Today, 13th of May, we celebrate
Our Lady of Fatima
Elijah was enveloped in a whirlwind.
In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace.
Their staff of bread he shattered,
in his zeal he reduced them to straits;
By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens
and three times brought down fire.
How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!
Whose glory is equal to yours?
You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,
in a chariot with fiery horses.
You were destined, it is written, in time to come
to put an end to wrath before the day of the Lord,
To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,
and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.
Blessed is he who shall have seen you
and who falls asleep in your friendship.
R./ Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power.
R./ Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Once again, O Lord of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
Take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R./ Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R./ Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
the disciples asked Jesus,
“Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;
but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.
So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.”
Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
The mission of rebuilding community
After witnessing the Transfiguration, the disciples grapple with a profound question: if Jesus is the Messiah, why hasn’t Elijah returned as prophesied? Jesus reveals that Elijah has already come in the person of John the Baptist, whose mission was rejected and whose life was taken. Like Elijah, John prepared the way for the Lord, calling for repentance and the restoration of community—a mission so radical it threatened the existing power structures.
The life and mission of St. John of the Cross resonate deeply with this Gospel reflection. In a time when the Church needed renewal, St. John faced fierce opposition as he sought to reform the Carmelite Order. Like John the Baptist, his call for a return to spiritual purity and intimacy with God was seen as a threat to the comfortable norms of his era.
Jesus continues John’s mission, demonstrating through His life that the love of God and the love of neighbour are inseparable. His teachings challenge systems of oppression and call for a new way of living—one rooted in fraternity and mutual care. This mission, however, is dangerous, as it confronts the forces that benefit from division and exploitation. Like John, Jesus is rejected and ultimately put to death.
St. John of the Cross endured great suffering for this cause, including imprisonment and mistreatment by his own community. Yet, he remained steadfast, illuminating the path of transformation through his writings.
Both John the Baptist and St. John of the Cross demonstrate that renewal often comes through sacrifice. Their prophetic courage calls us to confront the forces that divide us—whether systems of injustice, consumerism, or complacency—and to rebuild a community rooted in love and solidarity.
Inspired by their example, we are called to embrace the Gospel’s challenge to live as agents of renewal, trusting that, through suffering and perseverance, God’s transformative work in us will bear fruit for His kingdom.
The religious name, which Juan Yepes took as a Carmelite, was a very fitting one: Juan de la Cruz. Once St. Teresa of Jesus had drawn him into the reform of the Carmelite order, trials beset him from all sides, especially from his own confreres, who misunderstood his intentions and even imprisoned him. Yet, his suffering served only to deepen his interior life to bring him closer to God in a mystical union. He is one of the greatest mystics of the Church.
May we learn from this "pilgrim of the absolute who thirsted for God," as is said of him, to live in close union with God.
Lord, our God,
how difficult it is to accept change,
even when it is for our good and that of others.
As we honor St. John of the Cross, we ask you
that in the dark night of trials, and suffering
we too, may keep searching
for your light and love
in trust and peace of mind,
for you are all that matters.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Lord our God,
in this bread and wine, we express
that we keep searching for you.
Deepen and purify our faith and love,
that we may come to know you better.
And confirm our trust
that nothing can harm us
and that we are always in your hands.
Grant us this through Christ, our Lord.
Lord our God,
in the strength of the body and blood
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
we express our trust in you.
Help us to remain always pilgrims and seekers
who try to live more deeply
the truth and beauty and life
of the Gospel of your Son,
that it may be good news to us,
our joy and what we live for.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
