Faith

From the abundance of the heart – Tuesday, 1st Week in ordinary time – Mark 1:21b-28

The Gospel of Mark tells us the Jesus enters Capernaum, an ancient fishing village, with his band of four disciples whom he had called to follow. We are told that Jesus entered the synagogue and he taught there. If you go to Capernaum today you will still see the Capernaum synagogue known also as the white Synagogue. This is a fourth century AD synagogue built on the remains of an earlier first century AD synagogue which Jesus taught in.

Synagogues or as they were called in Greek, ‘synagein’ translates as ‘to bring together’ or ‘a place of assembly.’ Synagogues were the result of the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 596 BC. Since the temple was destroyed there was no place for sacrifice and worship. In order to meet a need, the community met in private homes for public worship and religious instructions. With this the synagogue was born.

A synagogue would a have a ruler who would plan the service. We know the name of the ruler in Capernaum even though it is not mentioned in today’s text. But further in Mark 5:22 we are told that the name of the ruler of the synagogue in Capernaum was Jairus who pleaded with Jesus to lay his hands on his daughter. Synagogues did not have ordained ministers as we would have in a Church today. An attendant of the congregation would read the scriptures and someone would be called to interpret it.

Scripture simply tells us that on this occasion Jesus taught and the congregation was astounded. Clearly we are told that he taught them with authority and his teaching was not like the scribes.

Let us look at who Jesus is compared with before we look at how he taught. For four hundred years before Christ, prophecy had ceased. Malachi was the last prophet and from that time on the prophetic voice was lost. In this time the scribes arose to prominence. The scribes were the ones who drew up legal documents and copied the Old Testament Scripture. They devoted themselves to the study of the law and the determination of its applications on daily life. Noted scribes had their own disciples and many of the scribes were members of the Jewish council.

Yet we know that these scribes who preached were only able to quote some other Rabbi or another authority when they taught the scriptures. Compare this with Jesus who taught with authority. To understand why the teaching of Jesus made a deep impact we need to look at this word authority. The Greek word for authority is ‘exousia’ and is related to the verb ‘exesti’, meaning “it is free” or “it is permitted.” In other words, ‘exousia’ is the “sovereign freedom” of one who acts without hindrance.

Jesus is the authority; he did not need to quote someone else. It is for this reason that his teaching came from the depth of his being. In today’s Gospel we are not told what Jesus taught but we are told the effect that his teaching had. We are not told of his diction and style but what happened to the people when they heard him. This inner authority, the power to speak surely and freely, true and unafraid, is straight from God. As such the purity and power of his word astonishes those who heard him on that ordinary morning in that small-town synagogue. This is not a one off incident for again in Mark 6:2, when Jesus enters the synagogue in Nazareth and preaches and once again the people are astonished at his teaching.

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Faith

The Baptism of Our Lord; John protests, Jesus presents– Matthew 3:13-17

The Baptism of our Lord in the Gospel of Matthew, sees Jesus speak his first words and make his entry into the Gospel narrative as an adult. Stepping out of obscurity, his first act is to travel from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized.

John was not the first to baptize people. Jews baptized proselytes into their faith, but did not baptize other Jews. Jews couldn’t imagine themselves as needing baptism because they were the chosen ones. Yet here is Jesus standing with sinful humanity asking for a Baptism being given to sinners as a mark or a sign of their repentance.

Jesus is the sinless one and standing in line with sinners seems to send the wrong signals to those around; or so it may seem. This was an act of humility. Jesus did not need to be baptized but he does this to identify with sinful humanity. This is not the first time he will be associated with sinners for the Gospels tell us that his detractors accuse him of keeping the company of tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners. The Son of God, appears to the religious establishment of the day, out of place and out of step in such company.

But the Jews were not the only ones who would have been left puzzled by Jesus actions that day. We are told that John put up quite a resistance, preventing Jesus from going ahead with what could only seem to others as strange, if not scandalous action by one who was the lamb of God, come to take away the sins of the world.

It is clear that Jesus is emphatic on the role that John must play. Jesus imposes his authority with his demand for immediate baptism; “let it be so now.” The righteous will of God had to be fulfilled. In the Gospel of Matthew, it is not as if this one action of Baptism makes all things righteous. ‘Righteousness’ in the Gospel of Matthew is not an act but an attitude; it is in doing the will of God. The initial phase of that plan required Jesus to empty himself of his Godly majesty to be born in human likeness (Philippians 2:7). The final part of God’s plan will involve Jesus being “obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

To all of this that transpires at the Jordan, God agrees and his agreement is seen in the climax of this Gospel text. One would think that the Baptism of Jesus is the climax of this text. In reality it is the vision that Jesus encounters when he comes up from the water.

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If I do what I know – Saturday,Weekday in Christmas time – John 2:1-11

Christmas time has a surprise for us in this cycle of liturgical readings. We find ourselves listening to the first ‘sign’ that Jesus performed in the Gospel of John. The Gospel of John does not have ‘miracles’ but rather speaks of signs. A sign points to a greater reality. A red signal indicates that if I do not stop there is a possibility of a dangerous accident. There is no danger in the signal light but it points to the consequences of my breaking the light.

In the Gospel of St John, what seems like a miracle narrative is but a setting for us to look for the greater reality. In the narrative of the wedding at Cana, the wedding feast and the turning of water into wine is but a background, a setting if you may, for the reality we are to look for.

The narrative of the wedding in Cana is found only in the Gospel of John. This is the first of the signs that Jesus performs and while it is used widely at wedding liturgies the theological significance focuses our attention to Jesus who is the bridegroom. The image of the bridegroom, used by Jesus himself in his parables was an image of the Messiah to come. Jesus, The Messiah is the bridegroom. Jesus is the bridegroom, the best wine that is served last as a fulfillment of God’s prophecies to send his only son.

Today, I would like to take on a few reflections based on this ever so popular narrative. Reflections that could help you pray and interiorize this text for your own spiritual life.

Life throws us all a curve ball from time to time. We find ourselves down and out or between a rock and hard place. Tough decisions have to be made with limited resource, a retirement plan has been interrupted by an incurable illness or hard work has been met with no success because the recession kicked in. The list is endless. In moments like this we may not know what to do but it would be a pity if we do not know whom to go to.

When Jesus’ mother realized the couple had no wine and realizing what an embarrassing situation this would be for the couple she decided to act. She may have not known what to do but she certainly knew who to go to. She went to her son, Jesus. She could have gone to the wedding planner or the caterer but chose the best problem solver. Who do I go when I find my back against the wall?

Perhaps we do go to Jesus. Life has taught some of us this even though we have made him our spare tire rather than our steering wheel. We know Jesus never fails. But oddly when we do go to him, we tend to give him our manual of instructions as to how we would like our problem solved.

When Mary went to Jesus, she did not tell him the solution she had in mind, she simply told him the need. She does have a word of advice for us and the stewards, (now)” do whatever he asks you.

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Friday, Weekday of Christmas Time – Mark 1:7-11

The Gospel of today is a choice of two texts taken either from Mark or from Luke. The Lucan text of today focuses on the ancestry of Jesus going back to Adam and God. The Marcan text taken from the proclamation of John the Baptist includes a section of Jesus’ Baptism, a feast we will celebrate three days from now.

Mark is the only book in the Bible that announces itself as a “Gospel” (Mark 1:1), the ‘good news’ about Jesus. Mark’s Gospel does not focus on the birth or youth of Jesus. Mark begins his ‘good news’ of Jesus’ baptism as the beginning of his ministry.

Baptisms in our country are predominantly a family celebration unlike a wedding which has a more social celebratory focus. Today’s baptism has the Blessed Trinity in attendance; THE Father, THE Son and THE Holy Spirit; this is a family celebration and we are drawn into the embrace of the three persons of the Trinity to be joined in this family celebration.

The text of today is loaded and we need to listen carefully to its message. We are told that Jesus was coming out of the water when he SAW the heavens TORN APART and the Spirit descending LIKE A dove on him. And a VOICE came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.

The dramatic revelation comes “from above”. First, the heavens are torn apart. The heavens are rent open to indicate that Jesus belongs to the divine realm. The word “torn open” (schizo) used of the heavens occurs again at the crucifixion in Mark 15:38 when the temple curtain is “torn apart” at the moment when Jesus breathes his last, implying a connection between the baptism and crucifixion.

Next the Spirit descends on him like a dove as he emerges from the water. This Spirit will remain with him throughout his public ministry and passion. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist tells of seeing “the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove” (John 1:33). In Mark’s Gospel Jesus alone hears the voice of God at the baptism bestowing upon him the identity: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).

We identify this voice as that of his Abba, his dear Father. The Father reveals the identity of this seemingly ordinary man Jesus from Nazareth by declaring him to be his beloved Son. For other people and especially for us, to recognize Jesus’ true identity we must listen to Jesus’ words and observe his deeds. The announcement “you are my son,” is one of three moments in the Gospel where Jesus is proclaimed “son”; here, at the transfiguration (Mark 9:7), and at the crucifixion (Mark 15:39).

“Why was Jesus baptized?” After all, he is the sinless, divine Son of God, and the baptism that John the Baptist administered was “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). Why mingle with those Jews who have come to confess their sins, be baptized and receive forgiveness? Why identify with sinners? Does Jesus need John’s baptism?

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On the last day of Christmas my true love had two words for me …“follow me” – John 1: 43- 51

The Christmas season will end four days from now on the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord which this year falls on a Monday. This last advent was the longest advent season, consisting of four full weeks but the Christmastide is the shortest consisting of only 16 days.

The Love of God is what has flown through these twelve days of Christmas and it is this love that we celebrate at Christmastime; he is the TRUE love that gives not only during these twelve days but will continue to love throughout the year.

Today we reflect on his love as seen in the Gospel of the day, John 1: 43-45. So far the Gospel of John has told us that John the Baptist redirected his disciples towards Jesus, “Behold the lamb of God.” We know that one of the two disciples was Andrew who is named in verse 40. He and another disciple had spent the day with Jesus. They were clearly smitten with this “rabbi” (verse 38). But now that the day was almost done (verse 39 tells us that it was about four pm) conviction had set in. Jesus is no longer just a rabbi or a teacher for these two disciples. We are told that Andrew goes in search of his brother Simon Peter and having found him declares a kerygma or a faith proclamation, “we have found the Messiah.” In one swift move, Jesus looks at Simon and turns his life upside down. He is no longer Simon but Peter the rock!

But a good thing cannot be hidden under a rock and this ‘rock’ decided to rock and roll. Peter, Andrew and the unnamed disciple become the first batch of ‘seminarians.’ This was a seminary like no other. There was no structural institution, no liturgical garments of identification and no admission interview. It had just one thing, The MESSIAH, who was the first formator of these disciples. Their first lecture was to be on a journey on foot and this was no walk in the park for Jesus had a mission and great was his enthusiasm.

The text of today tells us that Jesus now moves from Bethany on the far side of the Jordan to Galilee in the North. A band of four now grows as Jesus ‘finds’ Philip. No long discourse or sales pitch is required to win Philip over. Jesus had two words for him, “Follow me,” and the band of three disciples has reached four. Vocation promotion has never done better! It is now Philips turn to do what Andrew did for his brother, to go out and bring more souls to Christ. Philip knows Nathaniel and his two-word encounter with Jesus was enough for him to declare emphatically, “we have found him whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.”

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