Elijah's Prayer and the Gift of Rain
June 13, 2024 - Thursday, Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church
1 Kings 18:41-46
In the letter of James, we find this powerful declaration: "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective" (James 5:16). The apostle then brings Elijah as proof of his point: "Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured, and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again" (James 5:17-18, TLB).
After defeating the prophets of Baal and bringing the Israelites back to the LORD, making them profess their faith - "the LORD is God" (1 Kings 18:39) - it seems that the drought, as a sign of punishment, is about to end. Although no cloud was rising yet, Elijah was already hearing "a rumbling of approaching rain" (1 Kings 18:41). Seeing His people returning to the obedience of faith, the LORD gave them the much-needed rain (see Deut. 11:13-15).
Most of us, when it rains, unfold umbrellas or try to hide. In Israel, rain is welcomed with joy. During the time of Jesus, the liturgy of the Temple included a ritual of water libation during the feast of Tabernacles in autumn, expressing the people's desire for rain. It was during that festival that Jesus cried out: "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:37-38), referring to the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Jewish tradition also includes a prayer for dew on the first morning of Passover.
Elijah does not utter any prayer, so together with James we presume that it was a silent prayer, a prayer from the heart. The only sentence he uttered was to his servant, instructing him to check seven times whether the rain was approaching or not. The number seven reminds us of the seven days of creation when everything that God created was beautiful. The incoming rain can be seen as a sign of renewal, a new beginning in the life of Israel's community. The Talmud includes this beautiful saying: "The day when rain falls is as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created."
There are many prayers for rain in our two thousand years of Christian tradition. For example, "O God, in Whom we live and move, and have our being, grant us sufficient rain, so that, being supplied with what sustains us in this present life, we may seek more confidently what sustains us for eternity. Through Christ our Lord. Amen" (St. Isidore the Farmer). One prayer that bears similarity to Elijah's unspoken prayer was composed by Pope Pius XII during the drought in Italy in 1951.
"Lord Jesus, you endured the shame of the Cross and shed your Precious Blood to save humanity and forgive our sins. We humbly ask you to look kindly upon us as we seek your mercy.
Remember, dear Jesus, that this drought has lasted too long. The fields, scorched by the sun, desperately need rain. The animals and birds are suffering, and the people who depend on the land for their livelihood are struggling.
In your mercy, Lord, send us the rain we need so that we can continue to praise and bless your holy Name. Amen".