…but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.
(Matthew 17:12)
Elijah had not died but had been taken up to await the fulfillment of his mission, to announce the imminence of your coming, my Jesus. John the Baptist appeared, as had Elijah, as the voice of one crying in the desert. He was rejected and put to death, as you would be.
Only in hindsight are the prophets recognized. Only after your death and resurrection are you, the Son, professed. Why are we so slow to believe?
How can I affirm my faith today? I will worship with my congregation. I will receive your very Flesh. Help me to carry your Presence to everyone I meet.