I hope it was a beautiful day for you, wherever you are! It was gorgeous here in Maryland, and, on looking at my tomato plants, I realized it was time for a big harvest. I have been eating ripe tomatoes just about every day for three or four weeks, and my neighbors have enjoyed my ongoing deliveries. Today, though, I realized I had a lot to pick, so I made a pot of Ragu. My recipe comes from a friend’s grandfather who for many years was a chef at a seaside restaurant in Tuscany. On one of my visits to Italy, I brought a group of folks there, and for about four hours, we feasted on some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. After months of begging, I finally got a copy of his recipe for Ragu, and have been making it ever since. Today’s batch, was special, since the only tomatoes I used were my own. I’ll be serving it up tomorrow, and can’t wait.
Well, that first part of this post isn’t really related to what I wanted to share with you, but I just had to tell you about those tomatoes!
Last Sunday, I heard a terrific homily/sermon, and the focus was on not giving up. The Scripture passage the priest focused on was about the Prophet Elijah (1Kings 19:1-8). Elijah had just won a big confrontation with the Prophets of Baal, and because of this, Jezebel was out to kill him. He had been following the Lord, and now, he had to run for his life. Elijah was exhausted, and finally collapsed under a tree. He sat there and prayed that he would die, then he fell asleep. Even though he had won a great victory, fatigue left Elijah wiped out and feeling like a failure. But God sent an angel and told him to get up, have something to eat, and get moving. Elijah wanted to die, and God encouraged him to choose life.
It seems like every day I encounter someone going through some difficulty, and they just want to give up and stop trying. I sometimes feel that way too, and I know it’s not easy get up and keep moving, but I think that’s what God is always calling us to do. No matter what our circumstances, if we stay close to the Lord, he’ll give us what we need. That’s why he sent the Angel to Elijah, to give him food and drink so he would be nourished for the journey ahead. Let’s pray for one another, that we recognize God does not want us stuck where we are, but instead is calling us to boldly follow the path he’s laid out for us, and he’ll give us everything we need to make it to our destination.
