Homily for Saturday in the Second Week in Advent (with prayers for the Votive Mass of Saints Lazarus, Martha, and Mary), delivered in the Tomb of Lazarus Church, Bethany, West Bank.

"The prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch. It was he who brought famine on the people, and who decimated them in his zeal. By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire. How glorious you were in your miracles, Elijah! Has anyone reason to boast as you have? Taken up in the whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses; designated in the prophecies of doom to allay God’s wrath before the fury breaks, to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob, happy shall they be who see you, and those who have fallen asleep in love." (Eccl 48:1-4,9-12).

"Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved." (Ps 80).

"As they came down from the mountain the disciples put this question to Jesus, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah has to come first?’ ‘True;’ he replied ‘Elijah is to come to see that everything is once more as it should be; however, I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him but treated him as they pleased; and the Son of Man will suffer similarly at their hands.’ The disciples understood then that he had been speaking of John the Baptist." (Mt 17:10-13).

Artwork: "The Marriage at Cana" by Paolo Veronese, (c. 1563).