BIBLE STUDY #76
SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
February 12, 2012
Reading 1
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.
"The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp."
The Word of the Lord
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1
Brothers and sisters,
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or
the church of God,
just as I try to please everyone in every way,
not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,
that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel
Mark 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched him, and said to him,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning the him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Leprosy is a terrible disease that separated the sufferer from society. If the priests declared someone to be a leper, they had to “dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp (see first reading).” This means that they had to fend for themselves, finding their own food, clothing, and shelter, which would have been near impossible because they had to stay away from everyone. When someone neared, they had to shout, “Unclean, unclean.” Being a leper was known as a “living death.”
The term ‘leprosy’ included many forms of skin disease. As we see in the first reading from Leviticus, it could include “a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy”, or it could be leprosy itself. To protect and preserve the health and well being of the community, lepers needed to be removed from society. It was harsh, but the only way to stem the spread of the disease to others.
Falling on his knees was an act of worship by the leper, and his begging can seem to be like a prayer. He is giving divine status to Jesus. He prays, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Curing a leper was like considered as marvelous as raising the dead (Numbers 12:10-12, 2 Kings 5:7). This is an important Christological revelation: only God can raise the dead, therefore Jesus is God.
Jesus is “moved with pity,” not the usual reaction to a leper. A meeting with a leper could turn violent; at the least, people would be repulsed and stay at a safe distance. Look how desperate the leper was: normally, he would never come close to a person. Jesus was his last hope. He is not only our last hope, but our only hope.
By touching the leper, Jesus becomes unclean. It shows the depth of his compassion for the suffering. We will see throughout the Gospels his compassion for the poor, marginalized, suffering, sinners, and outcasts of society. The least of society has become the most favored by God.
The actual healing comes about by Jesus’ word and command: "I do will it. Be made clean." The leper was healed immediately and totally, as normally happens with Jesus’ cures in the Gospels. Jesus desires all of us to be healed. It probably won’t happen immediately and totally as it did with the leper, but his healing power is available to us, as it was to the leper. While we may not be healed physically, Jesus healing power is there for us spiritually, which is the more important kind of healing.
Jesus dismisses the healed man with the warning, "See that you tell no one anything.” This is another appearance of the Messianic Secret, in which we need to take these healings in context with the whole life of Jesus, including his death and resurrection.
He also tells him, “go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." This suggests his acceptance of the Law, and it certainly seems necessary for this man to rejoin society and his family. In Leviticus, the man would have been required to undergo an elaborate ritual. Since priests were available throughout the country, he wouldn’t need to go to Jerusalem. The priest would examine him and see that he was healed. There would be a sacrifice that the healed man would make as a public sign of his healing.
Jesus knew that the healed man would let the religious authorities know how he was healed and by whom. This would show these leaders that Jesus participates in God’s power to heal and to save, and that he has authority over the Law. People would have seen leprosy as God’s punishment for sin. Healing the leprosy is tantamount to forgiving the sin. This healing also shows Jesus power to forgive sins, which only God can do.
The second reading is about respecting the consciences of other people. Some thought it was sinful to eat food that was offered to idols since it made one complicit in idolatry, while others didn’t, on the basis that since these idols didn’t exist, it was a non-issue. Paul said we should respect each others consciences. It wasn’t important whether someone ate this food or not; what’s important is that we “do everything for the glory of God.” Bickering and arguing is fruitless and can be sinful. We let respect others and let them be, and live good lives as witnesses to God’s love.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #75
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
February 5, 2012
READING 1
JOB 7:1-4, 6-7
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-19, 22-23
Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARK 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The healing of Simon’s mother in law begins today’s readings. We are still in chapter one of Mark’s Gospel, so Simon hasn’t as yet been transformed into Peter, which will take until Pentecost to accomplish.
This is the first of eight separate healing episodes, four of them being the healing of women (can you find them all?). The appearance of this healing miracle right after the exorcism reflects the close connection between illness and evil spirits; people thought evil spirits caused illness. It was thought that in the messianic age, that disease and death would be eliminated. By healing, exorcising, and rising from the dead, Jesus is showing us by his actions that he is the messiah, because he is doing what the messiah was supposed to do. Throughout this Gospel, the demons continually call Jesus by name and call him the Holy One of God. Jesus continually battles evil and defeats evil on the cross.
Over 200 verses of this gospel are taken up with healings, which is longer than the Passion Narrative. There are few healings (or works of power, as Mark calls them) in the second half of the Gospel, and these miracles are usually followed by an injunction not to tell anyone. Why? You’d think Jesus would want everyone to know. The reason is called the Messianic Secret. We need to look at the entirety of Jesus’ life to understand him. His teachings, miracles, and everything else he does must be understood in relation to his passion, death, and resurrection. Jesus is more than a dynamic, authoritative teacher; he is more than a healer; he is more than one who has power over life; he is the messiah, the savior, the Christ, who establishes the kingdom through his conquering of sin and death through his passion, death and resurrection. Everything he says and does is geared toward this saving event.
According to John R. Donahue, S.J. and Daniel Harrington, S.J. in The Gospel of Mark, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 2002, the “healing narratives exhibit a similar pattern that is found in 1:29-31 in concise form: (1) the arrival of the miracle worker at the locale of the sick person (1:29); (2) a description of the illness or problem (1:30); (3) a request for healing, implicit or explicit (1:30b); (4) the healing action either by gesture or word (1:31); (5) the effecting of the mighty deed; and (6) acclamation by the crowd or some external demonstration of the healing (1:31c).”
By curing “many who were sick with various diseases, and (driving) out many demons” Jesus shows his power and authority over evil and the many benefits that come from God’s saving power in the world. Jesus doesn’t allow the demons to speak about him because of the Messianic Secret, and he doesn’t want the demons to influence people in deciding who Jesus is (just a prophet, just a healer, etc.) so as to turn them away from belief in Jesus as the messiah and savior.
There is an aspect of discipleship in this passage. By healing Simon’s mother in law, Jesus shows that those he touches and heals are called to be his disciples. Her waiting on them signifies the offering of her time, talent, and treasure for Jesus (or for the building up of the kingdom). The response to being healed is to serve others. When any of us are touched by the Holy Spirit and are healed either spiritually or physically, we are called to a deeper relationship with the lord, but we are also called to serve other people just as Jesus did.
Jesus has balance in his life. He works hard but he also takes time for himself. He knows that to keep feeding the people, he needs to feed himself. He takes time to pray and be filled with God’s grace. After all, we can’t give away what we ourselves don’t have. Jesus prays before every important event in his life, which keeps him on track in doing his Father’s will.
It’s not a question of prayer or action, but prayer and action, which can make for a very busy life. We always find time for the important things in life. Sometimes Jesus is so busy during the day that he needs to pray at night, sometimes all night. He shows a commitment to God and he won’t be deflected in any way by anyone or anything. How committed are we to God? Do we make time for prayer? Do we make time to serve others?
Anyone who has suffered or is currently suffering should read the book of Job (1st reading). Job has everything his world offered, and he loses it all. He loses his family, his friends, his farm, his money, his influence, and he ends up sitting on an ash heap, covered with boils. He could get any lower and his life couldn’t get any worse.
Three friends come by to console him and try to explain things to him. God punishes sinners, they say, you’re being punished, so therefore you must be a sinner. But we know that’s not true, because Job is earlier described as “blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil (1:8).”
The end result is that we can’t understand suffering, which is so much more complicated and mysterious and resists easy explanations. Job realizes this, and submits himself to God, who is with us to console and strengthen us in our suffering. We can join in the redemptive suffering and mystery of Christ to receive meaning and purpose and hope. Like Job, we know the power of God and know that he is the one to turn to in times of trouble.
In the second reading from the 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, Paul has had a personal experience of the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and feels compelled to preach the Gospel because he received it directly from Jesus which he offers free of charge. He is very committed and he makes himself a slave to all to preach salvation to as many as he can. He says something interesting, “What then is my recompense?”
At funerals, my main concern in my homily is to give people hope that their loved one is in heaven. But what if that person lived a marginal life? A life directed more at earthly than heavenly things? Some day, someone is going to figure that out and say to me, “If it’s that easy to be saved, why be a Christian?” It’s St Paul saying, “What then is my recompense?”
My answer would be that virtue is its own reward. When we live as God commands and are virtuous, we are living the best possible life, which should fill us with meaning, peace and joy. It’s impossible to live well with the hope of a future salvation but nothing in the here and now; and God is not that stingy or demanding, anyway. God will not be outdone in generosity and will repay us 30 or 60 or a 100 fold for whatever we do. That is our recompense: an enviable life filled with God’s grace.
Fr. Phil
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
February 5, 2012
READING 1
JOB 7:1-4, 6-7
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of hirelings?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been allotted to me.
If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"
then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
1 CORINTHIANS 9:16-19, 22-23
Brothers and sisters:
If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,
for an obligation has been imposed on me,
and woe to me if I do not preach it!
If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,
but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
What then is my recompense?
That, when I preach,
I offer the gospel free of charge
so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
Although I am free in regard to all,
I have made myself a slave to all
so as to win over as many as possible.
To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.
I have become all things to all, to save at least some.
All this I do for the sake of the gospel,
so that I too may have a share in it.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARK 1:29-39
On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn, he left
and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues,
preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The healing of Simon’s mother in law begins today’s readings. We are still in chapter one of Mark’s Gospel, so Simon hasn’t as yet been transformed into Peter, which will take until Pentecost to accomplish.
This is the first of eight separate healing episodes, four of them being the healing of women (can you find them all?). The appearance of this healing miracle right after the exorcism reflects the close connection between illness and evil spirits; people thought evil spirits caused illness. It was thought that in the messianic age, that disease and death would be eliminated. By healing, exorcising, and rising from the dead, Jesus is showing us by his actions that he is the messiah, because he is doing what the messiah was supposed to do. Throughout this Gospel, the demons continually call Jesus by name and call him the Holy One of God. Jesus continually battles evil and defeats evil on the cross.
Over 200 verses of this gospel are taken up with healings, which is longer than the Passion Narrative. There are few healings (or works of power, as Mark calls them) in the second half of the Gospel, and these miracles are usually followed by an injunction not to tell anyone. Why? You’d think Jesus would want everyone to know. The reason is called the Messianic Secret. We need to look at the entirety of Jesus’ life to understand him. His teachings, miracles, and everything else he does must be understood in relation to his passion, death, and resurrection. Jesus is more than a dynamic, authoritative teacher; he is more than a healer; he is more than one who has power over life; he is the messiah, the savior, the Christ, who establishes the kingdom through his conquering of sin and death through his passion, death and resurrection. Everything he says and does is geared toward this saving event.
According to John R. Donahue, S.J. and Daniel Harrington, S.J. in The Gospel of Mark, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 2002, the “healing narratives exhibit a similar pattern that is found in 1:29-31 in concise form: (1) the arrival of the miracle worker at the locale of the sick person (1:29); (2) a description of the illness or problem (1:30); (3) a request for healing, implicit or explicit (1:30b); (4) the healing action either by gesture or word (1:31); (5) the effecting of the mighty deed; and (6) acclamation by the crowd or some external demonstration of the healing (1:31c).”
By curing “many who were sick with various diseases, and (driving) out many demons” Jesus shows his power and authority over evil and the many benefits that come from God’s saving power in the world. Jesus doesn’t allow the demons to speak about him because of the Messianic Secret, and he doesn’t want the demons to influence people in deciding who Jesus is (just a prophet, just a healer, etc.) so as to turn them away from belief in Jesus as the messiah and savior.
There is an aspect of discipleship in this passage. By healing Simon’s mother in law, Jesus shows that those he touches and heals are called to be his disciples. Her waiting on them signifies the offering of her time, talent, and treasure for Jesus (or for the building up of the kingdom). The response to being healed is to serve others. When any of us are touched by the Holy Spirit and are healed either spiritually or physically, we are called to a deeper relationship with the lord, but we are also called to serve other people just as Jesus did.
Jesus has balance in his life. He works hard but he also takes time for himself. He knows that to keep feeding the people, he needs to feed himself. He takes time to pray and be filled with God’s grace. After all, we can’t give away what we ourselves don’t have. Jesus prays before every important event in his life, which keeps him on track in doing his Father’s will.
It’s not a question of prayer or action, but prayer and action, which can make for a very busy life. We always find time for the important things in life. Sometimes Jesus is so busy during the day that he needs to pray at night, sometimes all night. He shows a commitment to God and he won’t be deflected in any way by anyone or anything. How committed are we to God? Do we make time for prayer? Do we make time to serve others?
Anyone who has suffered or is currently suffering should read the book of Job (1st reading). Job has everything his world offered, and he loses it all. He loses his family, his friends, his farm, his money, his influence, and he ends up sitting on an ash heap, covered with boils. He could get any lower and his life couldn’t get any worse.
Three friends come by to console him and try to explain things to him. God punishes sinners, they say, you’re being punished, so therefore you must be a sinner. But we know that’s not true, because Job is earlier described as “blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil (1:8).”
The end result is that we can’t understand suffering, which is so much more complicated and mysterious and resists easy explanations. Job realizes this, and submits himself to God, who is with us to console and strengthen us in our suffering. We can join in the redemptive suffering and mystery of Christ to receive meaning and purpose and hope. Like Job, we know the power of God and know that he is the one to turn to in times of trouble.
In the second reading from the 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, Paul has had a personal experience of the risen Christ on the road to Damascus and feels compelled to preach the Gospel because he received it directly from Jesus which he offers free of charge. He is very committed and he makes himself a slave to all to preach salvation to as many as he can. He says something interesting, “What then is my recompense?”
At funerals, my main concern in my homily is to give people hope that their loved one is in heaven. But what if that person lived a marginal life? A life directed more at earthly than heavenly things? Some day, someone is going to figure that out and say to me, “If it’s that easy to be saved, why be a Christian?” It’s St Paul saying, “What then is my recompense?”
My answer would be that virtue is its own reward. When we live as God commands and are virtuous, we are living the best possible life, which should fill us with meaning, peace and joy. It’s impossible to live well with the hope of a future salvation but nothing in the here and now; and God is not that stingy or demanding, anyway. God will not be outdone in generosity and will repay us 30 or 60 or a 100 fold for whatever we do. That is our recompense: an enviable life filled with God’s grace.
Fr. Phil
BIBLE STUDY #74
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 29, 2012
READING 1
DEUTERONOMY 18:15-20
Moses spoke to all the people, saying:
"A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you
from among your own kin;
to him you shall listen.
This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb
on the day of the assembly, when you said,
'Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God,
nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.'
And the LORD said to me, 'This was well said.
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin,
and will put my words into his mouth;
he shall tell them all that I command him.
Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name,
I myself will make him answer for it.
But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name
an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak,
or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.'"
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
1 CORINTHIANS 7:32-35
Brothers and sisters:
I should like you to be free of anxieties.
An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord,
how he may please the Lord.
But a married man is anxious about the things of the world,
how he may please his wife, and he is divided.
An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord,
so that she may be holy in both body and spirit.
A married woman, on the other hand,
is anxious about the things of the world,
how she may please her husband.
I am telling you this for your own benefit,
not to impose a restraint upon you,
but for the sake of propriety
and adherence to the Lord without distraction.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARK 1:21-28
Then they came to Capernaum,
and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are?the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said,
"Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Capernaum is a village on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. It was fertile and prosperous and known for its fishing industry. It is the center of Jesus mission in Galilee and his home. Recent excavations have unearthed 2nd and 3rd century synagogues and a fifth century church built on the ruins of an earlier house church which is thought to be St. Peter’s house from the first century.
Jesus went to synagogue on a sabbath, showing his faithfulness to his religion and the importance of joining in communal prayer. He teaches in the synagogue and they were all amazed at his teaching. While this passage doesn’t tell us what he taught, it says, “he taught them as one having authority.” The scribes would teach by quoting the Rabbis or some point of law, but Jesus taught because of his authority based on his relationship with God as his Son.
While the term ‘exorcism’ isn’t used, that’s what Jesus does. There are 3 other exorcisms in this gospel: 1) 5:1-20 (the Gerasene demoniac); 2) 7:24-30 (the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter); and 9:14-29 (the boy with an unclean spirit). Jesus is also described as “preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee” in 1:39. According to John R. Donahue, S.J., and Daniel Harrington, S.J. in The Gospel of Mark, the Liturgical press, Collegevile MN, 2002. these exorcisms have a similar pattern: “1) the meeting of the exorcist and the demon; 2) the attempt of the demon to resist divine power; 3) the powerful response of the exorcist, usually commanding silence; 4) a command to leave; 5) the departure of the demon; and 6) various reactions of amazement and wonder, often with the story being broadcast far and wide.”
As Jesus begins his public ministry, this exorcism shows us Jesus plan to take on and overcome the forces of evil. The unclean spirit is called unclean because of its resistance to the holiness of God. The spirit (a demon) knows that Jesus can destroy it. The admission by the unclean spirit that Jesus is the Holy One of God is an admittance of Jesus identity and also an attempt to ward off the power of Jesus by using his name, which was to take mastery over him. Jesus identity was announced earlier at his baptism in 1:11: “And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” is now shouted out and reaffirmed by the unclean spirit, who knows who Jesus really is. As human as Jesus can appear, he is also a person of mystery and power.
Jesus rebukes the demon and it leaves the man because Jesus is stronger than the forces of evil. Since we are powerless over evil, Jesus conquers the power of evil so we can be reborn in love and freedom. His fame spreads far and wide because of the authority of his teaching and his power over evil forces.
Many people who saw Jesus perform miracles did not believe in him or recognize him for who he was. The demons certainly did, however. The Apostles didn’t really understand until Pentecost. God respects our free will and allows us to say yes or to say no to him. Do we accept Jesus in our hearts and let him overpower evil in our lives? Do we live prophetic lives that reflect the power of Jesus in our lives?
In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses promises that God will send prophets from among them, and that they should listen. Moses was initially an unwilling prophet, but was the first mediator between God and the people, and turned out to be the prototype of a prophet whom all future prophets would follow. The prophets found out that it was not an easy job. Prophecy includes predicting the future, but the major job of a prophet is to point out the weaknesses, failings, and sins of other people. We always need someone to tell us the truth, whether we like it of not. We need prophets, but we don’t like them. Nor do we like being a prophet, but God calls some to that role. Is he calling you to be a prophet in some way?
The second reading from the 1st letter of Paul to the Corinthians is a continuation of last week’s second reading. They thought that Jesus return was imminent, so it wasn’t necessary to be concerned with worldly things, such as marriage. He didn’t tell people not to get married, but that marriage could come into conflict with their faith. It can be easy to put someone or something else first in our lives, and our faith suffers. Remaining celibate removes the anxieties of marriage from our lives so we can focus on faith.
Fr. Phil
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 29, 2012
READING 1
DEUTERONOMY 18:15-20
Moses spoke to all the people, saying:
"A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you
from among your own kin;
to him you shall listen.
This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb
on the day of the assembly, when you said,
'Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God,
nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.'
And the LORD said to me, 'This was well said.
I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin,
and will put my words into his mouth;
he shall tell them all that I command him.
Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name,
I myself will make him answer for it.
But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name
an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak,
or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.'"
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
1 CORINTHIANS 7:32-35
Brothers and sisters:
I should like you to be free of anxieties.
An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord,
how he may please the Lord.
But a married man is anxious about the things of the world,
how he may please his wife, and he is divided.
An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord,
so that she may be holy in both body and spirit.
A married woman, on the other hand,
is anxious about the things of the world,
how she may please her husband.
I am telling you this for your own benefit,
not to impose a restraint upon you,
but for the sake of propriety
and adherence to the Lord without distraction.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MARK 1:21-28
Then they came to Capernaum,
and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are?the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said,
"Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Capernaum is a village on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee. It was fertile and prosperous and known for its fishing industry. It is the center of Jesus mission in Galilee and his home. Recent excavations have unearthed 2nd and 3rd century synagogues and a fifth century church built on the ruins of an earlier house church which is thought to be St. Peter’s house from the first century.
Jesus went to synagogue on a sabbath, showing his faithfulness to his religion and the importance of joining in communal prayer. He teaches in the synagogue and they were all amazed at his teaching. While this passage doesn’t tell us what he taught, it says, “he taught them as one having authority.” The scribes would teach by quoting the Rabbis or some point of law, but Jesus taught because of his authority based on his relationship with God as his Son.
While the term ‘exorcism’ isn’t used, that’s what Jesus does. There are 3 other exorcisms in this gospel: 1) 5:1-20 (the Gerasene demoniac); 2) 7:24-30 (the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter); and 9:14-29 (the boy with an unclean spirit). Jesus is also described as “preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee” in 1:39. According to John R. Donahue, S.J., and Daniel Harrington, S.J. in The Gospel of Mark, the Liturgical press, Collegevile MN, 2002. these exorcisms have a similar pattern: “1) the meeting of the exorcist and the demon; 2) the attempt of the demon to resist divine power; 3) the powerful response of the exorcist, usually commanding silence; 4) a command to leave; 5) the departure of the demon; and 6) various reactions of amazement and wonder, often with the story being broadcast far and wide.”
As Jesus begins his public ministry, this exorcism shows us Jesus plan to take on and overcome the forces of evil. The unclean spirit is called unclean because of its resistance to the holiness of God. The spirit (a demon) knows that Jesus can destroy it. The admission by the unclean spirit that Jesus is the Holy One of God is an admittance of Jesus identity and also an attempt to ward off the power of Jesus by using his name, which was to take mastery over him. Jesus identity was announced earlier at his baptism in 1:11: “And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” is now shouted out and reaffirmed by the unclean spirit, who knows who Jesus really is. As human as Jesus can appear, he is also a person of mystery and power.
Jesus rebukes the demon and it leaves the man because Jesus is stronger than the forces of evil. Since we are powerless over evil, Jesus conquers the power of evil so we can be reborn in love and freedom. His fame spreads far and wide because of the authority of his teaching and his power over evil forces.
Many people who saw Jesus perform miracles did not believe in him or recognize him for who he was. The demons certainly did, however. The Apostles didn’t really understand until Pentecost. God respects our free will and allows us to say yes or to say no to him. Do we accept Jesus in our hearts and let him overpower evil in our lives? Do we live prophetic lives that reflect the power of Jesus in our lives?
In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses promises that God will send prophets from among them, and that they should listen. Moses was initially an unwilling prophet, but was the first mediator between God and the people, and turned out to be the prototype of a prophet whom all future prophets would follow. The prophets found out that it was not an easy job. Prophecy includes predicting the future, but the major job of a prophet is to point out the weaknesses, failings, and sins of other people. We always need someone to tell us the truth, whether we like it of not. We need prophets, but we don’t like them. Nor do we like being a prophet, but God calls some to that role. Is he calling you to be a prophet in some way?
The second reading from the 1st letter of Paul to the Corinthians is a continuation of last week’s second reading. They thought that Jesus return was imminent, so it wasn’t necessary to be concerned with worldly things, such as marriage. He didn’t tell people not to get married, but that marriage could come into conflict with their faith. It can be easy to put someone or something else first in our lives, and our faith suffers. Remaining celibate removes the anxieties of marriage from our lives so we can focus on faith.
Fr. Phil
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #73
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 22, 2012
Reading 1
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD'S bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, "
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
The Word of the Lord
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel
Mk 1:14-20
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Mark’s Gospel starts with the preaching of John the Baptist; there is no “Christmas story,” which is found only in Matthew and Luke. Subsequently, there is the Baptism of Jesus and his temptation in the desert.
Today’s gospel is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, which is clearly delineated from John’s ministry (John had been arrested, is in jail, and is soon to be beheaded – his ministry is complete). Jesus now takes over for John.
Most scholars agree that the first paragraph in today’s gospel accurately summarizes the main points of Jesus’ ministry: the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Good News.
The Kingdom of God is hard to define. For the Jews, the Kingdom of God is in the future, and that when it does come, all creation will praise God, there will be a resurrection of the dead, the last judgment, rewards for the righteous, punishment for the wicked, and a new heaven and a new earth (sounds like the Christian view of the second coming, doesn’t it?).
Jesus believed that the fullness of the Kingdom is in the future, but that his presence and ministry begins (or inaugurates) the Kingdom now (called the time of fulfillment). That’s why I think it’s so hard to explain the Kingdom because we only experience it partially – we won’t know what it really is until it comes in fullness at the second coming. It’s what the scholars refer to as “the already but not yet.” We feel the effects of the kingdom (peace, harmony, love etc.) but we live in the earthly kingdom and feel its effects, too.
Jesus begins his ministry with the word “Repent.” This idea of repentance (and forgiveness) is so important that it appears more than 100 times in the Old Testament and 100 times in the New Testament. We hear this concept many times during the year, especially in the season of Lent.
To repent means more than to be forgiven. It means more than doing what we want and asking for forgiveness when we feel guilty. Repenting means a change of heart, called metanoia in Greek. It means that we need to try our best not to commit sin, but also to totally reorient our lives to Christ, to believe in the Good News, the second statement Jesus makes in the beginning of his ministry.
The Good News is that Jesus, through his suffering, dying, and rising, has taken on our sins and conquered sin and death. He has done for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. He calls us to live in obedience to God’s word. Not only do we stop our sins, we live by doing good to others. This means that we are kind when others are unkind; we are forgiving when others don’t forgive; we sacrifice when others are self indulgent; we care when others don’t care; we are generous when others are greedy, and we love when others hate. It doesn’t matter what others do, we have the Good News to tell us how to live. Repenting and believing in the Good News is a way of life, it is God’s way of life for our peace and happiness. It is not easy to do, but is possible with God’s grace.
The call narrative is a paradigm of subsequent call narratives. In “The Gospel of Mark” by John R. Donahue, S.J. and Daniel Harrington, S.J., (The Liturgical Press, Collegeville Minnesota, 2002) there are 6 elements to the call: “(1) the initiative is from Jesus; (2) those called are engaged in ordinary work; (3) the call is in a clear summons to “follow me;” (4) the call is to share in the mission or activity of the one calling; (5) the response to the call is immediate and unreflective, with a “leaving” of former occupations; and (6) responding to the call is not a private choice, but means joining others who have responded as well.”
Jesus says to Simon and Andrew to “"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." The mission is to be fishers of men; in other words, to tell others to repent and believe in the Good News. They are to preach both by word and example. They must repent and believe in the Good News first before they can be effective evangelists. They need to go to all people, no matter where they are or who they are, and spread the net of salvation, bringing in as many as they can. They have to be persistent, because many won’t believe right away, or maybe not at all. They will end up sacrificing for the good of the kingdom: they will give up their families and their occupations to dedicate themselves to the spreading of the good news of the kingdom.
You may be one of those who have followed God’s call and dedicated your life to God, or you maybe familiar with someone else’s call. Those calls would have followed this same format. Sometimes we need to be like Jesus and propose to others that they may want to consider a vocation. I encourage all of you to ask others you think might have a vocation to listen to God and see if the call is there. Sometimes all that is needed is a little encouragement.
In the first reading, we have the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. He is sent by God to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, to preach repentance, because ”their wickedness has come before me (1:2)”. Jonah flees God by boarding a ship headed to Tar shish, but God sends a great wind and storm against the boat. When the sailors found out from Jonah that he was fleeing God, which caused the storm, they threw Jonah overboard and he was swallowed by a large fish and remained there for 3 days. We generally say whale, but the bible says fish. Jonah prayed, was released from the fish, and proceeded to Nineveh. Jonah walked for 3 days preaching, “"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed." Jonah wasn’t charismatic in his preaching, nor was he overly enthusiastic, but the people heard his message. Even though they were Gentiles, they repented, signified by sackcloth and ashes. The phrase “They believed in God” uses the same words used to describe the belief of Abraham in Genesis 15; therefore, they came to be people of faith in God. This says to me that anyone can be an instrument used by God to spread faith. Intelligence, ability, charisma, education, enthusiasm, and knowledge are not required for God to work through a person. When we offer ourselves to God, he will take our gifts and multiply them many times over.
In the second reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul believes that the second coming of Jesus is imminent: “time is running out.” He is trying to prepare people by focusing them on the things of heaven, and not of earth, because earth is about to pass away. While we still believe in the second coming, there are 2 more ways Jesus comes to us: 1) at our death. Since we don’t know when that will be, we should be prepared for that eventuality by preparing ourselves every day; 2) Jesus is trying to reach us everyday in many ways: sacraments, prayer, and good works, to name just a few. If we open our hearts to the Lord, he will fill us with grace and peace, and the second coming and our death will be irrelevant, because we will be prepared.
Fr. Phil
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 22, 2012
Reading 1
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD'S bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, "
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out.
The Word of the Lord
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel
Mk 1:14-20
After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Mark’s Gospel starts with the preaching of John the Baptist; there is no “Christmas story,” which is found only in Matthew and Luke. Subsequently, there is the Baptism of Jesus and his temptation in the desert.
Today’s gospel is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, which is clearly delineated from John’s ministry (John had been arrested, is in jail, and is soon to be beheaded – his ministry is complete). Jesus now takes over for John.
Most scholars agree that the first paragraph in today’s gospel accurately summarizes the main points of Jesus’ ministry: the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Good News.
The Kingdom of God is hard to define. For the Jews, the Kingdom of God is in the future, and that when it does come, all creation will praise God, there will be a resurrection of the dead, the last judgment, rewards for the righteous, punishment for the wicked, and a new heaven and a new earth (sounds like the Christian view of the second coming, doesn’t it?).
Jesus believed that the fullness of the Kingdom is in the future, but that his presence and ministry begins (or inaugurates) the Kingdom now (called the time of fulfillment). That’s why I think it’s so hard to explain the Kingdom because we only experience it partially – we won’t know what it really is until it comes in fullness at the second coming. It’s what the scholars refer to as “the already but not yet.” We feel the effects of the kingdom (peace, harmony, love etc.) but we live in the earthly kingdom and feel its effects, too.
Jesus begins his ministry with the word “Repent.” This idea of repentance (and forgiveness) is so important that it appears more than 100 times in the Old Testament and 100 times in the New Testament. We hear this concept many times during the year, especially in the season of Lent.
To repent means more than to be forgiven. It means more than doing what we want and asking for forgiveness when we feel guilty. Repenting means a change of heart, called metanoia in Greek. It means that we need to try our best not to commit sin, but also to totally reorient our lives to Christ, to believe in the Good News, the second statement Jesus makes in the beginning of his ministry.
The Good News is that Jesus, through his suffering, dying, and rising, has taken on our sins and conquered sin and death. He has done for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. He calls us to live in obedience to God’s word. Not only do we stop our sins, we live by doing good to others. This means that we are kind when others are unkind; we are forgiving when others don’t forgive; we sacrifice when others are self indulgent; we care when others don’t care; we are generous when others are greedy, and we love when others hate. It doesn’t matter what others do, we have the Good News to tell us how to live. Repenting and believing in the Good News is a way of life, it is God’s way of life for our peace and happiness. It is not easy to do, but is possible with God’s grace.
The call narrative is a paradigm of subsequent call narratives. In “The Gospel of Mark” by John R. Donahue, S.J. and Daniel Harrington, S.J., (The Liturgical Press, Collegeville Minnesota, 2002) there are 6 elements to the call: “(1) the initiative is from Jesus; (2) those called are engaged in ordinary work; (3) the call is in a clear summons to “follow me;” (4) the call is to share in the mission or activity of the one calling; (5) the response to the call is immediate and unreflective, with a “leaving” of former occupations; and (6) responding to the call is not a private choice, but means joining others who have responded as well.”
Jesus says to Simon and Andrew to “"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." The mission is to be fishers of men; in other words, to tell others to repent and believe in the Good News. They are to preach both by word and example. They must repent and believe in the Good News first before they can be effective evangelists. They need to go to all people, no matter where they are or who they are, and spread the net of salvation, bringing in as many as they can. They have to be persistent, because many won’t believe right away, or maybe not at all. They will end up sacrificing for the good of the kingdom: they will give up their families and their occupations to dedicate themselves to the spreading of the good news of the kingdom.
You may be one of those who have followed God’s call and dedicated your life to God, or you maybe familiar with someone else’s call. Those calls would have followed this same format. Sometimes we need to be like Jesus and propose to others that they may want to consider a vocation. I encourage all of you to ask others you think might have a vocation to listen to God and see if the call is there. Sometimes all that is needed is a little encouragement.
In the first reading, we have the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. He is sent by God to Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, to preach repentance, because ”their wickedness has come before me (1:2)”. Jonah flees God by boarding a ship headed to Tar shish, but God sends a great wind and storm against the boat. When the sailors found out from Jonah that he was fleeing God, which caused the storm, they threw Jonah overboard and he was swallowed by a large fish and remained there for 3 days. We generally say whale, but the bible says fish. Jonah prayed, was released from the fish, and proceeded to Nineveh. Jonah walked for 3 days preaching, “"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed." Jonah wasn’t charismatic in his preaching, nor was he overly enthusiastic, but the people heard his message. Even though they were Gentiles, they repented, signified by sackcloth and ashes. The phrase “They believed in God” uses the same words used to describe the belief of Abraham in Genesis 15; therefore, they came to be people of faith in God. This says to me that anyone can be an instrument used by God to spread faith. Intelligence, ability, charisma, education, enthusiasm, and knowledge are not required for God to work through a person. When we offer ourselves to God, he will take our gifts and multiply them many times over.
In the second reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul believes that the second coming of Jesus is imminent: “time is running out.” He is trying to prepare people by focusing them on the things of heaven, and not of earth, because earth is about to pass away. While we still believe in the second coming, there are 2 more ways Jesus comes to us: 1) at our death. Since we don’t know when that will be, we should be prepared for that eventuality by preparing ourselves every day; 2) Jesus is trying to reach us everyday in many ways: sacraments, prayer, and good works, to name just a few. If we open our hearts to the Lord, he will fill us with grace and peace, and the second coming and our death will be irrelevant, because we will be prepared.
Fr. Phil
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #72
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 15, 2012
Reading 1
1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19
Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD
where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."
Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me."
"I did not call you, " Eli said. "Go back to sleep."
So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
"Here I am, " he said. "You called me."
But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."
At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,
because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me."
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!"
Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
The Word of the Lord
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20
Brothers and sisters:
The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,
and the Lord is for the body;
God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.
Avoid immorality.
Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,
but the immoral person sins against his own body.
Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
For you have been purchased at a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel
John 1:35-42
John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God."
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
"What are you looking for?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" - which translated means Teacher -,
"where are you staying?"
He said to them, "Come, and you will see."
So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
"We have found the Messiah" - which is translated Christ -.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
"You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas" - which is translated Peter.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
We are now in Ordinary Time, a season of either 33 or 34 weeks, that does not celebrate a specific mystery of Christ (i.e. Christmas celebrates Christ’s birth, Easter his resurrection), but is devoted to the mystery of Christ in its fullness. Ordinary Time begins on January 10, 2012, and goes through March 21, 2012 (the day before Ash Wednesday). It resumes on May 28, 2012 (the day after Pentecost), and ends on December 1, 2012, the day before Advent begins.
A liturgical anomaly is that there is no First Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Sunday that precedes the first week in ordinary time is usually the Baptism of the Lord. Due to the shortness of the Christmas season this year (2 weeks), the Epiphany of the Lord is the Sunday prior to the first week in ordinary time, with the Baptism of the Lord being the next day, a Monday. There are Mass parts for the First Sunday in Ordinary Time, but it’s only used during the week when there are no feasts or memorial masses.
Today’s Gospel makes an important statement by John the Baptist about Jesus, whom he calls “the Lamb of God.” The Apostolic Church would have been familiar with this term, which would have evoked two separate images.
The first one would be the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12, in which the Suffering Servant is led to slaughter like a lamb, and who bears our sins. This would have reminded them of Jesus, would was the innocent lamb slaughtered for our sins, whose death conquered sin and death once and for all.
Secondly, it would remind them of God freeing them from bondage in Egypt. God sends Moses as his agent, but Pharaoh refuses to ‘Let my people go.” God sends plagues, to no avail. The tenth plague is the death of all the first born of the land. The Israelites escaped this punishment by putting the blood of an innocent lamb on the wood of the doorpost, and the angel of death passes over their houses, hence the Jewish feast of Passover. They were freed by this blood from slavery in Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land. Jesus is the innocent Lamb of God whose blood was shed on the wood of the cross, which freed us from the slavery of sin and death to the freedom of new and eternal life. In both instances, John is telling his disciples that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah and that they are to follow him. John would want all his disciples to follow Jesus.
Jesus then asks them, "What are you looking for?" This is a more complicated question than it sounds. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re looking for; other times we look for too little. This question is really a call to discipleship, to something far greater than they would ever imagine.
The disciples question to Jesus, "where are you staying?" is more than asking for Jesus’ address. This question is explained later in the gospel when we are told that the Son dwells (stays) in the Father, the Father in the Son, and the Spirit dwelling in us (see John 14:10-11, 16-17). We participate in the very life of Jesus.
When Jesus says, "Come, and you will see" it is an individual call to follow Jesus, which is initiated by Jesus, as in John 15:16, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” Taking up Jesus command to follow him means a total dedication and commitment to faith and discipleship. They may not understand much initially, but as they dwell, or abide, or stay with Jesus, they “will see”, that is, they will grow in knowledge and grace of the Lord as time goes by.
We are now told that Andrew is one of these two unnamed disciples (traditionally, the second was John, son of Zebedee), and that he is the brother of Simon Peter. It seems that Andrew was probably not nearly as well known as Simon Peter, since he is referred to as Simon Peter’s brother so people know who he is. Andrew stayed with him the whole day, and became convinced of Jesus’ identity; then at 4 pm, at the end of the day, he goes for his brother, Simon. He says to him, "We have found the Messiah." I can hear Andrew’s excitement at his new found messiah, and his desire to share Jesus with his brother.
Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus; Simon’s name is changed to Cephas (meaning rock in Aramaic), or Peter (meaning rock in Greek). It’s interesting to note that in the beginning, Peter is known as Simon originally, and mutates into Peter with the advent and the burgeoning of his faith. Look through the New Testament – he starts out as Simon, goes to Simon Peter, then eventually, as his faith grows, the Simon name is dropped, and he becomes Peter. Peter becomes the rock the church is founded on which will last until the end of time.
In the first reading from the First Book of Samuel, we have the call of the prophet Samuel. He is the son of Hanna and Elkanah. Hanna was unable to conceive a child. She went to the Temple to pray to the Lord for a child and began weeping bitterly promising the Lord that if she conceived a son she “will give him to the Lord all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11).” Her prayer was answered, and she bore a son and named him Samuel, and after was weaned, “she brought him up with her, along with a three year old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the house of the Lord at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:24).” The child was brought to Eli (a Judge of Israel as well as high priest), and Samuel was dedicated to the Lord for as long as he lives.
Samuel was in God’s service when he heard God’s call. Since he was asleep in the temple, some scholars think that Samuel was tending the sacred flame representing God’s presence which was never to be extinguished. Other scholars think that he was in a type of “sacred sleep” hoping for a revelation from God.
Samuel was sleeping, and God’s call woke him. He thought it was Eli – he didn’t understand it was God, because God “had not revealed anything to him as yet.” Samuel goes to Eli, who tells him, "Go back to sleep." Eli didn’t understand either. It wasn’t until the third time that Samuel came to him did Eli understand that it was God calling Samuel, and he responded, “"Speak, for your servant is listening."
This call story is very similar to the call story of other prophets. For a call from God to be effective, it must be recognized as an authentic call from God, and one must be ready to respond to that call in whatever is asked.
Eli was the mentor that set Samuel on his course in following God. It was only through Eli’s direction that Samuel was able to discern his course in life. He was the last of the Judges (King Saul came after him), a priest, and the first of the prophets. He anointed Saul as king at God’s request. He was the one who anointed David as king.
The lesson here is that we all need someone to help direct and guide us, to help us discern our spiritual way, commonly known as a mentor or spiritual director. A good friend in whom we can confide in trust can also be invaluable in our lives. Regular sacraments and daily prayer is very useful in guiding us.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians talks about how we are to act once we have received and begin to follow the call of God. The people of Corinth separated body from spirit, looking on the body as worthless and of no account, and thought they could believe and still do anything they wanted. St. Paul denies this and says that we are one, and our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, so we are to avoid immorality and sin. If we have chosen Christ, we must put off the ways and sins of the world, and put on the grace and holiness of Christ.
Fr. Phil
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 15, 2012
Reading 1
1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19
Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD
where the ark of God was.
The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, "Here I am."
Samuel ran to Eli and said, "Here I am. You called me."
"I did not call you, " Eli said. "Go back to sleep."
So he went back to sleep.
Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli.
"Here I am, " he said. "You called me."
But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep."
At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD,
because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet.
The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time.
Getting up and going to Eli, he said, "Here I am. You called me."
Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth.
So he said to Samuel, "Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply,
Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."
When Samuel went to sleep in his place,
the LORD came and revealed his presence,
calling out as before, "Samuel, Samuel!"
Samuel answered, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him,
not permitting any word of his to be without effect.
The Word of the Lord
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20
Brothers and sisters:
The body is not for immorality, but for the Lord,
and the Lord is for the body;
God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one Spirit with him.
Avoid immorality.
Every other sin a person commits is outside the body,
but the immoral person sins against his own body.
Do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
For you have been purchased at a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel
John 1:35-42
John was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God."
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
"What are you looking for?"
They said to him, "Rabbi" - which translated means Teacher -,
"where are you staying?"
He said to them, "Come, and you will see."
So they went and saw where Jesus was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
It was about four in the afternoon.
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter,
was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus.
He first found his own brother Simon and told him,
"We have found the Messiah" - which is translated Christ -.
Then he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said,
"You are Simon the son of John;
you will be called Cephas" - which is translated Peter.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
We are now in Ordinary Time, a season of either 33 or 34 weeks, that does not celebrate a specific mystery of Christ (i.e. Christmas celebrates Christ’s birth, Easter his resurrection), but is devoted to the mystery of Christ in its fullness. Ordinary Time begins on January 10, 2012, and goes through March 21, 2012 (the day before Ash Wednesday). It resumes on May 28, 2012 (the day after Pentecost), and ends on December 1, 2012, the day before Advent begins.
A liturgical anomaly is that there is no First Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Sunday that precedes the first week in ordinary time is usually the Baptism of the Lord. Due to the shortness of the Christmas season this year (2 weeks), the Epiphany of the Lord is the Sunday prior to the first week in ordinary time, with the Baptism of the Lord being the next day, a Monday. There are Mass parts for the First Sunday in Ordinary Time, but it’s only used during the week when there are no feasts or memorial masses.
Today’s Gospel makes an important statement by John the Baptist about Jesus, whom he calls “the Lamb of God.” The Apostolic Church would have been familiar with this term, which would have evoked two separate images.
The first one would be the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12, in which the Suffering Servant is led to slaughter like a lamb, and who bears our sins. This would have reminded them of Jesus, would was the innocent lamb slaughtered for our sins, whose death conquered sin and death once and for all.
Secondly, it would remind them of God freeing them from bondage in Egypt. God sends Moses as his agent, but Pharaoh refuses to ‘Let my people go.” God sends plagues, to no avail. The tenth plague is the death of all the first born of the land. The Israelites escaped this punishment by putting the blood of an innocent lamb on the wood of the doorpost, and the angel of death passes over their houses, hence the Jewish feast of Passover. They were freed by this blood from slavery in Egypt to the freedom of the Promised Land. Jesus is the innocent Lamb of God whose blood was shed on the wood of the cross, which freed us from the slavery of sin and death to the freedom of new and eternal life. In both instances, John is telling his disciples that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah and that they are to follow him. John would want all his disciples to follow Jesus.
Jesus then asks them, "What are you looking for?" This is a more complicated question than it sounds. Sometimes we don’t know what we’re looking for; other times we look for too little. This question is really a call to discipleship, to something far greater than they would ever imagine.
The disciples question to Jesus, "where are you staying?" is more than asking for Jesus’ address. This question is explained later in the gospel when we are told that the Son dwells (stays) in the Father, the Father in the Son, and the Spirit dwelling in us (see John 14:10-11, 16-17). We participate in the very life of Jesus.
When Jesus says, "Come, and you will see" it is an individual call to follow Jesus, which is initiated by Jesus, as in John 15:16, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” Taking up Jesus command to follow him means a total dedication and commitment to faith and discipleship. They may not understand much initially, but as they dwell, or abide, or stay with Jesus, they “will see”, that is, they will grow in knowledge and grace of the Lord as time goes by.
We are now told that Andrew is one of these two unnamed disciples (traditionally, the second was John, son of Zebedee), and that he is the brother of Simon Peter. It seems that Andrew was probably not nearly as well known as Simon Peter, since he is referred to as Simon Peter’s brother so people know who he is. Andrew stayed with him the whole day, and became convinced of Jesus’ identity; then at 4 pm, at the end of the day, he goes for his brother, Simon. He says to him, "We have found the Messiah." I can hear Andrew’s excitement at his new found messiah, and his desire to share Jesus with his brother.
Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus; Simon’s name is changed to Cephas (meaning rock in Aramaic), or Peter (meaning rock in Greek). It’s interesting to note that in the beginning, Peter is known as Simon originally, and mutates into Peter with the advent and the burgeoning of his faith. Look through the New Testament – he starts out as Simon, goes to Simon Peter, then eventually, as his faith grows, the Simon name is dropped, and he becomes Peter. Peter becomes the rock the church is founded on which will last until the end of time.
In the first reading from the First Book of Samuel, we have the call of the prophet Samuel. He is the son of Hanna and Elkanah. Hanna was unable to conceive a child. She went to the Temple to pray to the Lord for a child and began weeping bitterly promising the Lord that if she conceived a son she “will give him to the Lord all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11).” Her prayer was answered, and she bore a son and named him Samuel, and after was weaned, “she brought him up with her, along with a three year old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and presented him at the house of the Lord at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:24).” The child was brought to Eli (a Judge of Israel as well as high priest), and Samuel was dedicated to the Lord for as long as he lives.
Samuel was in God’s service when he heard God’s call. Since he was asleep in the temple, some scholars think that Samuel was tending the sacred flame representing God’s presence which was never to be extinguished. Other scholars think that he was in a type of “sacred sleep” hoping for a revelation from God.
Samuel was sleeping, and God’s call woke him. He thought it was Eli – he didn’t understand it was God, because God “had not revealed anything to him as yet.” Samuel goes to Eli, who tells him, "Go back to sleep." Eli didn’t understand either. It wasn’t until the third time that Samuel came to him did Eli understand that it was God calling Samuel, and he responded, “"Speak, for your servant is listening."
This call story is very similar to the call story of other prophets. For a call from God to be effective, it must be recognized as an authentic call from God, and one must be ready to respond to that call in whatever is asked.
Eli was the mentor that set Samuel on his course in following God. It was only through Eli’s direction that Samuel was able to discern his course in life. He was the last of the Judges (King Saul came after him), a priest, and the first of the prophets. He anointed Saul as king at God’s request. He was the one who anointed David as king.
The lesson here is that we all need someone to help direct and guide us, to help us discern our spiritual way, commonly known as a mentor or spiritual director. A good friend in whom we can confide in trust can also be invaluable in our lives. Regular sacraments and daily prayer is very useful in guiding us.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians talks about how we are to act once we have received and begin to follow the call of God. The people of Corinth separated body from spirit, looking on the body as worthless and of no account, and thought they could believe and still do anything they wanted. St. Paul denies this and says that we are one, and our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, so we are to avoid immorality and sin. If we have chosen Christ, we must put off the ways and sins of the world, and put on the grace and holiness of Christ.
Fr. Phil
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
BIBLE STUDY #71
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
January 8, 2012
READING 1
IS 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
EPH 3:2-3A, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MT 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The word “Epiphany” is a Greek word meaning “manifestation.” Originally, it was a feast to celebrate the Baptism of the Lord (which it still does in Eastern Orthodoxy) but since the 4th century, it has been linked with Jesus’ manifestation of himself to the Magi.
There is a lot of manifestation in the first 2 chapters of Matthew, who tells us the essence of the Good News of Jesus, Son of God, Messiah and Savior. Matthew tells us: 1) salvation is open to all people; 2) the divine origin of Jesus and his identity as the Messiah (the Christ) and, 3) the world wide mission of the church. This alone would earn Matthew the title of evangelist.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, the city of birth of the Messiah, hence his title as Son of David, and was born during the reign of King Herod the Great who ruled from 37 B.C. to 4 A.D. Herod was a master politician who played off the Jewish and Roman authorities against each other to keep his power. He was also a master builder who built many edifices and fortresses, the most famous being Masada.
The term Magi originally referred to a priestly caste from Persia who had special powers to interpret dreams. In our text, they are astrologers/astronomers who look to the stars to interpret major events. If you look in the texts, they are not named, nor are they numbered. It is our tradition that says there are three (because there are 3 gifts) and gives them names.
There is an interesting tradition arising from the Magi: take a piece of chalk and write the following right above the outside of your front door: 20+C+M+B+12. The 2012 is obviously for the year, and the letters are the three traditional names of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. You are proclaiming to all who come to your door that you pay homage to the new born king of the Jews and follow his light.
In ancient times, it was believed that a new star heralded the birth of a new king. The Magi recognized a new star, and came looking for the newborn king of the Jews. They sought help from Herod, whom would have seen this newborn king as a rival. Herod was already suspect in the eyes of the Jews since he hailed from Idumea, and the Idumeans were forcibly converted to Judaism under John Hyrcanus (134 B.C. to 104 B.C.). The very title the Magi used for Jesus was the inscription on his cross.
What actually was this star? The 17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler thought it was a super nova or a new star; some thought it was a comet; and some thought it was the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. We’ll never know what it really was, but that doesn’t matter. It is the theological meaning of the star that is important.
The Magi wouldn’t have been familiar with the prophecies of the Messiah, so they went to King Herod for his help. They want to “do homage” to this new king, proclaiming Jesus divinity, since we only give homage to God. We see here that salvation is open to all.
Herod summons the chief priests and scribes of the people (this seems to indicate that he called present and former priests and members of the priestly family); they would have knowledge of the scriptures and would be able to tall the Magi where the Messiah is to be born (notice that now they are referring to him as the messiah, not only a king. This must have really tweaked Herod’s paranoia). This indicates the mission of the church to the Gentiles, and the irony that many Jews, like Herod, would reject their own messiah.
The Magi are told that the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, the commonly accepted place of the messiah’s birth (see John 7:42), and is also the city where David was anointed king. The chief priests and scribes quote the ‘prophet’: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel." This quotation is a combination of Micah 5:1 and 2 Samuel 5:2, and is portraying Jesus as the messiah in the line of David.
Herod was ruthless in eliminating his enemies; he finds out the time of the star’s appearance, and sends the Magi to Bethlehem. He asks them to return to him so he can go and do homage. Herod does not want to do homage, but to eliminate a potential rival.
After leaving Herod, they followed the star: “And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.” It seems that the movement of the star was more precise at this point, since they needed Herod’s help previously.
The word “overjoyed” is used to give a heightened sense of the great amount of joy they had upon seeing Jesus. They ‘prostrated’ themselves in homage. Prostrate means, “Lying face down, as in submission or adoration.” They did more than kneel; they laid face down on the ground in adoration.
Gifts were always brought to the birth of a new king; the Magi prostrating themselves and bringing extravagant gifts indicates the importance of Jesus and attests to his divinity.
What’s interesting here is that Matthew seems to indicate that Jesus was born in a house, not a stable. This house was probably had a room in it used by animals and also used by guests in an emergency. Luke’s Gospel talks about Jesus being born and lying in a manger; he never said that the manger was in a cave or a stable. The manger could also have been in a house.
Ancient people believed in dreams; scripture is full of examples, a few we have seen in recent Gospels. They believed in divine communication through dreams, so dreams were taken very seriously. The Magi believed in their dreams, and so avoided Herod on their way home.
In today’s first reading from Isaiah, we are in the post-exilic period (after 538 B.C. when they were freed from slavery in Babylon). The exiles returned to their land and found it quite desolate. As they were facing the reconstruction of their land, Isaiah offers a vision of what Jerusalem could again become: the glory of the Lord will shine upon them; nations will walk by their light; they will rise up in splendor; and the wealth of the nations will be brought to them: a very bright future, indeed.
Early Christians began to see this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus. The light has come in Jesus, he is the Lord who shines upon believers, many come to him, and he is God’s glory revealed to us. Our mission as church is to share that light with others.
I would like to point out that it probably wasn’t Isaiah who wrote these words, but someone in the tradition of Isaiah. This book of Isaiah can be spilt into three sections: chapters 1-39, 40-55, and 56-66. The first section is actually Isaiah, who lived in the period right before the exile to Babylon; the second section is during the exile and is called Deutero (or second) Isaiah, and the third section is after the exile and is called Trito (or third) Isaiah. The whole book spans about 150 years, so there had to be more than one author. Scholars say that someone writing in the style of Isaiah wrote Deutero-Isaiah, and a third person, writing in the style of Isaiah, wrote Trito-Isaiah.
In the second reading from Ephesians, Paul speaks against the age old division between Gentiles and Jews. He calls gentiles “coheirs, members of the same body, and co partners in the promise in Christ Jesus.” There is no distinction among people: all are welcome in God’s kingdom and in his church.
Fr. Phil
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
January 8, 2012
READING 1
IS 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
EPH 3:2-3A, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MT 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The word “Epiphany” is a Greek word meaning “manifestation.” Originally, it was a feast to celebrate the Baptism of the Lord (which it still does in Eastern Orthodoxy) but since the 4th century, it has been linked with Jesus’ manifestation of himself to the Magi.
There is a lot of manifestation in the first 2 chapters of Matthew, who tells us the essence of the Good News of Jesus, Son of God, Messiah and Savior. Matthew tells us: 1) salvation is open to all people; 2) the divine origin of Jesus and his identity as the Messiah (the Christ) and, 3) the world wide mission of the church. This alone would earn Matthew the title of evangelist.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, the city of birth of the Messiah, hence his title as Son of David, and was born during the reign of King Herod the Great who ruled from 37 B.C. to 4 A.D. Herod was a master politician who played off the Jewish and Roman authorities against each other to keep his power. He was also a master builder who built many edifices and fortresses, the most famous being Masada.
The term Magi originally referred to a priestly caste from Persia who had special powers to interpret dreams. In our text, they are astrologers/astronomers who look to the stars to interpret major events. If you look in the texts, they are not named, nor are they numbered. It is our tradition that says there are three (because there are 3 gifts) and gives them names.
There is an interesting tradition arising from the Magi: take a piece of chalk and write the following right above the outside of your front door: 20+C+M+B+12. The 2012 is obviously for the year, and the letters are the three traditional names of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. You are proclaiming to all who come to your door that you pay homage to the new born king of the Jews and follow his light.
In ancient times, it was believed that a new star heralded the birth of a new king. The Magi recognized a new star, and came looking for the newborn king of the Jews. They sought help from Herod, whom would have seen this newborn king as a rival. Herod was already suspect in the eyes of the Jews since he hailed from Idumea, and the Idumeans were forcibly converted to Judaism under John Hyrcanus (134 B.C. to 104 B.C.). The very title the Magi used for Jesus was the inscription on his cross.
What actually was this star? The 17th century astronomer Johannes Kepler thought it was a super nova or a new star; some thought it was a comet; and some thought it was the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. We’ll never know what it really was, but that doesn’t matter. It is the theological meaning of the star that is important.
The Magi wouldn’t have been familiar with the prophecies of the Messiah, so they went to King Herod for his help. They want to “do homage” to this new king, proclaiming Jesus divinity, since we only give homage to God. We see here that salvation is open to all.
Herod summons the chief priests and scribes of the people (this seems to indicate that he called present and former priests and members of the priestly family); they would have knowledge of the scriptures and would be able to tall the Magi where the Messiah is to be born (notice that now they are referring to him as the messiah, not only a king. This must have really tweaked Herod’s paranoia). This indicates the mission of the church to the Gentiles, and the irony that many Jews, like Herod, would reject their own messiah.
The Magi are told that the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, the commonly accepted place of the messiah’s birth (see John 7:42), and is also the city where David was anointed king. The chief priests and scribes quote the ‘prophet’: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel." This quotation is a combination of Micah 5:1 and 2 Samuel 5:2, and is portraying Jesus as the messiah in the line of David.
Herod was ruthless in eliminating his enemies; he finds out the time of the star’s appearance, and sends the Magi to Bethlehem. He asks them to return to him so he can go and do homage. Herod does not want to do homage, but to eliminate a potential rival.
After leaving Herod, they followed the star: “And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.” It seems that the movement of the star was more precise at this point, since they needed Herod’s help previously.
The word “overjoyed” is used to give a heightened sense of the great amount of joy they had upon seeing Jesus. They ‘prostrated’ themselves in homage. Prostrate means, “Lying face down, as in submission or adoration.” They did more than kneel; they laid face down on the ground in adoration.
Gifts were always brought to the birth of a new king; the Magi prostrating themselves and bringing extravagant gifts indicates the importance of Jesus and attests to his divinity.
What’s interesting here is that Matthew seems to indicate that Jesus was born in a house, not a stable. This house was probably had a room in it used by animals and also used by guests in an emergency. Luke’s Gospel talks about Jesus being born and lying in a manger; he never said that the manger was in a cave or a stable. The manger could also have been in a house.
Ancient people believed in dreams; scripture is full of examples, a few we have seen in recent Gospels. They believed in divine communication through dreams, so dreams were taken very seriously. The Magi believed in their dreams, and so avoided Herod on their way home.
In today’s first reading from Isaiah, we are in the post-exilic period (after 538 B.C. when they were freed from slavery in Babylon). The exiles returned to their land and found it quite desolate. As they were facing the reconstruction of their land, Isaiah offers a vision of what Jerusalem could again become: the glory of the Lord will shine upon them; nations will walk by their light; they will rise up in splendor; and the wealth of the nations will be brought to them: a very bright future, indeed.
Early Christians began to see this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus. The light has come in Jesus, he is the Lord who shines upon believers, many come to him, and he is God’s glory revealed to us. Our mission as church is to share that light with others.
I would like to point out that it probably wasn’t Isaiah who wrote these words, but someone in the tradition of Isaiah. This book of Isaiah can be spilt into three sections: chapters 1-39, 40-55, and 56-66. The first section is actually Isaiah, who lived in the period right before the exile to Babylon; the second section is during the exile and is called Deutero (or second) Isaiah, and the third section is after the exile and is called Trito (or third) Isaiah. The whole book spans about 150 years, so there had to be more than one author. Scholars say that someone writing in the style of Isaiah wrote Deutero-Isaiah, and a third person, writing in the style of Isaiah, wrote Trito-Isaiah.
In the second reading from Ephesians, Paul speaks against the age old division between Gentiles and Jews. He calls gentiles “coheirs, members of the same body, and co partners in the promise in Christ Jesus.” There is no distinction among people: all are welcome in God’s kingdom and in his church.
Fr. Phil
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)