The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to reflect on the fullness of life offered by God to people suffering persecution and isolation.
The reading from the Prophet Isaiah declares “For I am God, and there is no other”.
* [45:8] The Vulgate rendering gave a messianic sense to this verse, using “just one” and “savior” in place of “justice” and “salvation,” phraseology taken over in the Advent liturgy, e.g., the “Rorate coeli.”
* [45:18] Empty waste: an allusion to Gn 1:2, where the earth is waste and void; the same Hebrew word, tohu, is used in both passages. Here it points to devastated Judah and Jerusalem, where God wishes to resettle the returning exiles. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 45, n.d.)
Psalm 85 is a prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favour.
* [Psalm 85] A national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness (Ps 85:2–4) and begging for forgiveness and grace now (Ps 85:5–8). A speaker represents the people who wait humbly with open hearts (Ps 85:9–10): God will be active on their behalf (Ps 85:11–13). The situation suggests the conditions of Judea during the early postexilic period, the fifth century B.C.; the thoughts are similar to those of postexilic prophets (Hg 1:5–11; 2:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 85, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus receives messengers from John the Baptist.
* [7:18–23] In answer to John’s question, Are you the one who is to come?—a probable reference to the return of the fiery prophet of reform, Elijah, “before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day” (Mal 3:23)—Jesus responds that his role is rather to bring the blessings spoken of in Is 61:1 to the oppressed and neglected of society (Lk 7:22; cf. Lk 4:18).
* [7:23] Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me: this beatitude is pronounced on the person who recognizes Jesus’ true identity in spite of previous expectations of what “the one who is to come” would be like. (Luke, CHAPTER 7, n.d.)
Scott McClure comments that in today’s scripture God the Father (first reading) and Jesus (gospel) are speaking in the same voice, or ‘style’: a declarative one. In Isaiah, God is stunningly direct in his weighty declarations about who he is and what he does. Then again, in Luke, Jesus is responding to questions from two of John the Baptist’s disciples who question who he is.
In one series of the Saint’s (John of the Cross) poems collectively named ‘Romances’ comes an imagined conversation between Father and Son in a section titled ‘On creation’. As Father bestows his gift to his Son (the Son’s bride), the Son replies:
‘I am very grateful’
the Son answered;
‘I will show my brightness
to the bride you give me,
so that by it she may see
how great my Father is,
and how I have received
my being from your being.
I will hold her in my arms
and she will burn with your love,
and with eternal delight
she will exalt your goodness.’ (McClure, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Miracles testify that Jesus is the Messiah,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"'In that same hour he healed many of sicknesses and of scourges, and of evil spirits; and gave sight to many that were blind.' He made them spectators and eyewitnesses of his greatness and gathered into them a great admiration of his power and ability. They then bring forward the question and beg in John's name to be informed whether he is 'he who comes.' Here see, I ask, the beautiful art of the Savior's management. He does not simply say, 'I am.' If he had spoken this, it would have been true. He leads them to the proof given by the works themselves. In order that having accepted faith in him on good grounds and being furnished with knowledge from what had been done, they may return to him who sent them. 'Go' he says, 'tell John the things that you have seen and heard.' 'For you have heard indeed,' he says, 'that I have raised the dead by the all-powerful word and by the touch of the hand. While you stood by, you have also seen that those things that were spoken of old time by the holy prophets are accomplished: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the dumb hear, the dead rise, and the poor are preached to. The blessed prophets had announced all these things before, as about in due time to be accomplish by my hands. I bring to pass those things that were prophesied long before, and you are yourselves spectators of them. Return and tell those things that you have seen with your own eyes accomplished by my might and ability, and which at various times the blessed prophets foretold.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 37) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 7:18-23 comments that just as he did with Peter, the rich young man, and all his followers, Jesus was offering John’s disciples the chance to open their eyes and their hearts in a new way. He wanted them to see the breadth and scope of God’s merciful love.
Advent offers us that same chance. Jesus wants to open our eyes more and more to who he is, even when his teaching stretches our expectations. This is a wonderful season of grace when he can show us that he came to heal and forgive and restore—even when we don’t think we deserve it. Even when we don’t think someone else deserves it. And that’s good news!
“Jesus, help me not to stumble when your teachings stretch me. I want to follow you with all my heart!” (Meditation on Luke 7:18-23, n.d.)
The Franciscan Media article on Saint John of the Cross comments that “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34b) is the story of John’s life. The Paschal Mystery—through death to life—strongly marks John as reformer, mystic-poet, and theologian-priest.
In his life and writings, John of the Cross has a crucial word for us today. We tend to be rich, soft, comfortable. We shrink even from words like self-denial, mortification, purification, asceticism, discipline. We run from the cross. John’s message—like the gospel—is loud and clear: Don’t—if you really want to live! (Saint of the Day, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the theme of the passage from Deutero-Isaiah to reject the idea that Marduk, a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, was more powerful than God who was impotent and hated the exiles. Note the use of the first person singular in Isaiah to emphasize the intimacy of God. Friar Jude notes that Jesus cites His deeds to the disciples of John the Baptist to show He acts with the very authority of God.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Satish Kumar, a former Jain monk, is an activist and educator who has studied both Eastern religions and Western economics and cultures. He writes that recognizing a benevolent universe helps us participate in the flow of generosity.
Soul is benevolent. Compassion, kindness, generosity and inner luminosity are the qualities of the soul. Mind, intelligence, and consciousness are held in and processed by soul. Soul is the seed of life. Feelings, emotions, sentiments, intuition and reason pass through soul and manifest in the world. . . . It is not only humans who have soul; animals, birds, insects and microbes have soul. Soil, trees, rocks and rivers have soul. . . .
The world is how you see it and what you make of it. If you look at the world with benevolent eyes, the world reciprocates with benevolence. If you project suspicion and self-interest, you get the same in return. Trust begets trust and fear begets fear. Recognizing the benevolence of the universe is not to deny the shadow side, but seeing nature as red in tooth and claw and people as selfish and greedy makes us respond in similar vein. If we sow seeds of malevolence, malevolence will grow; if we sow seeds of benevolence, benevolence will grow. (Rohr, 2022)
We find the questions of the disciples of John the Baptist resonate with us as we navigate the tension between the indifference and greed in our time and the life giving self sacrifice of Jesus Way.
References
Isaiah, CHAPTER 45. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/45?6
Luke, CHAPTER 7. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/7
McClure, S. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121422.html
Meditation on Luke 7:18-23. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/12/14/554497/
Psalms, PSALM 85. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/85?9
Rohr, R. (2022, December 14). Growing Benevolence — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/growing-benevolence-2022-12-14/
Saint of the Day. (n.d.). Franciscan Media. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=dec14
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