The Mantle of Prophecy: Elisha's Calling and its significance
June 15, 2024 - Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 19:19-21
Elijah's name means "the LORD is my God." In a nation where the worship of Baal was sponsored by the state and where the majority of Israelites turned to it, Elijah's name was a declaration of defiance against the state and a testament to faithfulness to the LORD's covenant. But Elijah's zealous mission was about to end, and someone had to continue it. That someone was chosen by the LORD: a prosperous farmer, the "son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah" (1 Kings 19:16).
Abel Meholah was inhabited by some of the seven thousand Israelites who refused to kneel before Baal (see 1 Kings 19:18). The name Elisha, given by his father, is as symbolic as Elijah's: "God is salvation." This name reminds us of another child born centuries later in Bethlehem: "The LORD is salvation." Elisha was plowing the land with twelve yokes of oxen, yet another indicator of the symbolic significance of the story where faithfulness to Jewish origins is at stake. The number twelve reminds us of the twelve tribes of Israel. The child from Bethlehem would later select twelve followers to call the people of Israel to repentance and faithfulness to their covenant with the LORD.
Elijah's mantle plays a significant role at the beginning and end of their story. The mantle signifies a prophetic calling. When Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, no words were needed; Elisha immediately understood the significance of this action. Years later, after Elijah was taken to heaven, his mantle remained with Elisha. With this mantle, Elisha performed a miracle similar to that of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant during Joshua's time. He split the waters of the Jordan and entered the Promised Land (see 2 Kings 2:13-14; Joshua 3:14-17).
Elijah calling Elisha to participate in his prophetic mission prepares us for our calling to participate in Jesus' proclamation of God's kingdom. The urgency of proclaiming the Gospel of God's kingdom, as evident from Luke, does not even allow for gestures like saying goodbye to one's parents or giving a farewell feast to relatives and friends (see Luke 9:57-60).
By slaughtering a pair of oxen and holding a farewell party, Elisha put his past behind him. The years of plowing the land ended, and a new stage in his life began. He became Elijah's apprentice, learning what it meant to be a prophet of the Lord. Similarly, being a Christian involves a calling to be an apprentice of Jesus. By following Christ, we learn what it means to be messengers of the Gospel, proclaiming the God who liberates His people from slavery to sin, darkness, and death.