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recalling his mighty deeds at the
Exodus.29 The king lifts his hands toward heaven and begs
the Lord, on his own behalf, on behalf of the entire people
and of the generations yet to come, for the forgiveness of
their sins and for their daily needs, so that the nations
may know that He is the only God and that the heart of his
people may belong wholly and entirely to him. Elijah, the prophets and conversion of heart 2581 For the People of God, the Temple was to be
the place of their education in prayer: pilgrimages, feasts
and sacrifices, the evening offering, the incense, and the
bread of the Presence
Most High and Most Near were appeals to and
ways of prayer. But ritualism often
encouraged an excessively external worship.
The people needed education in faith and conversion of
heart; this was the mission of the
prophets, both before and after the Exile. 2582 Elijah is
the father of the prophets, the generation
of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God
ofJacob.3° Elijahs name, The Lord is
my God, foretells the peoples cry in response to
his prayer on Mount Carmel.3 StJames refers to Elijah
in order to encourage us to pray: The prayer of the
righteous is powerful and effective.32
2583 After Elijah had learned mercy during his retreat at
the Wadi Cherith, he teaches the widow
of Zarephath to believe in the Word of
God and confirms her faith by his urgent prayer: God
brings the widows child back to life.33
The sacrifice on Mount Carmel is a decisive test for the
faith of the People of God. In response to Elijahs
plea, Answer me, O
time of the evening oblation. The Eastern
liturgies repeat Elijahs plea in the Eucharistic
epiclesis. Finally, taking the desert
road that leads to the place where the living and true God
reveals himself to his people, Elijah, like Moses before
him, hides in a cleft of the rock until the
mysterious presence of God has passed by.34 But only on the
mountain of the
him whom they sought; the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God [shines] in the face
of Christ, crucified and risen.35 |
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