Elijah was exhausted from being God's prophet, and at a certain point in his ministry, he broke.
He was downcast and depressed from the difficulties of being a prophet. Elijah's life was threatened and was now a fugitive in hiding. He wanted it all to stop.
Saddened by his situation, Elijah slept.
He was then suddenly awakened by an angel sent by God.
His body and soul was renewed by the bread of angels, giving him the strength he needed to continue.
This episode in the Old Testament has been seen by many saints as a foreshadowing of the Eucharist, the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.
St. John Paul II reflects on this episode of the Bible in his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia and how the Eucharist gives us strength when we need it most.
The Eucharist is our "food for the journey," that "bread of angels" that we need.
The bread God sent to Elijah saved his life.
In a similar way, the Eucharist, the true bread from heaven, can save us from despair and give strength to our weary bodies and souls.
