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Mauricio Ye’kwana - Brazilian indigenous leader and activist
“Jesus answered, ‘Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognise him.'”
In today's gospel we see the belief – popular at the time - that Elijah, who was carried off to heaven in a chariot of fire, will return to the earth to prepare for the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus tells his disciples that this has already taken place, and they realise he is talking about John the Baptist.
The wise teacher of today’s first reading describes Elijah as rising “like a fire” and his word burning “like a torch.” Elijah had a passionate commitment to ensure God’s words were heard. In the wilderness, on the margins of society, the same urgency and zeal characterises John the Baptist’s preaching.
Do we hear the impassioned voices of those on the margins of society today, calling us to challenge inequality and care for our common home?
Voices like that of Mauricio Ye’kwana of the indigenous Ye’kwana people, who has received death threats for his work to protect Yanomami Indigenous Territory in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest from illegal gold miners. Or Sandun Thudugala, who speaks out for social justice in Sri Lanka, telling the world about the impact that a huge debt burden is having on ordinary people.
Our world is still in need of the fire of Elijah. It needs this passionate commitment to God’s vision for a world renewed. It needs us to be willing to confront deep challenges with strength, hope and love. In this season of Advent, let’s be open to listening to voices calling for change. And let’s lift our own voices to call for a world where all people experience the fullness of peace and the joy of care for creation.
Advent prayer
God of all,
Give us hearts open to hear
those speaking your words today
and the courage and hope
to raise our voices,
alongside our sisters and brothers,
seeking protection and care for the earth.
Amen.
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