10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

The Lord is God! 

Today’s first reading describes a contest of sorts between God’s prophet, Elijah, and a slew of prophets dedicated to the Canaanite god, Baal. In fact, the details of this “my-God-is-better-than-your-god” contest might remind you of a bitter rivalry between two sports teams! Only in this case, the stakes are much higher. Jezebel, Israel’s queen and worshipper of Baal, was determined to wipe out anyone who remained loyal to the God of Israel. But as today’s reading shows, there is only one God, and it certainly isn’t Baal!

Elijah’s success on Mount Carmel that day does more than prove God’s existence. It tells us what kind of God he is. It shows that he is a God of relationship, a Father who cares for his children and listens when they pour out their hearts to him. It shows that he is faithful to his covenant even when his own people falter in their faith and obedience. In fact, he meets our lack of faith with signs of his love, and he showers us with blessings even when we don’t deserve them.

This stands in stark contrast to the false god Baal. Notice how completely silent Baal was to the cries of his prophets. Even when they made all kinds of noise and slashed themselves to get his attention, they received no answer at all (1 Kings 18:26, 29). That isn’t good news for anyone seeking a relationship with Baal. He doesn’t even exist! No amount of pleading can ever change that.

We have false gods today, but they don’t typically look like a statue of Baal. Our idols tend to come from the good things God has given us but that we have allowed to capture our heart more than Jesus. They include wealth, food, sex, beauty, and power and influence. We can chase after these false gods all we want, shouting and hurting ourselves in the process, but they will never fulfill our deepest needs and longings. Only the Lord can do that. Only he can give us life because he’s the only One who is alive—alive with the grace, the love, the purity, and the joy we all long for.

So who will you follow today?

“Lord, you are my one, true God!”

1 Kings 18:20-39
Psalm 16:1-2, 4-5, 8, 11
Matthew 5:17-19