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 as he  was  loth  to  witness  any  more  offences  committed  against  Him. Moreover he  longed  to  go  to  God. It was  in  this  spirit  that  St.  Paul wrote: “I  have  a desire  to  be  dissolved  and  be  with  Christ”  (Phil,  i,  23).

Gentleness. The gentle  sighing  of  the  wind  when  Almighty  God appeared to  Elias  was  meant  to  indicate  His  goodness,  mercy  and patience, and  to  warn  the  fiery  prophet  that  he  too  must  work  with patience and  long-suffering. We can,  as  a rule,  do  far  more  for  God’s glory and  the  salvation  of  souls  by  patience  and  gentleness  than  by violence  and  severity. St. Francis  of  Sales  says:  “You  can  catch  more flies with  a spoonful  of  honey  than  with  a cask  of  vinegar.”  “Blessed are the  meek.”

The virtues  and  works  of  Elias. After  Moses  Elias  was  the  greatest of the  prophets. Firstly, he  was  great  by  his  virtues. He led  a severe life of  penance,  not  loving  the  world,  but  loving  only  solitude,  prayer and the  contemplation  of  divine  things. He was  devoured  by  a holy zeal for  God’s  glory  and  the  salvation  of  his  people. He was  intrepid, patient and  strong  under  suffering  and  persecution,  and  was  possessed of the  most  unshaken  confidence  in  God. Secondly, he  was  great  by his  divine  calling  and  his  influence  on  the  world. He preserved  the true faith  in  Israel,  he  worked  wonderful  miracles,  such  as  raising  the dead, and  was  translated  from  earth  in  a marvellous  manner. He is therefore  venerated  as  a great  Saint  by  both  Christians  and  Jews.

Elias, the  fourteenth  type  of  Jesus  Christ. Elias  was  in  several respects a type  of  our  Lord. He was  sent  by  God,  was  a prophet and a worker  of  miracles. He raised  to  life  the  son  of  the  widow  of Sarepta:  our  Lord  raised  to  life  the  son  of  the  widow  of  Naim. He multiplied the  meal  and  oil: our  Lord  multiplied  the  loaves  and  fishes. Moreover Elias  fasted  forty  days  in  the  wilderness,  was  hated  and persecuted by  the  ungodly,  was  sorrowful  even  unto  death,  was  strengthened by  an  angel,  was  translated  to  heaven  in  the  sight  of  his  disciples, and  will  come  again  at  the  end  of  the  world.

Faithful correspondence  with  grace.  Eliseus  was  a God-fearing husbandman, and  was  called  from  the  plough  to  be  the  follower  of the  great  prophet. He obeyed  the  call  of  God  instantly,  corresponded with grace,  left  his  home  and  possessions  and  served  Elias. He was poor in  spirit  and  obedient  to  the  will  of  God,  therefore  he  was  singled out by  God  to  be  the  recipient  of  special  graces. “Blessed are  the poor in  spirit.”

The fourth  Commandment. Eliseus  and  the  disciples  of  Elias  show us by  their  example  in  what  way  we  should  love  and  revere  teachers sent to  us  by  God. Eliseus loved  Elias  as  his  spiritual  father  (“My father  l my  father,”  he  cried),  and  when  he  was  parted  from  him,  he rent  his  garments  in  grief. The disciples  of  Elias  received  Eliseus  with the deepest  reverence  as  soon  as  they  recognised  him  to  be  the  spiritual heir to  Elias  and  a prophet  chosen  by  God.