Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, as well as with the day of the memory of the Holy Prophet of God Elias!

For many weeks now, we have been discussing the psalms that are usually read or sung at the All-Night Vigil. Today let us focus our attention on the very expressive 142nd (143) psalm, ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications.’ This final psalm of the ‘Six psalms’ was composed by King David and, as is the case with all the others in the ‘Six psalms’ save the 102nd, is a reflection of the author’s spiritual state while he was being persecuted by his son Absalom. Psalm 142 is wonderfully suited for morning worship, for in it we read these words: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning.”

Although the words of this psalm are an expression of that anguish that David felt in a difficult moment, they are just as well suited to the life of today’s saint, the most zealous servant of the true God, the prophet Elias. David was well aware that he sinned much during his life, and therefore he accepted with meekness all the catastrophes that befell him. Along with this, he never forgot to glorify or at least to call upon the name of God in prayer. The Holy Prophet of God Elias was unlike David in that he never sinned against God or his neighbour, but always served his Creator with zeal. We heard about this wonderful zeal yesterday at Vespers, when the Old Testament excerpts about the life of the Prophet Elias were read. (If you were not in attendance at last night’s service for some good reason, or simply due to laziness, you can read about saint Elias in chapters 17-19 in the 1st Book of Kings and the 1st and 2nd chapters of of the 2nd Book of Kings). Right now it is enough to remember that this zeal, those miracles and proofs that were made manifest by Elias did not lead to anything good, and he was forced to flee into the desert to save himself from the pagan princess Jezebel. We could say with the words of today’s psalm that “the enemy hath persecuted (his) soul; he hath smitten (his) life down to the ground; he hath made (him) to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.” Alone and in exile, the Holy Prophet Elias heard in a still, small breeze the voice of God, which comforted the one who was suffering and assured him that “God’s spirit is good; (it leads) him into the land of uprightness,” and that the Lord will “quicken (him for the Lord’s, name's sake): for (God’s) righteousness' sake (God will) bring (his) soul out of trouble. And (because of God’s) mercy (all of his enemies will be) cut off, and … all them that afflict (his) soul (will be destroyed): for (he is God’s) servant.

Today, Brothers and Sisters, there are many lessons for us, both from the life of today’s saint and from the 142nd psalm. It sometimes happens that we do not feel the closeness of the Lord, nor do we hear Him. It seems that He does not support us in our wishes. This is not surprising, for more often than nor He communicates with us as if in a “still, small breeze.” This gentle and delicate voice is difficult for us, who are drowning in worldly affairs, to hear. Therefore let us not forget to pray with the words of the 142nd psalm: “Cause me to hear (His) lovingkindness in the morning,” and for “(God’s good Spirit to) lead me into the land of uprightness.”

Priest Alexis