A different kind of heroic

The Advent texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary recall events in salvation history where heroic figures have acted to refocus the people on the relationship with God. The fruit of this rediscovery of Presence among us will be life in the awareness of the love of God. The Gospel of Matthew relates Jesus discussion with his disciples on the return of Elijah. The power which, in the popular view, would force the defeat of the oppressors is associated with John the Baptist who was badly treated and killed in an manner demonstrating that the authorities paid no heed to the message of his call back to relationship with the Divine through repentance. Jesus indicates that His path will include suffering at the hands of those who the people expected the "Elijah" to defeat in a show of the mighty power of God. The expectations for the "Messiah" to save Israel were based on defeat of the enemy by a heroic "David-like" leader, literally with the fire of Elijah. It is very difficult to see the Son of Man, coming with the message of love your enemies and being persecuted and executed by the oppressor as the Emmanuel or "God is with us".