Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
(II Kings 2:1.6-14; Matthew 6:1-6.6-18)
When Israel clamored for a king, Samuel,
the prophet judge, told the people that they would regret having made the
demand. Ahab’s expropriating the poor
man Naboth’s land exemplifies the abuse kings can heap on the people. Kings were kept under some check by prophets
who told them of God’s will.
Today’s first reading shows the transition
from one great oral prophet to another.
Elisha will maintain Elijah’s role of defending the people from
tyrannical kingly tendencies. In the
passage he is seen taking Elijah’s magical mantle. Much of the tradition of both prophets is
fantasy, but they do show God’s emissaries defending the poor.
Moden
prophets, as those of ancient times, are usually not pleasant people to live
with. They constantly say what is wrong
with a situation sometimes not indicating how it might plausibly be improved.
Yet they perform an invaluable service when they speak the truth to power.
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