The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to review how we exercise our Baptismal roles of priest, prophet, and leader in our communities.
The reading from the First Letter of John identifies us as children of God called to avoid sin.
* [3:2] When it is revealed: or “when he is revealed” (the subject of the verb could be Christ).
* [3:4] Lawlessness: a reference to the activity of the antichrist, so it is expressed as hostility toward God and a rejection of Christ. The author goes on to contrast the states of sin and righteousness. Christians do not escape sin but realize that when they sin they cease to have fellowship with God. Virtue and sin distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil.
* [3:9] A habitual sinner is a child of the devil, while a child of God, who by definition is in fellowship with God, cannot sin. Seed: Christ or the Spirit who shares the nature of God with the Christian. (1 John, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
Psalm 98 praises the Judge of the World.
* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98, n.d.)
The Gospel of John identifies the Lamb of God in John the Baptist’s testimony to Jesus.
* [1:31] I did not know him: this gospel shows no knowledge of the tradition (Lk 1) about the kinship of Jesus and John the Baptist. The reason why I came baptizing with water: in this gospel, John’s baptism is not connected with forgiveness of sins; its purpose is revelatory, that Jesus may be made known to Israel.
* [1:32] Like a dove: a symbol of the new creation (Gn 8:8) or the community of Israel (Hos 11:11). Remain: the first use of a favorite verb in John, emphasizing the permanency of the relationship between Father and Son (as here) and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.
* [1:34] The Son of God: this reading is supported by good Greek manuscripts, including the Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri and the Vatican Codex, but is suspect because it harmonizes this passage with the synoptic version: “This is my beloved Son” (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22). The poorly attested alternate reading, “God’s chosen One,” is probably a reference to the Servant of Yahweh (Is 42:1). (John, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
Suzanne Braddock remembers when she was a very young child, her mother read to her from a book showing Mary teaching Jesus about the night sky and its Creator from the flat roof of their dwelling. She has been drawn to the night sky and to God since then.
Father Pat ( Fr. Patrick Malone, S.J. ) again: “…faith is what brings us into the deepest truth of our lives. It is a buried truth that says we are in the image of an unlimited, unrestricted, unimaginable love….In whose image and likeness do we see ourselves?....We know we are always held, always invited to feel the healing closeness of Christ. It is hard to explain logically a religion where we have a God who gets absurdly close, so close that (boundaries) between what is human and what is sacred become blurry. So incredibly close that we are forced to discern the face of God in all the mess of creation.”
In Exodus Chapter 33:19-23 there is a wonderful passage I have always been drawn to – Moses asks to see God’s glory but God says he will pass by and Moses is to see only God’s back. There are several interpretations of this passage but I like to think of it as we know God by what he has done – hence the creation speaks to us of him and all living beings echo that love song of God. So the God of infinite love and mercy is there for all to see, and we shall see him as he is.
May we all find God in all things and all events, and know that there is Love, there is Mercy. (Braddock, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “John points to Jesus' saving mission,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father, one for all, that he might subject all to God." (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:29-34 comments that when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he gave his disciples one simple command: Behold. Look intently at him. Gaze at him until you discover who he is. This was the whole reason for John’s ministry: to make Jesus known. So today, let’s heed his message and take some time to behold Jesus in prayer.
Behold . . . the Son of God (1:34). “When I behold you, Jesus, I see more than just a teacher or moral leader. You are the only begotten, eternal Son of God. You left your heavenly glory and came to earth to redeem us and show us how to live. When I see you, Jesus, I see the Father. I also see the firstborn of many countless brothers and sisters, including myself! You have made me a child of God, an heir to your kingdom, and a dwelling place of your own Spirit. Lord, I glorify you for your love!”
“As I behold you, Jesus, I am brought to my knees in adoration and praise! I could never understand you fully, but today let me know and love you just a little bit more.”
“Lord Jesus, help me to take more time in prayer simply to behold you!” (Meditation on John 1:29-34, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler speaks of the incredible dignity we have as children of God. The Aramaic word for “lamb” used by the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke is the same word used for “servant”. Friar Jude reminds us of the dove as the symbol of love that connects to the Son of Songs.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that we really didn’t expect to meet any prophets; if we did, he is sure we’d think they were eccentric or fanatic or strange. But Paul writes, “To some [Christ’s] gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the Body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–12, Jerusalem Bible). In Corinthians, he specifically names it right after love, ahead of other gifts (see 1 Corinthians 14:1).
When I think of seminaries for those of us who are supposed to be teachers and apostles in the church, we literally trained people to grow in the other gifts of the Spirit. We educated them, we affirmed them, certified them, ordained them. But in fact, if anyone would dare to think of himself or herself as a prophet, they probably wouldn’t even be welcome in the church. They’d probably be assumed to be dangerous or critical or negative or mistaken.
All I can presume is that there’s some kind of ideological bias here. Why is it that we can’t see this gift, or look for it, or expect it? I think those who establish religion, and those who build churches, have an inherent bias against the charism or gift of the prophet. The prophet is always a challenge to “business as usual.” (Rohr, 2020)
We are children of the Lamb who live in relationship with Christ and are called to share that connection with the people we meet on our journey.
References
Braddock, S. (2023, January 3). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/010323.html
John, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1
Meditation on John 1:29-34. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/01/03/574460/
1 John, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/3
Psalms, PSALM 98. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98
Rohr, R. (2020, July 11). The Gift of Prophecy in the Church. Daily Meditations Archive: 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-gift-of-prophecy-in-the-church-2023-01-03/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Behold the Lamb of God! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 3, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jan3
No comments:
Post a Comment