First reading
At the foot of Mount Carmel, Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of rushing rain.”
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees.
He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.”
Then he said, “Go again seven times.” At the seventh time he said, “Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.”
Then Elijah said, “Go say to Ahab, ‘Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. But the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.