Faith

The silence of the Lamb- Friday, 26th week in ordinary time- Baruch 1: 15-22

Baruch is known by many titles, all of them in relation to the Prophet Jeremiah. He is known as a disciple, an assistant or a colleague of Jeremiah. He was the son of Nerias and writes the book in 582 BC, five years after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.  

The original language of the book may have been Hebrew, but only the Greek and other versions have been preserved. Stuck to the end of Baruch’s letter is another letter, this one from the prophet Jeremiah to the Israelites in exile.

The setting of the book is Babylon where Baruch reads his scroll to King Jechoniah (Jehoiachin) and the exiles.  In response, the Jews of Babylon send the book of Baruch to their countrymen who had remained back in what now was a ruined city of Jerusalem, for the Babylonians had burnt it down to the ground on 25 August 587 ( 2 Kings 25:8)

Along with the book of Baruch the Jews in exile make a collection and send money to Jerusalem. The obligation to contribute to the support of the Temple was incumbent on all Jews even the Diaspora (those living outside Jerusalem). They request their brethren there to offer sacrifice, and to pray for the king and for them; acknowledging their manifold sins.

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Faith

The joy of the Lord is my strength- Thursday, 26th year in ordinary time Nehemiah 8:1-4A, 5-6, 7B-12

The late Fr Leslie Ratus struck a chord in my heart when many years ago he suggested (and please read this in context to the reflection) that there would be a great reverence for the Eucharist if it was celebrated only once a year. A birthday celebration too, would hold much less excitement and joy if it were a monthly or daily affair. Somehow too much of a good thing is seen by some as not a good thing!

The Boney M song that we sang as children (now you know my age!) had the words, “By the rivers of Babylon where we sat down every day, and we remembered Zion. But how could we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” The song is a reflection of the Jews in captivity. While they were in Babylon, the Jews were not able to practice their religion in its entirety, for they did not have access to the Law of God. For most of the captives, whatever they knew of their faith, came from memory or the memories of others. By the end of 70 years in captivity, they had forgotten far more than they remembered about the law of God.

Now that the wall around Jerusalem was rebuilt providing them security from their enemies, Ezra the priestly scribe and the people along with the elders, met at the water gate which was located outside the city. It was the seventh month; and the occasion was the feast of the Tabernacles. This was a special year, for Moses had prescribed in Deuteronomy 31:10-12 that, ‘at the end of every seven years, during the festival of Tabernacles, all debts must be cancelled’ and on this occasion, the law was to be read to the assembly.

Ezra and the people did exactly what was asked of them (read chapter eight) and he read the law from daybreak to noon, for about six hours. Consider this; these people excitedly gathered to hear the Word of God for that long because they were deprived of listening to the law, as long as they were in captivity. One never heard, ‘oh my God how long this Good Friday Service is!’ Five times in chapter eight we read the words ‘understood’. Why so? Because such was the hungering for the Word of God and its explanation, and when it was given to them, they hung on to every word, and they understood. This was one long six hour Bible study in the hot Palestinian sun.

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The power of knee mail – Wednesday, 26th Week in ordinary time- Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi- Nehemiah 2: 1-8

This book is an excellent example of lay empowerment in the Church; the mission of one man to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem who uses every resource at his disposal for God’s work. Nehemiah was a layman, not a priest like Ezra, nor a prophet like Malachi. He served the Persian king in a secular position before leading a group of Jews to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the city walls.

Jerusalem had been conquered and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC and Nehemiah learns that it is in ruins. It is the month of Chislev when Nehemiah first learns of the situation and takes it up in prayer. Chisley is mid-November to mid-December in our calendar. Four months later in the month Nisan which is mid-March to mid-April, he is on his knees again. Nehemiah understood the power of ‘knee-mail’.

Nehemiah was a cup bearer to the king; that may not sound so important but he was a high official in the Persian court of King Artaxerxes 1 at the capital city of Susa. Susa lay 150 miles east of the Tigris River, in what is now modern day Iran. Nehemiah was privy to the king’s ear and had the mind of the king close to his heart.

Nehemiah learns that the wall of Jerusalem is destroyed, leaving him sad enough for the king to notice and enquire the reason for the sad countenance of his cupbearer. Nehemiah reveals the news of Jerusalem’s ruined fate. The king must have been very fond of Nehemiah to want to help out. ‘How could the king help’, is Artaxerxes’ question. Nehemiah prays to be guided to answer well.

Nehemiah asks Artaxerxes for leave to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls; the king is receptive and extends his aid to this mission. Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem in 445 B.C. as the provincial governor of Judah/Yehud carrying letters of authorisation from the king. He surveys the damage to the entire city on his well-known night journey around the walls. Nehemiah and the Jews (including the ‘High Priest’ Eliashib), begin rebuilding Jerusalem.

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Faith

Hope in a hopeless place- Tuesday, 26th week in ordinary time- Zechariah  8:20-23

The book of Zechariah captures the effort of Zechariah, the prophet and his struggle to restore a dispirited community into action. The first batch of people had come back to Jerusalem after a long exile in Babylon with great expectation of a glorious future. The reality however was quite different. The city of Jerusalem was decimated; its population was poor and struggling to survive. This was not the only challenge as there was the emotional loss to be dealt with.  Most of those who returned still had their relatives in exile and separation was a hard reality to deal with.  In all of this, Zechariah writes to communicate God’s promise of a convent resorted.

Chapter eight contains of promises for the future. Zechariah wanted to present a positive vision for the people. This vision had to encompass the entire community; from the older folk sitting in the streets to the children playing.

Why so? Many families with young children would not have risked the arduous journey back to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile. They chose rather to stay back in Babylon, in the land of exile. Also among those who stayed back, sickness and poverty had taken its toll. Hence the vision of Jerusalem with its happy children was intended to create a positive vision for the future of the community.

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Angels among us- Memorial of the Guardian Angels – Zechariah 8:1-8

The term guardian angel refers to the belief that each person has an angel who is available to shepherd their soul  through life, and to help bring them to God. The feast of the guardian angels first appeared in Spain during the sixteenth century. It was extended to the universal Church and made obligatory in 1670 by Pope Paul V who authorised a feast day in honour of guardian angels. Pope Clement X changed the date to 2 October and Leo XIII, in 1883, upgraded the date to a double major feast.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church proclaims that “from infancy to death, human life is surrounded by the angels’ watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life. Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God” (CCC, n. 336).

This teaching on angels also comes directly from Christ who said, “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven”. Matthew 18:10.

We have learnt previously (see the feast of the Archangels, 29th September) that there are nine choirs of angels. It is from the lowest of the nine choirs, the nearest to ourselves, that the Guardian Angels are selected.

An angel is a pure spirit created by God. The Old Testament theology included the belief in angels: the name applied to certain spiritual beings or intelligences of heavenly residence, employed by God as the ministers of His will.

The English word “angel” comes from the Greek angelos, which means ‘messenger’. In the Old Testament, with two exceptions, the Hebrew word for “angel” is malak, also meaning ‘messenger’. The prophet Malachi took his name from this word. He was himself a messenger, and he prophesied about the coming of “the messenger of the covenant”, Jesus Christ.

Mostly, we use the word angelic to describe another person’s nature. We wrongly attribute this word to the Angels nature, thinking this is what it ought to be referring to. St. Augustine teaches us that, “‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘angel’.

For example the office of the Cherubim was to be involved in the worship and praise of God. They also keep Adam and Eve from slipping back into Eden. The angels saved Lot and helped destroy the cities of the plains and in Exodus, Moses follows an angel and at one point an angel is appointed leader of Israel. Michael is mentioned at several points, Raphael figures large in the story of Tobit and Gabriel delivered the Annunciation of the coming of Christ. In all these cases their office is described not how ‘sweet’  ‘lovely’ or ‘kind they are’. The office of the Guardian angels is to shepherd our soul.

In today’s first reading we find the word “lord of hosts” seven times. The word hosts is a translation of the Hebrew word sabaoth, meaning “armies”—a reference to the angelic armies of heaven. Thus, another way of saying “Lord of hosts” is “God of the angelic armies of heaven.” 

Think about it; God does not only have his armies of angels in heaven, he has one for each of us on earth. Imagine a billion angels amongst us.

My mother taught me to love my guardian angel. She taught me this prayer which many mothers, I am sure taught their children. I share that prayer with you on the feast of the guardian angels.

Angel of God, my Guardian dear, to whom His love commits me here, ever this day (or night) be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

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