Christ and Elijah connection

Gospel

Matthew 17:10-13

Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him

As they came down from the mountain the disciples put this question to Jesus, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist.

Short Reflection

This passage, coming right after the Transfiguration where Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah, highlights a painful spiritual truth: it is possible to await God's promise so rigidly that we fail to recognize its fulfillment when it arrives. The people expected Elijah to come in a specific, perhaps triumphant, way. Instead, he came in the person of John the Baptist—a fiery prophet of the wilderness, calling for repentance. Because he did not match their expectations, "they did not recognise him." Jesus then directly links this rejection to his own coming suffering. He reveals that God's plan often unfolds in ways that challenge our preconceptions, calling for humility and faith rather than certainty and pride.

Question for Reflection

Where might God be at work in my life or in the world in a way that doesn't match my expectations, and how can I cultivate the spiritual sight to recognize Him?

Short Prayer

Lord God, you are the master of the unexpected. Save me from the blindness of my own preconceptions. Open the eyes of my heart to recognize your presence and your prophets, even when they come in ways I do not anticipate. Give me the humility to receive your word, however it comes. Amen.

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