Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
(Isaiah 54:1-10; Luke 7:24-30)
One of the most troubling occurrences to people on both sides of the abortion debate is the way politicians use the issue. Both pro-choice and pro-life candidates for public office have waffled on the issue depending on political winds. Certainly we must leave room for the possibility of a change of heart on any issue, but abortion politics defies parameters of true conversion. One could never accuse John the Baptist of courting political favor. Jesus does not see him as a reed bending in the wind because he did not seek any group’s endorsement but as a true prophet stands always with God’s law.
Nor is the Baptist a court dandy. Because he does not play up to kings and princes, he will not be wearing their political gifts of fine robes. He is content with the crudest of garments because he trusts in the Lord who is truer than any monarch. Jesus also underlines this fact in today’s gospel. The irony of Jesus’ statement is that despite all of John’s virtue as a prophet, he does not compare favorably with those who have experienced the Kingdom of God. The latter know of God’s tender mercy where John only views God’s righteous judgment. It has been said that Thomas Aquinas held that God’s justice never sank lower than His mercy in order to retrieve sinners. Jesus assures us of this truth in the gospel today.
Showing posts with label St. John the Baptist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. John the Baptist. Show all posts
Homilette for Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
(Luke 1:57-66;80)
Pope Benedict XVI writes that his whole village celebrated his ordination to the priesthood. The festivities were so grand, he says, that in the midst of them the future pope had to remind himself repeatedly, “This is not for you, Joseph; this is not for you.” Who was it for, then? Of course, the people were giving glory to Christ and expressing their gratitude for the ministry of his Church.
The Church along with the gospel writers portrays John the Baptist with humility similar to that of Benedict XVI. The Church has selected June 24 for the feast of John’s birth because it is around the day when the sun’s light in the northern hemisphere begins to decrease, just as John says in the fourth gospel, “(Jesus) must increase; I must decrease.” In the gospel passage we read today, Elizabeth and Zechariah insist that “John” is their baby’s name. “John” means “Yahweh has shown favor.” God favors not only the aged parents in having their first child but all Israel and, indeed, the whole world for the one whom John will announce. As Zechariah proclaims in his famous canticle, John will go before the Lord Jesus to prepare his ways.
We are wise to be humble like the young, future Pope Benedict and like John the Baptist. No matter how intelligent, rich, or beautiful we may be, we are not as indispensable as we think. We are not even capable of a truly good deed without the gift of grace. And that grace comes from Jesus Christ who has, indeed, saved every one of us.
(Luke 1:57-66;80)
Pope Benedict XVI writes that his whole village celebrated his ordination to the priesthood. The festivities were so grand, he says, that in the midst of them the future pope had to remind himself repeatedly, “This is not for you, Joseph; this is not for you.” Who was it for, then? Of course, the people were giving glory to Christ and expressing their gratitude for the ministry of his Church.
The Church along with the gospel writers portrays John the Baptist with humility similar to that of Benedict XVI. The Church has selected June 24 for the feast of John’s birth because it is around the day when the sun’s light in the northern hemisphere begins to decrease, just as John says in the fourth gospel, “(Jesus) must increase; I must decrease.” In the gospel passage we read today, Elizabeth and Zechariah insist that “John” is their baby’s name. “John” means “Yahweh has shown favor.” God favors not only the aged parents in having their first child but all Israel and, indeed, the whole world for the one whom John will announce. As Zechariah proclaims in his famous canticle, John will go before the Lord Jesus to prepare his ways.
We are wise to be humble like the young, future Pope Benedict and like John the Baptist. No matter how intelligent, rich, or beautiful we may be, we are not as indispensable as we think. We are not even capable of a truly good deed without the gift of grace. And that grace comes from Jesus Christ who has, indeed, saved every one of us.
Homilette for December 13, 2007
Thursday, II Week of Advent, Memorial of St. Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
(Matthew 11:11-15)
When I suggested that the pious elderly Italian woman might enjoy some spiritual reading, she dropped her head in sadness. Then she confessed that she only went to school for a couple of years and never learned to read well. Most of the world is fortunate to have at least a basic education. We might not read much but we have been taught to read well enough. Likewise we are privileged to live in this era when one can count on growing old. Medicine and hygiene have inverted the average age of death over the last hundred years. In 1900 people died on the average at forty-seven years; in 2000, that number was seventy-four.
If we count our blessings in this way, we can understand why Jesus calls “the least in the kingdom of heaven” greater than John the Baptist. The “least in the kingdom” refers to his disciples, not limited to the inner twelve but all who follow him, including ourselves. We are blessed in a way that John wasn’t because we have experienced the fullness of the Kingdom in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Of course, we were not there to witness these events but the graces that have flowed from them have been manifested in achievements of Christianity from the apostolic community’s holding everything in common to the sister’s of Mother Teresa picking dying people off the streets this morning.
Although John did not witness the Kingdom in its fullness and could not appreciate the love of God that it brought, he was very aware of the effort that it demands. His constant message was repentance. We must change our sinful ways if we are to benefit from the Kingdom’s riches. John is the central figure of these middle weeks of Advent because he reminds us that the king who is to come will require sacrifice of his subjects as he transmits to them the fullness of life.
(Matthew 11:11-15)
When I suggested that the pious elderly Italian woman might enjoy some spiritual reading, she dropped her head in sadness. Then she confessed that she only went to school for a couple of years and never learned to read well. Most of the world is fortunate to have at least a basic education. We might not read much but we have been taught to read well enough. Likewise we are privileged to live in this era when one can count on growing old. Medicine and hygiene have inverted the average age of death over the last hundred years. In 1900 people died on the average at forty-seven years; in 2000, that number was seventy-four.
If we count our blessings in this way, we can understand why Jesus calls “the least in the kingdom of heaven” greater than John the Baptist. The “least in the kingdom” refers to his disciples, not limited to the inner twelve but all who follow him, including ourselves. We are blessed in a way that John wasn’t because we have experienced the fullness of the Kingdom in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Of course, we were not there to witness these events but the graces that have flowed from them have been manifested in achievements of Christianity from the apostolic community’s holding everything in common to the sister’s of Mother Teresa picking dying people off the streets this morning.
Although John did not witness the Kingdom in its fullness and could not appreciate the love of God that it brought, he was very aware of the effort that it demands. His constant message was repentance. We must change our sinful ways if we are to benefit from the Kingdom’s riches. John is the central figure of these middle weeks of Advent because he reminds us that the king who is to come will require sacrifice of his subjects as he transmits to them the fullness of life.
Homilette for Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
(Mark 6)
This curious sidebar in Mark’s gospel describing the martyrdom of John the Baptist resolves what happened to one of the first century’s greatest religious leaders. It also anticipates Jesus’ death.
John was an enormously popular religious prophet whom evidently even Jesus followed for awhile. His being executed without trial and like a dog shows how state power can lay aside human rights with little more consideration than for a paper cup. More than the other evangelists Mark will describe Jesus death as similarly gruesome and unjust. The Jewish leaders have false witnesses testify against Jesus. Pilate will hardly give him a hearing at all. And Jesus hangs on the cross for a full six agonizing hours in this gospel.
“Where is justice?” we want to cry out. It is with God, and He has introduced it into the world with the paschal mystery of Jesus. Just as Jesus’ brutal death ended in the glory of the resurrection so the lives of those who believe in him will be saved. For now we move under Jesus’ inspiration to fortify our society’s mechanisms of justice. We also pray that when injustice strikes despites our efforts to keep it at bay, its victims will be also inspired to respond with the love of enemy which Jesus taught.
(Mark 6)
This curious sidebar in Mark’s gospel describing the martyrdom of John the Baptist resolves what happened to one of the first century’s greatest religious leaders. It also anticipates Jesus’ death.
John was an enormously popular religious prophet whom evidently even Jesus followed for awhile. His being executed without trial and like a dog shows how state power can lay aside human rights with little more consideration than for a paper cup. More than the other evangelists Mark will describe Jesus death as similarly gruesome and unjust. The Jewish leaders have false witnesses testify against Jesus. Pilate will hardly give him a hearing at all. And Jesus hangs on the cross for a full six agonizing hours in this gospel.
“Where is justice?” we want to cry out. It is with God, and He has introduced it into the world with the paschal mystery of Jesus. Just as Jesus’ brutal death ended in the glory of the resurrection so the lives of those who believe in him will be saved. For now we move under Jesus’ inspiration to fortify our society’s mechanisms of justice. We also pray that when injustice strikes despites our efforts to keep it at bay, its victims will be also inspired to respond with the love of enemy which Jesus taught.
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