The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the momentous life changing events that signified a New Way in our journey.
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| New Way on our journey |
The reading from the Book of Judges describes the miraculous Birth of Samson.
* [13:2] The clan of the Danites: before the migration described in chap. 18 the tribe of Dan occupied a small territory west of Benjamin, adjacent to the Philistine plain; see note on 3:3.1
Psalm 71 is a lament of an old person who finds buoyant hope.
* [Psalm 71] A lament of an old person (Ps 71:9, 18) whose afflictions are interpreted by enemies as a divine judgment (Ps 71:11). The first part of the Psalm pleads for help (Ps 71:1–4) on the basis of a hope learned from a lifetime’s experience of God; the second part describes the menace (Ps 71:9–13) yet remains buoyant (Ps 71:14–16); the third develops the theme of hope and praise.2
Prior to the Birth of John the Baptist the angel foretells he will go before Jesus in the spirit and power of Elijah, today, in the Gospel of Luke.
* [1:17] He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah: John is to be the messenger sent before Yahweh, as described in Mal 3:1–2. He is cast, moreover, in the role of the Old Testament fiery reformer, the prophet Elijah, who according to Mal 3:23 (Mal 4:5) is sent before “the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.”3
Mary Lee Brock notes that while there is joy in hearing the stories of two women who wanted children becoming mothers, she thinks about those who never have their hopes and dreams realized.
Today I pray for people who desperately want children but are not yet parents. I pray for parents who are separated from their children due to incarceration or migration. I pray for parents who see a child struggle with addiction, poverty or other issues. I pray for parents who adapted their dreams for a child with a disability. May these parents be free from shame and heartbreak. May we as a community remember that we all have experienced dashed hopes throughout our lives and may we share a spirit of support and compassion for one another. And may we remember to rely on the loving kindness of God in this season of Advent and always.4
Don Schwager quotes “Born for prophecy - murdered for truth,” by Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD).
"I do not know what is the most important thing that we should preach - that he [John the Baptist] was wonderfully born or more wonderfully slain - for he was born as a prophecy and murdered for truth. By his birth he announced the coming of the Savior, and by his death he condemned the incest of Herod (Matthew 14:3-12). This holy and righteous man, who was born in an uncommon way as the result of a promise, merited from God that he should depart this world by an uncommon death - that he should by confessing the Lord lay aside his body, which he had received as a gift from the Lord. Therefore John did everything by the will of God, since he was born and died for the sake of God's work." (excerpt from SERMON 5.1-.2)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 1:5-25 comments that it seems that the angel Gabriel had something of this in mind when he told Zechariah that his son, John the Baptist, would “turn the hearts of fathers toward children” (Luke 1:17). It may seem an odd role for John, though, to talk about family reconciliation. Wasn’t he supposed to be calling people to repentance so that they could prepare for the Messiah?
That’s exactly what John was called to do, and it’s exactly why the angel’s words were so appropriate. John didn’t tell people just to repent to God. He urged them to get right with each other as well. He told those who were well-off to show mercy to the poor by sharing their tunics with them. He told soldiers to stop extorting and falsely accusing the people in their care. And he told tax collectors to stop cheating their fellow citizens. John knew—probably because Zechariah taught him—that our ability to sense God’s forgiveness is tied to our willingness to forgive and ask forgiveness of each other.6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the nazarite vow of Sampson, John and later Paul. Zechariah never really believed in the power of his prayers. Friar Jude reminds us of how the name John means “God is merciful.”
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, notes Step Twelve tells addicts that they will never really come to appropriate the power and importance of the first eleven steps until and unless they personally take it upon themselves to give it away to other people in need. This necessary reciprocity, a pattern of outflow and inflow, is one that many Christians have never committed to, and the whole religion has suffered because of it.
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous says, “Helping others is the foundation stone of your recovery. A kindly act once in a while isn’t enough. You have to act the Good Samaritan every day, if need be. It may mean the loss of many nights’ sleep, great interference with your pleasures, interruptions to your business. It may mean sharing your money and your home, counseling frantic spouses and relatives, innumerable trips to court, hospitals, jails and asylums.” [2] A little later the Big Book says, “Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others.” [3]
This reminds me of Pope Francis’ description of the Church as a field hospital: “a Church that moves toward those who are ‘wounded,’ who are in need of an attentive ear, understanding, forgiveness, and love.” [4] It does not wait for people in pain to come to us.7
The mission of John to call us back to Love is carried out today in the actions of people who share their time, treasure, talent, and momentous life changing events with others.
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