternal life.
Where does our nourishment come from? Do we rejoice in the Bread of Life and the cup of salvation? Do we get our fill from the words of scripture and the fellowship of the Spirit in this community? Or do we take it all for granted?
Although there is abundance of God's love for us, do ask for more or do we delight and believe in the Lord and celebrate his many gifts to us?
I hope and pray that I take the time and that we take the time to continue to open our hearts so that these great gifts ever before us are not taken for granted, but are celebrated and enjoyed.
Amen.