Guercino, Elijah fed by ravens, National Gallery, London
Scripture presents the prophet Elijah as a man of God, walking continually in God’s presence and fiercely defending the worship of the one true God. He stood up for God’s rights in a solemn contest on Mt Carmel. Later, on Mount Horeb he was granted an intimate experience of the living God. The hermits who instituted a form of monastic life in honour of Our Lady of Mt Carmel in the twelfth century followed monastic tradition in turning also to Elijah as their model. St Elijah is a patron of the Carmelite order.
Then the prophet Elijah arose like a fire
and his word burned like a torch.
He brought a famine upon them,
and by his zeal he made them few in number.
By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens,
and also three times brought down a fire.
How glorious you were, O Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
And who has the right to boast which you have?
You have raised a corpse from death
and from Hades, by the word of the Most High;
who brought kings down to destruction,
and famous men from their beds;
who heard rebuke at Sinai
and judgement of vengeance at Horeb;
who anointed kings to inflict retribution,
and prophets to succeed you.
You who were taken up by a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with horses of fire;
you who are ready at the appointed time, it is written,
to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury,
to turn the heart of the father to the son,
and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed are those who saw you,
and those who have been adorned in love;
for we also shall surely live. (Sir 48:1-11).
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