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 to thee  for  ever.”  And  Giezi  went  out  a leper,  as  white  as  snow. Eliseus wrought  other  great  miracles.

One great  miracle  the  prophet  wrought  even  after  his  death. It happened  in  this  manner:  On  one  occasion  a number  of  men were carrying  a corpse  to  the  cemetery  for  burial. As they  were making the  grave,  behold,  robbers  from  Moab  rushed  in  upon them. They in  their  fright  cast  the  corpse  into  the  sepulchre of Eliseus. No sooner  had  the  dead  man  touched  the  bones  of the  prophet  than  he  was  instantly  restored  to  life  and  came  forth from the  tomb.

The Goodness  of  God  towards  His  holy  and  zealous  servant  Elias was very  great. He revived  and  strengthened  him  with  a miraculous food, appeared  to  him  most  lovingly  so  as  to  comfort  him,  and  finally took him  from  earth  in  a glorious  manner,  without  letting  him  taste  of the  bitterness  and  humiliation  of  death.

The Omnipotence  of  God  was  shown  by  the  supernatural  power  of the  bread,  in  the  strength  of  which  Elias  fasted  forty  days;  and  also by the  twice-repeated  division  of  the  waters  of  the  Jordan. It was God’s omnipotence  which  purified  the  well  at  Jericho  by  a means  which, in the  natural  order  of  things,  would  have  made  the  briny  water  more unpalatable than  it  was  before. He cured  the  leprosy  of  Naaman  and raised the  dead  man  to  life  by  contact  with  the  bones  of  Eliseus.

Sadness which  is  pleasing  to  God. The  sadness  of  Elias  was  not sinful, but  on  the  contrary  praiseworthy,  for  it  sprang  from  love  of God  and  zeal  for  His  glory;  and  his  heart,  all  aglow  with  divine  love, was sad  even  unto  death,  when  he  contemplated  the  idolatry  and  impiety of  the  Israelites. We too  ought  to  grieve  when  we  see  how  much God is  forgotten  and  offended,  and  how  unbelief  and  hatred  of  the Church of  God  and  her  laws  are  ever  increasing. It is  to  such  sorrow as this  that  our  Lord’s  words  apply:  “Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for they shall  be  comforted.”

A holy desire  for  death.  We  may  not  wish  for  our  own  death  or for  that  of  others,  from  reasons  of  impatience  or  despair. Elias’ desire for death  arose  not  from  a spirit  of  fretfulness,  but  from  love  of  God,