Our first reading today has the flavour of legends! One can imagine coming across such a story in the folklore and fairytales of many other cultures as well, for the notion of an individual in flight from an evil king who is protected and nourished by birds of the air, appeals to some deep mythical imagination that resides within all of us. But there is a deeper message in today's story for people of faith, captured well in the psalm that we recite immediately after the reading: "The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life." In carrying out the mission each of us has received from the Lord, we can count on God to support us and be with us through all the difficulties that come as a result. He does not abandon His prophets, and He will not abandon us either, similar to Blessed Joseph de Anchieta, who like many other missionaries, left all behind to serve Christ in Brazil. His story is inspiring as an example of someone who walked in the footsteps of Elijah, putting all his trust in the Lord to provide him everything that he would need for his ministry. We too need to learn greater trust and reliance on the Lord to nourish our bodies and spirits when we set out to do His will.