"That Is Enough, YAHWEH, Take Away My Life For I Am Dying."

"He himself disappeared into the desert going on a day's journey.  Then he sat down under a broom tree and prayed to die, 'That is enough, YAHWEH, take away my life for I am dying.'

He lay down and went to sleep under the broom tree.  Then an angel touched him and said, 'Get up and eat.'  Elijah looked and saw, at his head, a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water.  He ate and drank, and went back to sleep.  The angel of YAHWEH came a second time to him, saying, 'Get up and eat, for the journey is too long for you.'  He got up, ate and drank, and on the strength of that food, he traveled for forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of GOD." - 1 Kings 19:4-8 

(Thus, the miracle does not miraculously solve the problems of faith.  The conversion of the people will be a long and painful work.

We can see on the map how Elijah crossed the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah from north to south.  Carmel is 250 kilometers from Beersheba, the last town before the desert south of Judah.

The journey is too long for you.  Elijah only looks for the entrance to the desert to save himself, but GOD brings him much farther.  He is given a mysterious bread which recalls the manna of the Hebrews in the desert and foretells the eucharistic bread which JESUS will give for our spiritual journey [John 6:8].

He traveled for forty days and forty nights [see Exodus 24:18].  Elijah goes to encounter YAHWEH.  JESUS HIMSELF will go to the desert as a necessary proof and we, too, at certain moments need "to go to the desert" [sometimes GOD HIMSELF puts us in the desert: Hosea 2:16].  Elijah's solitary journey shows the itinerary which those who seek GOD have to undertake.  However, much as we need the support of our spouse, of our companions, of the Church, each one makes his or her own journey, and GOD calls people personally to seek this encounter with HIM.)   

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