In times of difficulty, God strengthens us for the journey.
A reading from the first Book of Kings.
Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert,
until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it.
He prayed for death, saying:
“This is enough, O Lord!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree,
but the an angel touched him
and ordered him to get up and eat.
Elijah looked and there at his head was a hearth cake
and a jug of water.
After he ate and drank, he lay down again,
but the angel of the Lord came back a second time,
touched him, and ordered,
“Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!”
He got up, ate, and drank;
then strengthened by that food,
he walked forty days and forty nights
to the mountain of God, Horeb.
The Word of the Lord.