This morning we have to wrestle with the question: is there something in my life that distracts me from living my life as God intended that I need to cut out? It’s a ruthless image that we find in our Gospel reading: gouge out an eye, cut off a hand – all of that is better than taking the road to hell. And it really does need to be that ruthless. Because hell is real and it’s not going to be pleasant. So we really need to attach ourselves to Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. And whatever gets in the way of that needs to be brutally ejected from our lives.
Yes, that might hurt sometimes. But, as the cliché goes, whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Elijah the prophet knew that very well. He had just embarrassed the prophets of Baal, and Jezebel was pursuing him to take his life. In our first reading this morning, he takes refuge in a cave, and only upon hearing the tiny whispering sound of God’s presence is he able to continue the journey and complete his mission.
Elijah had put to death the many prophets of Baal who were leading the people astray. Just so, we too need to be willing to put to death in us anything that does not lead us to Christ. The pain of it can be joined to the sufferings of Christ for God’s glory and honor. It is something that we can offer to our God, as we pray with the Psalmist, “I long to see your face, O Lord.”