Elijah is taken up in a chariot of fire as Elisha receives his cloak. By Giuseppe Angeli (1712-1798).
By Br. Marc Jozsef Lester Hallig, O.Carm.
Today, June 14, is the memorial of Saint Elisha the Prophet.
“Elisha came to Elijah, who threw his cloak over him and he, abandoned the oxen, followed Elijah and became his servant” (1 K 19, 19. 21).
Elisha, whose name means “God is salvation”, proved worthy of Elijah’s appointment. He is most famously remembered in the Book of Kings for being the recipient of Elijah’s mantle. It was an adoption and a commitment that Elisha was to accomplish within his life. After witnessing Elijah being taken up to Heaven in a fiery chariot, Elisha’s heart burned with zeal in serving the Lord.
Elisha received the spirit of Elijah and, among the many outstanding prodigies, he cured Naaman the Syrian from leprosy and raised a boy from the dead. Though he performed countless miracles, Elisha was first and foremost God’s servant. He proved to naysayers that the God of Israel is the one true God. He lived among the sons of prophets and was frequently present, in the name of God, in the events of the People of Israel.
Even after his death, Elisha continued to perform wonders. When a dead person came into contact with Elisha’s bones, the corpse came back to life. Indeed, it is the first recorded miracle attributed to a relic.
The Carmelite Order, mindful of its origin on Mount Carmel, with the liturgical celebration of the great Prophets Elijah and Elisha, intends to perpetuate the memory of their presence and of their works.
This is why in the year 1399, the Carmelite General Chapter decreed the celebration of the memorial of Saint Elisha. In our time, the Prophet gives effective witness of the prophetic charism by means of fidelity to the true God and the service to his people.
Follow Br. Lester on Facebook and Twitter.