The Last Sunday after the Epiphany-Year B

Last Sunday after the Epiphany—Year B
February 19, 2012
“People leave.” It’s what an older, wiser priest, a friend and mentor, said to me recently. People leave. It’s the nature of life; it’s the nature of the church. People leave, and it’s hard and heartbreaking, and so very, very sad. People leave.
“Stay here” Elijah tells his friend and apprentice Elisha, when it is almost time for him to depart, “for God is calling me onward.” “I will not leave you.” Elisha says to him, so they journey a little farther together. When the group of prophets at the next town approaches Elisha, they say to him, “You know it’s almost time for Elijah to leave you, don’t you?” And Elisha says sadly, “yes, I know. Please, do not speak of it.”
Then Elijah says to Elisha, “Stay here, for God is calling me onward.” And Elijah says, a little more doggedly, “No. I will not leave you.” So they journey on together a bit farther, and another group of prophets in the next town says to Elisha, “Today’s the big day for Elijah! He’s leaving and going home to the Lord!” Elisha says, “Yes, I know. Please, can we not talk about it right now? Don’t you see how my heart is breaking? I just want to savor these last final hours…”
Then Elijah says to him, “Stay here. God is calling me onward.” And Elisha says to him, “Truly, I will not leave you!!!” So the two journey a little farther onward together, and 50 prophets follow them to bear witness.
When they get to the Jordan River, Elijah takes off his mantle, rolls it up, strikes the water, and the water parts so that the two stand on dry ground.
“It is time to say goodbye,” Elijah tells him. “Is there any last thing I may do for you before I leave you?” “Don’t leave me” is what Elisha has planned to say. But instead, he finds himself asking, “Give me some part of you, some extra resources that I may not feel so lost, and so that I may carry on without you and do the work that God is calling me to do.”
Elijah sighs and says, “Only God can give you that. But, if you see me when I leave, then know that God will give you what you need.” And as they walk and talk a little bit longer, suddenly they are separated by a chariot and horses of fire, and Elijah is taken in a whirlwind to heaven. Elisha watches and calls out for him, but then he is just gone.
And Elisha tears his clothes and he mourns; and he allows his heart to be broken for a little while.
People leave.
Peter, James, and John go up a high mountain with Jesus, and there they encounter a glimpse of who Jesus really is. They witness his transfiguration, see the two greatest heroes of Israel’s history speaking with him.
Peter is so excited, he says, “Let’s never leave! We can build us shelter so that we can stay here forever!” But the voice of God interrupts those plans, and reminds the disciples who Jesus really is—God’s son, the beloved. And God tells them to listen to him.
And then it is time to leave. They head down the mountain together, and Jesus sets his face toward Jerusalem and prepares to leave.
People leave. Parents and children. Spouses and companions. Siblings and friends. People leave. Sometimes they have to; sometimes they choose to; it is heartbreaking. Sometimes they are able to come back, and there is much rejoicing. And sometimes they aren’t.
We can learn a lot from this story of Elisha and Elijah. We can learn what it means to leave well, when it is our time to leave. We can learn what it means to walk with someone all the way to the end. As the one who is being left, Elisha is steadfast and faithful. He asks the one who is leaving for what he thinks he needs to carry on. His faithfulness results in his glimpsing the glory of God. He mourns his loss, and then he picks himself up and gets back to the work of being the prophet—trusting in God’s mercy, in the resources and gifts and the legacy that he has been given. And he listens to God’s direction and follows it.
He tells Elijah, again and again, “I will not leave you!” I will see you through to the end, even if it is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.” It takes great courage to be the one who stays; it takes great courage to be the one who accepts the inevitable heartbreak.
But then, God gives Elisha what he needs to put the pieces of his broken heart back together, and he picks himself up, takes up Elijah’s mantle, strikes the river and the water parts for him; and he goes back into the world to be a prophet and to do the work God is calling him to do. And God says to Elisha, “I will not leave you.” And we see the proof of this in Elisha’s power and through his good works.
And so it is with us. God says to you, “I will not leave you. No matter what. You may be heartbroken and weary; you may wonder how you will find the strength to go on; but I will not leave you”, says the Lord, “and I will give you what you need.”
Today is the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, when we prepare to leave behind this season of Light and enter into the wilderness of Lent—where we will be invited by God to open our hearts once again to the Paschal mystery of sacrifice and grace, of death and resurrection. We will be invited to walk with Jesus to the bitter end, to allow our hearts to be broken and to taste the joy and to see a glimpse of God’s glory on Easter day.
Today, let us enjoy this moment, when we are all here together; may our hearts be nourished at God’s table to be faithful and steadfast, and let us bask in the Light of the One who will never leave us.

Here is the link to today's readings:
http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearB_RCL/Epiphany/BEpiLast_RCL.html