The Lord never abandons those who are obedient to His Word and seek to do His will. This is the main message that we receive from the readings and psalm today.

In the first reading, we read that Elijah the prophet, prompted by God, confronts King Ahab of Israel. Elijah predicts the coming of a drought, the duration of which Elijah will himself determine. It is a demonstration of the power of God against Baal, a non-god. Elijah's action is the first 'shot' against Ahab's wife, Jezebel, who is the patroness of the pagan god Baal in Israel. Then, immediately God leads Elijah to safety in order to protect and prepare him for the 'war' ahead.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus takes up the assurance of God's reward on those who are persecuted on his account. The final beatitude develops the theme of persecution for the sake of Jesus and relates this to the persecution suffered by prophets, such as Elijah. Indeed, those who are abused and persecuted on the account of doing God's will would have the blessing of God, regardless the circumstances.

For Jesus, it is the very people that the world considers most unfortunate or unimportant who are considered supremely happy for they will be vindicated on the day of God's final judgement. It is with this confidence that together with the psalmist, that we together with all those who are undergoing persecution or suffering on the account of Jesus, can cry aloud "Our help is on the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."