Fr. Eduardo Emilio Aguero, SCJ
Although the prophet Elijah did not author any biblical book, I chose to begin by presenting him as a model of prophetic ministry. Elijah is often compared to Moses, who is regarded as one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. Significantly, both Elijah and Moses appear together on Mount Tabor during Jesus’ transfiguration, symbolizing the continuity between the Law and the Prophets.
Elijah’s Time (For Oswald and Jonathan: Put in a box to separate from the rest)
Elijah exercised his prophetic ministry in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Unlike the Southern Kingdom of Judah, which maintained a continuous Davidic dynasty, the Northern Kingdom was marked by violent power struggles and frequent regime changes. During Elijah’s era, King Ahab (reigned 874–853 BC) ruled Israel. He married Jezebel, the daughter of the Sidonian king, who was a devoted worshiper of Baal. Under their influence, Baal worship spread rapidly throughout Israel, provoking a spiritual crisis (1 Kings 16:31–33).
During Ahab’s reign, Israel experienced a boom in agriculture, industry, and construction. Ahab purchased the hill of Samaria and built the city of Samaria, establishing it as the new capital (1 Kings 16:24). However, this prosperity came at a spiritual and moral cost. A century later, the prophet Amos would denounce the opulence and complacency of Samaria, condemning its luxurious lifestyle and social injustices.
The Call of Elijah (1 Kings 17:1-6) (Oswald & Jonathan: use special characters)
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.”
The word of the LORD came to Elijah:
Leave here, go east, and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the wadi, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.
So he left and did as the LORD had commanded. He left and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.
Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the wadi.
Elijah’s Prophetic Mission
The drought serves as a direct challenge to the Baals—the local idols worshipped by the Canaanites and Phoenicians as storm gods. These deities were believed to control thunder, lightning, and rain, and were credited with bringing fertility and renewing nature. Baal, in particular, was revered as the ruler of the natural world, embodying the forces that sustained agricultural life.
As the Israelites settled in the land and began cultivating it, they encountered the strong influence of Canaanite religion and culture. In this context, Yahweh was often reduced to just one among many gods—remembered primarily as the ancestral deity who had delivered them from slavery and guided them through the wilderness. But now, faced with the demands of agricultural life, they were drawn to Baal, a god who seemed to promise rain, fertility, and prosperity. The temptation was powerful.
Elijah’s prophetic mission was to call the people back to exclusive devotion to Yahweh, demonstrating that He alone is the true Lord of rain, fertility, and life itself.
The Lord calls Elijah—whose name means “Yahweh is my God”—during a time of drought and sends him to the Wadi Cherith, where he will be sustained with water and food. In this hidden place, God tenderly cares for Elijah during a season of retreat. It is a time of solitude with the Lord, a sacred space for prayer and preparation before the trials that lie ahead.
Just as Moses spent years in the desert of Midian before being sent to liberate Israel from slavery, and St. Paul spent time in the wilderness of Nabatea before meeting the Apostles in Jerusalem, Elijah undergoes his own formation at Cherith. The name Cherith itself means “separation” or “cutting off”—a powerful symbol of the prophet being set apart. He is withdrawn from the people, consecrated, and transformed for a divine mission.
This rhythm of separation and sending is at the heart of consecration. We are called, drawn away from the ordinary, and brought close to the heart of God—not to remain hidden, but to be sent forth. In this consecration process, God reshapes us, aligning our vision with His, our passion with His. Elijah emerges from Cherith as a man of God (cf. 1 Kings 17:18), ready to confront kings, call down fire, and restore the covenant.
Praying with the Word of God
We live in a world filled with modern-day Baals—false idols that promise fulfilment but leave us spiritually barren. Our age is increasingly shaped by technology, where artificial intelligence tempts us to outsource our intellect, diminishing our capacity for deep reflection and authentic thought. Many children grow up surrounded by screens, yet deprived of embraces, warmth, and the nurturing presence of a true home.
We inhabit a society where subjectivism is amplified, and personal freedom is exalted as an absolute. This leads to what Pope Benedict XVI aptly described as the “dictatorship of relativism”—a culture where truth is no longer anchored, and everything becomes negotiable.
Ideologies such as gender theory and others challenge the foundational truths of human identity and dignity, tempting us to forget that only Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Amid this confusion, the prophetic voice is needed more than ever—to call us back to the One who alone gives meaning, direction, and life.
- Where is your Wadi Cherith? Let’s experience it…Take time to reflect on the sacred rhythms of retreat and mission in your life. Where has the Lord led you into solitude to shape, refine, and prepare you? And how has He sent you forth again, transformed and renewed?
- How are you nurturing your faith in Jesus Christ? Consider how you cultivate a living relationship with Him amid the noise of modern life. How do you engage with today’s prevailing philosophies and cultural currents—do they draw you closer to truth, or distract you from it?
- What Baals do you confront daily? Identify the false gods that subtly demand your allegiance—comfort, control, recognition, or distraction. What idols tempt you to compromise your identity in Christ, and how is the Lord calling you to tear them down?
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