BIBLE STUDY #23

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

December 12, 2010

Gospel                                                             Matthew 3:1-12

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, 
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, 
“Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply, 
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: 
the blind regain their sight, 
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed, 
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, 
“What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you. 
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women 
there has been none greater than John the Baptist; 
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Reading 1            Is 35:1-6a, 10

The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
they will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God;
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.

Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
they will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.

The Word of the Lord

Reflection

As we prepare for the birth of Christ, we encounter an adult Jesus in today’s Gospel. Why? For 2 reasons, I think. One, there is not nearly enough material to cover a whole month of masses, and 2) we learn a little bit about who this baby will grow up to be; in other words, what type of Messiah is Jesus? We profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, but we need to know what that means specifically in the living out of our lives.

We start with John the Baptist in prison. He is there because he denounced the marriage of Herod Antipas to Herodias, the wife of his half brother Herod Boethus, which is prohibited in Leviticus 18. While in prison, he is kept informed of Jesus activities by his own disciples. He then sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the Messiah.

Why would he ask this? He’s the cousin of Jesus; doesn’t he know who Jesus is? One answer is that Jesus was a different type of Messiah, one that John didn’t expect. Jewish messianic expectations looked forward to a messiah that was a vindicator, a judge, and a warrior; someone in the line of King David, someone who would expel the Romans, vindicate Israel in its beliefs and practices, and judge all nations for their sins.

Tied in with this messianic belief is the fact that John may have been disappointed and disillusioned because his expected messiah hasn’t yet arrived, so he reaches out to Jesus for a clarification. He may have even doubted himself and his mission. Had his mission, even his life, been in vain?

How does Jesus respond? “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” In chapter 3, John had preached a stringent judge and a fiery judgment. Jesus responds with his and his disciple’s acts of kindness, love, and mercy; these are the kinds of things that the messiah was supposed to do, as we see in today’s first reading from Isaiah. Jesus vision is one of peace and harmony, not vindication and justice.

The important part of Jesus answer is the preaching of the Good News. Healing and raising of the dead have a place in his mission, but it is the preaching of the kingdom that is important. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus conquers sin and death, and makes it possible tor us to live in his love forever, both in this life and in the next. Living in the kingdom means living like a saint; that is, being virtuous, and sharing God’s love with all. No matter how many times we are healed, life ends; what’s more important is what comes after.

It must have been very rewarding and peaceful for John to realize that Jesus is the Messiah. He knew than that his life was not in vain, but full of meaning. Why else would he go to his death without remorse for his speaking out against Herod? He fulfilled his mission in life; the next life of heavenly glory awaits.

John is the last of the Old Testament prophets, he is the bridge between the Old and the New, and Jesus extols him as the best prophet. He was not weak, he wasn’t swayed by other people’s opinions, he wasn’t about worldly pomp and circumstance, but he was devoted and fully committed to the kingdom. He was entirely focused on his mission. He would let no one or no thing distract him in the least from his mission to prepare the way of the Lord, even to suffering in jail and being killed. He fulfills Elijah’s role as the precursor of the Messiah. What a great example for us as we live discipleship. Can we be dedicated like that? Or do we let worldly things interrupt us as we try to build the kingdom?

John also points the way to Jesus. He is not looking for any earthly glory for himself, and he believes that as he decreases, so Jesus must increase. It is speculated that many of the first disciples of Jesus, including the Apostles, were disciples of John first.

Jesus also gives us hope by saying that the least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist. Imagine what it must be like, if you can: to bask in the light of salvation. It must be incredible. I think when we get to heaven we will realize that any and every sacrifice we made for God was worthwhile.

This Sunday is also known as Gaudete Sunday. This term means rejoice, and is taken from Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” There should be joyful expectation for the Lord’s birth and Second Coming. It’s a reminder that our faith should bring us happiness and joy. Following Christ should b ring us His peace.

We do have a lot to be thankful for this time of year, and all year round: family, faith, friends, careers, to mention a few. Count your blessings and you will realize how lucky you are, even if everything isn’t perfect. God has blessed us in many ways, and we need to give thanks.

Not every one is joyful and peaceful this time of year. Some people dread holidays and can’t wait for them to be over. Some people feel like John the Baptist. He was imprisoned by Herod for his words, and some people feel imprisoned by illness, by a death in the family, by financial reversals, and by broken relationships, to mention a few. We need to keep our eyes open for people who are suffering ‘holiday blues.’ They can feel like no one cares. We need to show them that we do care.

That’s why our giving tree and nursing home projects are so valuable. They are tangible ways we can show people that we care. Imagine being a parent who couldn’t afford Christmas gifts for their children? How sad is that? Imagine being that parent on Christmas morning. What do you say to your children? I know that Christmas is more than gifts, but tell that to a child who has nothing to open.

It must be hard to be in a nursing home to begin with, knowing that you are at the end of your life, and the only way out is by hearse. It must be even harder around the holidays, especially if no one visits you. I’m told that there are over 200 people in the Lincoln Park Nursing Home who never get a visit from a family member, ever. Without us, they wouldn’t get any gifts. Your generosity is what gives these people a bit of happiness, knowing that someone cares enough to give a stranger a gift.

This time of year can be especially hard for people who are suffering from a broken relationship or from a death in the family. While there is nothing we can do to solve their problems, we can offer our support and consolation. We can be like John the Baptist and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to those suffering, even if it is only by our presence and willingness to listen. Showing our love to someone suffering can make a great difference this time of year.

Remember – be Christ for other people, and see Christ in other people.

Fr. Phil