Ecclesiasticus 48:1-4, 9-11 / Matthew 17:10-13
In the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain (Mt. Tabor), there were two figures of the Old Testament who appeared before Jesus.
They were Moses and Elijah, and they represent the Law of God and the Prophetic voice of God respectively.
Both of them left this world in a rather peculiar and mysterious way.
The Old Testament account has it that God brought Moses up to Mt. Nebo to see the Promised Land, and there Moses died, but his burial place was unknown.
In the 1st reading, it says that the prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses.
It was believed that Elijah will come back again to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and bring about restoration to Israel.
In the gospel, Jesus says that Elijah has come already, but the people did not recognize him and treated him as they pleased.
As we come to end of the 2nd Week of Advent and going on to the 3rd Week of Advent, the light of the Advent candles remind us of the light of Christ shining on us.
May the light of Christ reveal to us what the prophecies mean, and may we be able to see what God wants us to see, so that we will walk in His ways and follow His paths.