Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
Lectionary: 184
Lectionary: 184
I am the LORD, your
God,
who grasp your right hand;
It is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I will help you.”
Fear not, O worm Jacob,
O maggot Israel;
I will help you, says the LORD;
your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
I will make of you a threshing sledge,
sharp, new, and double-edged,
To thresh the mountains and crush them,
to make the hills like chaff.
When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off
and the storm shall scatter them.
But you shall rejoice in the LORD,
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,
their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open up rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the broad valleys;
I will turn the desert into a marshland,
and the dry ground into springs of water.
I will plant in the desert the cedar,
acacia, myrtle, and olive;
I will set in the wasteland the cypress,
together with the plane tree and the pine,
That all may see and know,
observe and understand,
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it.
who grasp your right hand;
It is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I will help you.”
Fear not, O worm Jacob,
O maggot Israel;
I will help you, says the LORD;
your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
I will make of you a threshing sledge,
sharp, new, and double-edged,
To thresh the mountains and crush them,
to make the hills like chaff.
When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off
and the storm shall scatter them.
But you shall rejoice in the LORD,
and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain,
their tongues are parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open up rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the broad valleys;
I will turn the desert into a marshland,
and the dry ground into springs of water.
I will plant in the desert the cedar,
acacia, myrtle, and olive;
I will set in the wasteland the cypress,
together with the plane tree and the pine,
That all may see and know,
observe and understand,
That the hand of the LORD has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Responsorial Psalm PS 145:1 AND 9, 10-11, 12-13AB
R. (8) The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to
anger, and of great kindness.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Let them make known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Let them make known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness.
Alleluia SEE IS 45:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the clouds rain down the Just One,
and the earth bring forth a Savior.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the clouds rain down the Just One,
and the earth bring forth a Savior.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 11:11-15
Jesus said to the
crowds:
“Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force.
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
“Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now,
the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence,
and the violent are taking it by force.
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John.
And if you are willing to accept it,
he is Elijah, the one who is to come.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Meditation: "He
is Elijah who is to come"
Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of God? Jesus praised John the Baptist as the greatest person born.
Who can top that as a compliment? But in the same breath Jesus says that the
least in the kingdom of God is even greater than John! That sounds like a contradiction,
right? Unless you understand that what Jesus was about to accomplish for our
sake would supercede all that the prophets had done and foreseen.
"Your
Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel"
The prophet Isaiah proclaimed to the forsaken and dispersed people of Israel some 700 years before the birth of Christ that "your Redeemer - the Holy One of Israel" would come to restore his people and to make all things new (Isaiah 41:14ff). When the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel did appear John the Baptist announced his arrival. He fulfilled the essential task of all the prophets - to be fingers pointing to Jesus Christ, God's Annointed Son and Messiah. John proclaimed Jesus' mission at the Jordan River when he exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). John saw from a distance what Jesus would accomplish through his death on the cross - our redemption from bondage to sin and death and our adoption as sons and daughers of God and citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
The prophet Isaiah proclaimed to the forsaken and dispersed people of Israel some 700 years before the birth of Christ that "your Redeemer - the Holy One of Israel" would come to restore his people and to make all things new (Isaiah 41:14ff). When the Messiah and Redeemer of Israel did appear John the Baptist announced his arrival. He fulfilled the essential task of all the prophets - to be fingers pointing to Jesus Christ, God's Annointed Son and Messiah. John proclaimed Jesus' mission at the Jordan River when he exclaimed, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). John saw from a distance what Jesus would accomplish through his death on the cross - our redemption from bondage to sin and death and our adoption as sons and daughers of God and citizens of the kingdom of heaven.
The spirit of
Elijah is sent in advance through John's words
John the Baptist bridges the Old and New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets who point the way to the Messiah. He is the first of the New Testament witnesses and martyrs. He is the herald who prepares the way for Jesus the Messiah. Jesus confirms that John has fulfilled the promise that Elijah would return to herald the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). Jesus declares that John is nothing less that the great herald whose privilege it was to announce the coming of the Redeemer - the Holy One of Israel.
John the Baptist bridges the Old and New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets who point the way to the Messiah. He is the first of the New Testament witnesses and martyrs. He is the herald who prepares the way for Jesus the Messiah. Jesus confirms that John has fulfilled the promise that Elijah would return to herald the coming of the Messiah (Malachi 4:5). Jesus declares that John is nothing less that the great herald whose privilege it was to announce the coming of the Redeemer - the Holy One of Israel.
Jesus equates the
coming of the kingdom of heaven with violence (Matthew 11:12). John himself
suffered violence for announcing that the kingdom of God was near. He was
thrown into prison and then beheaded. Since John's martyrdom to the present
times the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and persecution at the hands
of violent men. The blood of the martyrs throughout the ages bear witness to
this fact. The martyrs witness to the truth - the truth and love of Jesus
Christ who shed his blood to redeem us from slavery to sin and Satan and the
fear of death. The Lord Jesus gives us the power of his Holy Spirit to overcome
fear with faith, despair with hope, and every form of hatred, violence,
jealousy, and prejudice with love and charity towards all - even those who seek
to destroy and kill.
We proclaim the
joy of the Gospel of Christ even in the midst of suffering and violence
God may call some of us to be martyrs for our faith in Jesus Christ. But for most of us our call is to be dry martyrs who bear testimony to the joy of the Gospel in the midst of daily challenges, contradictions, temptations and adversities which come our way as we follow the Lord Jesus. What attracts others to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? When they see Christians loving their enemies, being joyful in suffering, patient in adversity, pardoning injuries, and showing comfort and compassion to the hopeless and the helpless. Jesus tells us that we do not need to fear our adversaries. He will fill us with the power of his Holy Spirit and give us sufficient grace, strength, and wisdom to face any trial and to answer any challenge to our faith. Are you eager to witness to the joy and freedom of the Gospel?
God may call some of us to be martyrs for our faith in Jesus Christ. But for most of us our call is to be dry martyrs who bear testimony to the joy of the Gospel in the midst of daily challenges, contradictions, temptations and adversities which come our way as we follow the Lord Jesus. What attracts others to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? When they see Christians loving their enemies, being joyful in suffering, patient in adversity, pardoning injuries, and showing comfort and compassion to the hopeless and the helpless. Jesus tells us that we do not need to fear our adversaries. He will fill us with the power of his Holy Spirit and give us sufficient grace, strength, and wisdom to face any trial and to answer any challenge to our faith. Are you eager to witness to the joy and freedom of the Gospel?
"Lord Jesus, by your
cross you have redeemed the world. Fill me with joy and confidence and make me
a bold witness of your saving truth that others may know the joy and freedom of
the Gospel of your kingdom of peace and righteousness."
 A Kingdom for the Violent? |
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December 11,
2014. Thursday of the Second Week of Advent
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Matthew 11:11-15
Jesus said to the
crowds: “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none
greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is
greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of
heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the
prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are
willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears
ought to hear.”
Introductory
Prayer:
Lord, I believe in your presence here with me as I humbly kneel before you to do you homage and praise you. I long for the reward you have promised to those who love you with undivided hearts. My heart is not at peace until it rests in you.
Petition: Lord, help me to long for and strive for the
inexpressible joy of heaven.
1. None Greater
Than John: In a phrase tinged
with admiration, Christ pays St. John the Baptist the highest of compliments:
“Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the
Baptist.” And Christ reveals why: He is the last of the prophets, the one who
brings the age of the law and the prophets to a close. But he is even more.
He is Elijah, the one sent before the promised Messiah to prepare the way for
him. Then comes an unexpected reversal: “Yet the least in the kingdom of
heaven is greater than he.” Do not Christ’s words awaken in our hearts an
ardent longing for heaven? What else could matter in life but to arrive
there, where the least of us will be greater than the greatest one on this
earth?
2. Longing for
Heaven: How much do we really
desire to reach our final goal? Does our attitude sometimes reflect St.
Augustine’s during the process of his conversion, before he received the
final, definitive grace of entrusting his life entirely to God? Do we not
have to confess that we often say to God, “Lord, please bring me to
heaven—but not yet!”? St. Cyprian reflects on this phenomenon in one of his
homilies: “How unreasonable it is to pray that God’s will be done, and then
not promptly obey it when he calls us from this world! Instead we struggle
and resist like self-willed slaves and are brought into the Lord’s presence
with sorrow and lamentation, not freely consenting to our departure, but
constrained by necessity. And yet we expect to be rewarded with heavenly
honors by him to whom we come against our will!”
3. The Kingdom of
Heaven Suffers Violence: A true
longing for heaven is necessary, because it is not easy to arrive there.
Christ assures us, “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence.” What does Our
Lord mean by this enigmatic affirmation? Surely he does not intend to
contradict his own new commandment of love? The “violence” Christ speaks of
must be done exclusively to ourselves. In order to ascend the heights of
holiness we need to follow in the footsteps of St. John the Baptist, dying to
our earthly tendencies. Am I prepared to renounce what often seems most
intimately a part of me? Can I beg the Lord for humility? “That others may be
more loved than I. That others may be called to occupy posts and I may be
forgotten. That others may be preferred to me in everything. Lord Jesus, make
this my prayer” (fromLitany of Humility, traditional prayer).
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, you are showing me
that heaven is not for the weak and the soft, but for those who are strong in
dying to themselves and living for you and for souls. Help me to grow in
fortitude in order to win heaven.
Resolution: Today, when I experience something painful or difficult, I will offer up the unpleasantness to God, knowing it is nothing in comparison to the reward of heaven that awaits me. By Father Walter Schu, LC |
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, ADVENT WEEKDAY,
MATTHEW 11:11-15
(Isaiah 41:13-20; Psalm 145)
(Isaiah 41:13-20; Psalm 145)
KEY VERSE: "Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist" (v 11).
READING: Jesus praised his cousin John the Baptist, the herald of God's reign. John, who had been imprisoned by Herod Antipas, had come in the tradition of Elijah the great prophet who suffered because of his righteous commitment to God's covenant. Jesus' acknowledged John's privileged place in God's saving plan, but noted that John belonged to the old order, which was passing away. While John stood at the threshold of God's kingdom, the humblest member of the new era would be greater than John. Like Jesus, John would lose his life for proclaiming the truth. Throughout the ages, the reign of God was assaulted by those who rejected the prophetic voice. Even greater violence would be done by those who opposed Jesus and tried to prevent his followers from entering the reign of God.
REFLECTING: Lord Jesus, I pray for all who suffer for the sake of the gospel.
PRAYING: Am I willing to proclaim the gospel no matter what the cost?
Optional Memorial of Damasus I, pope
All lovers of Scripture have reason to celebrate this day. It was during Damasus' reign that Christianity was declared the religion of the Roman state by the Emperor Constantine in A.D. 313. Pope Damasus commissioned his secretary, St. Jerome, to produce a Latin text of the Bible from the original Hebrew language, which twelve centuries later the Council of Trent declared to be “authentic in public readings, disputations, preachings.” He also changed the liturgical language of the Church from Greek to Latin, the common language of the day. Damasus' pontificate suffered from the rise of Arianism (a heresy, which denied the Divinity of Jesus Christ), and from several schisms. Damasus presided over the Council of Rome in 382, at which, according to tradition and the 6th century document Decretum Gelasianum, the modern Catholic canon of scripture was first set down. Damasus restored catacombs, shrines, and the tombs of martyrs. Pope Damasus sat in the Chair of St. Peter for eighteen years, from 366 to his death in 384. He was buried beside his mother and sister somewhere between the Via Appia and Via Ardeatina, the exact location of which is lost. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
Thursday 11 December 2014
St Damasus I. Isaiah
41:13-20. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger, and rich in
compassion—Ps 144(145):1, 9-13. Matthew 11:11-15.
‘The least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.’
A reversal of conventional
values turns up again. Jesus has been speaking with admiration and affection of
John the Baptist. Yet the least in the kingdom will be greater. In the end, we
are all just human beings.
The wealthy or powerful can
cover their nakedness and hide behind masks or roles, while the poor stand
exposed in their struggles and failures. Their lies are transparent: they have
no excuses left, no rationalisations to hide behind. They stand before God and
other people just as they are.
Jesus, let me allow the
poor to reveal to me my manipulations, the ways I use people, my petty deceits,
my rationalisations and excuses. When I stand before you in truth, your
transforming love can most fully break through.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Reaching Out
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As we love others in spite of their imperfections, we are loving
ourselves, too. Nourished by the love we receive, we can risk reaching out. A
few kind words can go a long way. We’re empowered to love others as Jesus loves
us when we’re united to the source of never-ending love.
December
11
St. Damasus I
(305?-384)
St. Damasus I
(305?-384)
To his secretary St. Jerome, Damasus was “an incomparable person,
learned in the Scriptures, a virgin doctor of the virgin Church, who loved
chastity and heard its praises with pleasure.”
Damasus
seldom heard such unrestrained praise. Internal political struggles, doctrinal
heresies, uneasy relations with his fellow bishops and those of the Eastern
Church marred the peace of his pontificate.
The son
of a Roman priest, possibly of Spanish extraction, Damasus started as a deacon
in his father’s church, and served as a priest in what later became the
basilica of San Lorenzo in Rome. He served Pope Liberius (352-366) and followed
him into exile.
When
Liberius died, Damasus was elected bishop of Rome; but a minority elected and
consecrated another deacon, Ursinus, as pope. The controversy between Damasus
and the antipope resulted in violent battles in two basilicas, scandalizing the
bishops of Italy. At the synod Damasus called on the occasion of his birthday,
he asked them to approve his actions. The bishops’ reply was curt: “We
assembled for a birthday, not to condemn a man unheard.” Supporters of the
antipope even managed to get Damasus accused of a grave crime—probably
sexual—as late as A.D. 378. He had to clear himself before both a civil court
and a Church synod.
As pope
his lifestyle was simple in contrast to other ecclesiastics of Rome, and he was
fierce in his denunciation of Arianism and other heresies. A misunderstanding
of the Trinitarian terminology used by Rome threatened amicable relations with
the Eastern Church, and Damasus was only moderately successful in dealing with
that challenge.
During
his pontificate Christianity was declared the official religion of the Roman
state (380), and Latin became the principal liturgical language as part of the
pope’s reforms. His encouragement of St. Jerome’s biblical studies led to the
Vulgate, the Latin translation of Scripture which twelve centuries later the
Council of Trent declared to be “authentic in public readings,
disputations, preachings.”
Comment:
The history of the papacy and the Church is inextricably mixed with the personal biography of Damasus. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
The history of the papacy and the Church is inextricably mixed with the personal biography of Damasus. In a troubled and pivotal period of Church history, he stands forth as a zealous defender of the faith who knew when to be progressive and when to entrench.
Damasus makes us
aware of two qualities of good leadership: alertness to the promptings of the
Spirit and service. His struggles are a reminder that Jesus never promised his
Rock protection from hurricane winds nor his followers immunity from
difficulties. His only guarantee is final victory.
Quote:
"He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days' darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust" (epitaph Damasus wrote for himself).
"He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days' darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust" (epitaph Damasus wrote for himself).
LECTIO DIVINA:
MATTHEW 11,11-15
Lectio:
Thursday, December 11, 2014
2nd Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
you do not abandon those who rely on you.
Take us by the hand when we are afraid,
help us when we call out to you,
for we experience that we are powerless
to establish your kingdom of justice and love.
Send your Son again among us today
to be our Lord and Saviour
now and for ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 11, 11-15
'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm.
Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. Anyone who has ears should listen!
3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel, Jesus, gives an opinion on John the Baptist. Compared with the persons of the Old Testament, there is no one greater than John. John is the greatest of all: greater than Jeremiah, greater than Abraham, greater than Isaiah! But, compared with the New Testament, John is inferior to all. The smallest in the Kingdom is greater than John! How can we understand this qualification, apparently contradictory, that Jesus makes of John?
• A short time before, John had sent to ask Jesus: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?” (Mt 11, 3). John seemed to have some doubt concerning Jesus. Jesus, in fact, did not correspond to the idea that he, John, had of the Messiah, a severe Judge who had to come to carry out the judgment of condemnation and of anger (Mt 3, 7). He was to cut the trees from their roots (Mt 3, 10), was to clear his threshing floor and throw the dry stick into the fire (Mt 3, 12). But Jesus, instead of being a severe judge, is the friend of all, “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11, 29), he receives the sinners and eats with them (Mt 2, 16).
• Jesus responds to John by quoting the Prophet Isaiah: “Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, those suffering from virulent skin diseases are cleaned, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is proclaimed to the poor, and blessed is anyone who does not find me a cause of falling!” (Mt 11, 5-6; cf. Is 33, 5-6; 29, 18). A hard response. Jesus asks John to analyze the Scripture better in order to be able to change the erroneous vision that he had of the Messiah.
• John was great! The greatest of all! And the smallest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John. John is the greatest, because he was the last echo of the Old Testament. It was John who, because of his fidelity, was finally able to indicate the Messiah to the people: “Behold, here is the Lamb of God!” (Jn 1, 36), and the long history begun with Abraham attains its objective. But John was not capable to understand by himself the importance of the Kingdom of God in Jesus. He had a doubt: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?” The ancient history alone, does not communicate sufficient light to the person to understand all the novelty of the Good News of God which Jesus brings to us. The New was not in the Old. Saint Augustine said: “Novum in Vetere latet, Vetus in Novo patet”, which means: “The New is already hidden in the Old. But the Old reveals only its full meaning in the New”. The one who is with Jesus and lives with him receives from him a light which gives new eyes to discover a more profound meaning in the Old. And which is this novelty?
• Jesus offers a key: “The Law and all the Prophets, in fact, have prophesized up to John. And if you would accept it, he is that Elijah who has to come. He who has ears, let him hear!” Jesus does not explain, but says: “He who has ears, let him hear” Elijah had to come to prepare the coming of the Messiah and to reconstruct the community: “To reconcile parents to their children and children to their parents” (Mal 3, 24). John announced the Messiah and sought to reconstruct the community (Lk 1, 17). But the most profound mystery escaped him, that of the life of the community. Only Jesus communicated it, announcing that God is Father and, therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. This announcement bears within a new force which makes us capable to overcome divergence and to create community.
• These are the violent who succeed to conquer the Kingdom. The Kingdom is not a doctrine, but a new way of living like brothers and sisters, beginning from the announcement which Jesus makes: God is Father of all.
4) Personal questions
• The Kingdom is of those who use violence on themselves, that is, it belongs to those who like Jesus have the courage to create community. You also?
• Jesus helped John to understand better the facts by means of the Bible. Does the Bible help me to understand better the events of my life?
5) Concluding Prayer
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works. (Ps 145)
Lord our God,
you do not abandon those who rely on you.
Take us by the hand when we are afraid,
help us when we call out to you,
for we experience that we are powerless
to establish your kingdom of justice and love.
Send your Son again among us today
to be our Lord and Saviour
now and for ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 11, 11-15
'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he. Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm.
Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. Anyone who has ears should listen!
3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel, Jesus, gives an opinion on John the Baptist. Compared with the persons of the Old Testament, there is no one greater than John. John is the greatest of all: greater than Jeremiah, greater than Abraham, greater than Isaiah! But, compared with the New Testament, John is inferior to all. The smallest in the Kingdom is greater than John! How can we understand this qualification, apparently contradictory, that Jesus makes of John?
• A short time before, John had sent to ask Jesus: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?” (Mt 11, 3). John seemed to have some doubt concerning Jesus. Jesus, in fact, did not correspond to the idea that he, John, had of the Messiah, a severe Judge who had to come to carry out the judgment of condemnation and of anger (Mt 3, 7). He was to cut the trees from their roots (Mt 3, 10), was to clear his threshing floor and throw the dry stick into the fire (Mt 3, 12). But Jesus, instead of being a severe judge, is the friend of all, “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11, 29), he receives the sinners and eats with them (Mt 2, 16).
• Jesus responds to John by quoting the Prophet Isaiah: “Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, those suffering from virulent skin diseases are cleaned, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is proclaimed to the poor, and blessed is anyone who does not find me a cause of falling!” (Mt 11, 5-6; cf. Is 33, 5-6; 29, 18). A hard response. Jesus asks John to analyze the Scripture better in order to be able to change the erroneous vision that he had of the Messiah.
• John was great! The greatest of all! And the smallest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John. John is the greatest, because he was the last echo of the Old Testament. It was John who, because of his fidelity, was finally able to indicate the Messiah to the people: “Behold, here is the Lamb of God!” (Jn 1, 36), and the long history begun with Abraham attains its objective. But John was not capable to understand by himself the importance of the Kingdom of God in Jesus. He had a doubt: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?” The ancient history alone, does not communicate sufficient light to the person to understand all the novelty of the Good News of God which Jesus brings to us. The New was not in the Old. Saint Augustine said: “Novum in Vetere latet, Vetus in Novo patet”, which means: “The New is already hidden in the Old. But the Old reveals only its full meaning in the New”. The one who is with Jesus and lives with him receives from him a light which gives new eyes to discover a more profound meaning in the Old. And which is this novelty?
• Jesus offers a key: “The Law and all the Prophets, in fact, have prophesized up to John. And if you would accept it, he is that Elijah who has to come. He who has ears, let him hear!” Jesus does not explain, but says: “He who has ears, let him hear” Elijah had to come to prepare the coming of the Messiah and to reconstruct the community: “To reconcile parents to their children and children to their parents” (Mal 3, 24). John announced the Messiah and sought to reconstruct the community (Lk 1, 17). But the most profound mystery escaped him, that of the life of the community. Only Jesus communicated it, announcing that God is Father and, therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. This announcement bears within a new force which makes us capable to overcome divergence and to create community.
• These are the violent who succeed to conquer the Kingdom. The Kingdom is not a doctrine, but a new way of living like brothers and sisters, beginning from the announcement which Jesus makes: God is Father of all.
4) Personal questions
• The Kingdom is of those who use violence on themselves, that is, it belongs to those who like Jesus have the courage to create community. You also?
• Jesus helped John to understand better the facts by means of the Bible. Does the Bible help me to understand better the events of my life?
5) Concluding Prayer
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works. (Ps 145)
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