Christine Vladimiroff, OSB

1 Kings 19: 9a, 11 – 13a

The scene of Elijah’s encounter with God is Horeb, the mountain of God.  Because of their majestic appearances mountains were considered sacred places by many ancient peoples.  Their peaks were the closest points to the heavens, and for this reason the highest mountain was believed to be the dwelling place of the deity and the logical place for offering sacrifice.  In the literature of ancient Israel there are various versions of the story of God entering into covenant with the people on a mountain.  In one tradition Sinai is the name given to the mountain we find this account in Exodus.  A second tradition identifies the mountain as Horeb in the book of Deuteronomy.  The story of Elijah’s experience belongs to this second tradition. 

Both traditions describe the theophany, or revelation of God, as having been accompanied by spectacular meteorological phenomena.  There is piercing thunder and brilliant lightning; the mountain is engulfed by a thick cloud and it shakes violently; God descends upon the mountain in a blaze of fire (Ps 29: 3-9).  Such an impressive display of nature was not unique to Israel’s worldview but shared by others such as the Cananites at the time of Elijah.

In the prior passages Elijah orders the people to seize the prophets of Baal and has them slaughtered.  Elijah acted on his own and not in the context of his relationship with God.  He killed in anger and rage.  Because of Elijah’s personal actions, he now has trouble perceiving the Spirit of God.  He is despondent and despairing.  Elijah has retreated into a cave, but God calls him from this place of shelter and darkness to stand” before the lord,” out in the open.  Unlike Moses, who actually asked for a glimpse of God, Elijah received the revelation at God’s initiative.  Elijah has trouble discerning or recognizing the presence of Yahweh.  Elijah witnessed the wind, the earthquake, and the fire associated with a theophany, but he did not experience God within these natural marvels.  This is where Elijah the prophet was use to finding God—in power, in might, in destruction, and in death—but at this time God is not to be found there.  Elijah needs to learn another aspect of God.  What comes at last is the “murmur of a gentle breeze.”  It was only when he heard a tiny whispering voice that he was gripped with the realization that God was present.  In response he covered his face in an act of reverence and stood at the entrance of the cave. 

We can learn from today’s scripture.  We too have been called by God to scale the mountain of our covenant with the living God.  We are asked to put ourselves in the presence of God and leave all else behind.  We will find, as did Elijah, that usually the small and insignificant events of life are the stage upon which the revelation of God is enacted.  It is so easy to be awed by the spectacular and overlook the ordinary.  Yet most lives are made up of the ordinary, and it is there the “tiny whispering voice” of God will be heard, if we are attuned to it.  We are called, as monastics, to live the questions of our times. 
Like Elijah, we too must be wise enough to realize that an encounter with Yahweh is not always what is expected.  Religious life is at an historic crossroads and over the next few generations will continue to change dramatically.  We are charged to move into the future in new and unexpected ways.  There is reassurance in believing that the hand of God is guiding this transformation.  Elijah did not know what to expect on Horeb, but he did know whom to expect.  It is an invitation to keep our hearts open and our eyes on God and we will carry the gift of our charism into tomorrow.  All of this is about committing to the mystery of life, the mystery of God.  It’s about believing and acting as if this single life, this community’s moment in time is graced. This is the contemplative task, the mystical task that we undertake.

The ministry that you offer in the name of this community is the transforming power that has the capacity to change our hearts, our community and our world.  Today God offers us a glimpse of his mercy and love and waits for us to respond with a generous spirit to bring that mercy and love to others through our minstry.  Mission is about witness and proclamation.  The first means for us is the witness of an authentically monastic life centered in Christ.  Our proclamation is only credible if there is authenticity and coherence in our life of prayer and community.

Going to a cave at Horeb” is an invitation to hear God’s inspiration and direction in the “sound of sheer silence.”  Deep trust in God gives us strength and courage to give our gifts to a wounded world.  Although divine power is manifested in dramatic ways, it is also present in the unassuming.  Traces of God can be seen in the delicacy of a violet, in the cool summer breeze, in the smile of your sister, in the passion of a person seeking justice.  Every one of us lives in the midst of God, breathes the breath of God’s life, and is constantly touched by the exquisite artistry of God’s creativity.  Life itself is a mountain experience of God. 

Sister Christine Vladimiroff has served as prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie since 1998. She is a past president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), which represents more than 73,000 U.S. Catholic sisters. A voice for change in the Church and in society, Sister Christine's articles have appeared in National Catholic Reporter and SALT Publishing. She was CEO and president of Second Harvest from 1987 until 1998 and continues to be one of the nation's leading authorities on the issues of hunger and poverty.