There is a popular expression: “playing both ends against the middle.” In modern usage it means to manipulate two opposing sides of an argument, conflict, competition, etc., against one another for one’s own benefit or advantage. The expression seems to have arsien from a method of cheating at the card game faro. In a twist on the old adage, today’s first reading seems to be playing the middle against both ends.

In the first reading the land of Israel is entering the start of the third year of drought. King Ahab implies it’s Elijah’s fault. Ahab refers to the prophet as Israel’s “troubler,” perhaps because he earlier announced that God would send this drought. Elijah, however, speaks of Ahab as Israel’s troubler because his unfaithfulness has incurred God’s wrath by introducing pagan worship of the god Baal into the temples of the Northern Kingdom.

In theological language King Ahab is attempting syncretism by “grafting on” pagan worship into the liturgy and worship of Yahweh. Why? To appease his pagan wife Jezebel and the political alliances with surrounding neighbors that keep him in power. Or at least keep Jezebel in power. Apart from the political there is also the casting about for the “flavor of the month” to find the heavenly power to open up the rains from heaven. A little bit of this. A smidgeon of that. Whatever works.

Elijah has no interest in a theological debate. He wants a public confrontation that will provoke a religious decision. So the prophet challenges Ahab to invite Baal and the prophets of Asherah for a showdown on Mount Carmel. Once everyone has finally gathered, Elijah first confronts the Israelites. In one sense, he does “trouble” them here. The prophet tries to shake Israel out of her moral and religious complacency. How long, Elijah thunders at them, will they waver, literally, “limp” between two opinions? How long, in other words, will the Israelites play the middle with their religious loyalties between the living God and Baal?

Yahweh, however, is a jealous God. The Lord doesn’t want to be just one god among many. God is the one and only creator of life, the world and master of history. There is no other. The Lord is the only one worthy of  love, worship and devotion.

In twenty-first century North America, it’s easy to forget that. You and I, after all, live in a society that promotes tolerance of various religious and other beliefs. Such tolerance in civil society is necessary in a pluralistic society like our own. And it is true that God is the God of all truth, people can learn some things from a variety of religions and faiths. Finally, however, all people need to choose to whom and what we’ll give our hearts and lives.

The Catholic Church teaches that there is truth present in other religions, but it is ultimately fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ and the fullness of truth found in the Catholic faith. “The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as ‘a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.'” (CCC 843) This paragraph acknowledges that other religions can contain elements of truth and goodness, as they often seek to understand and worship the divine. However, the Catechism also emphasizes the unique role of Jesus Christ in the salvation of humanity. Paragraph 846 states, “Hence, they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.”

This affirms the belief that salvation comes through Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, which He established. While elements of truth may be present in other religions, the fullness of truth and the means of salvation are found in the Catholic Church.

The first reading is a call to reflect upon what it means to be Christian in a religiously diverse society. What are the threats to a wholehearted love and worship of the one true God? How much of other religion’s wisdom can we graft into our own faith without compromising our devotion to the living God?

The Israelites find Elijah’s challenge … well… challenging. They remain silent when Elijah asks them if they’ll quit languishing in the middle. Yet, even silence is a choice. It took an amazing intervention from heaven to shake them from their stasis.  Only then did they proclaim “The Lord is God.”

It is the middle ground that offers the “god” that you shape to your own needs and purposes. Not sure of the wisdom of that choice. May we not need heavenly fireworks to move us from the middle.

Image credit: another experiment with the AI art generator from WordPress. The instruction text was “Elijah and the 400 prophets of baal as fire from heaven consumes Elijah’s offering on the altar”. It took 10 iterations to achieve the picture above. Not sure how representative it is, but I was kinda’ fun trying…