December 13th - Reflection

2 Kings 2:9-22 (NRSV)
Elisha receives Elijah's spirit
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, "The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha." They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. They said to him, "See now, we have fifty strong men among your servants; please let them go and seek your master; it may be that the spirit of the Lord has caught him up and thrown him down on some mountain or into some valley." He responded, "No, do not send them." But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, "Send them." So they sent fifty men who searched for three days but did not find him. When they came back to him (he had remained at Jericho), he said to them, "Did I not say to you, Do not go?"

Now the people of the city said to Elisha, "The location of this city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful." He said, "Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. Then he went to the spring of water and threw the salt into it, and said, "Thus says the Lord, I have made this water wholesome; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it." So the water has been wholesome to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.

Reflection
I like how Elijah asks Elisha what he can do for him. Did Elijah know that soon he would be taken away by a whirlwind? I have always made this passage a little bit heroic of sorts. As if Elijah rode off on a Chariot of Fire. But Elijah really was taken in a whirlwind and the chariot of fire and horses of fire separated Elijah and Elisha. No wonder they wanted the men to go see if they could locate Elijah. Perhaps he was swept away by a tornado.

I have to think it was the power of the wind of the Holy Spirit that swept Elijah away. I don't have any proof of this and this may be wrong, but it seems sometimes when a very gifted person of God is swept away from us, we quickly learn how to depend on God to lead and guide us. Sometimes we put too much behind following a person that is dynamic and spiritually gifted and become deceived into thinking that we are following God by following this person.

In this case Elisha didn't wish to have all of the characteristics of Elijah, he wanted Elijah's mantle. In the day the mantle or covering was a kind of dress or coat, but it was more than this. A man came to be identified with this covering. It was Elijah's hallmark that possessed power of sorts. Elijah's mantle reminds us of the unfinished business of Elijah and Elisha will now carry on God's call.

Isn't that how the Church seems to work too. The mantle is passed from person to person and God's call and mission continues on. When one servant leaves to be with God another servant steps in to carry the mantle and the Spirit moves forward in power and grace. What a way of life! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, as the mantle is passed may I take it up when called to take it up and serve you boldly and confidently that the Spirit may move and your plan for all creation may proceed... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen