6/24/2018

SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Isa 49:1-6;
Acts 13;22-26
Luke 1:57-66,80

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist, the last but not the least of the prophets in the OT. As a rule, the church celebrates the feast of a saint once a year, on the anniversary of the saint’s death. In the case of John the Baptist, we celebrate his death as well as his birth. John is therefore, the only saint after Christ and the Virgin Mother  whose birth we celebrate with a solemn feast. The feast is celebrated on a Sunday only once every seven years. This is no doubt a special celebration and that is why the Church could still celebrate it on a Sunday and why today’s readings replace the regular Sunday readings- the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. John the Baptist occupies a very expedient position in the history of salvation being the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord himself made it clear that John the Baptist occupies a very important position in the entire framework of his salvific mission. A solemnity is therefore, the Church’s way of saying with Jesus that "among those born of women no one is greater than John." 

The gospel story focuses and shows interest in the naming of the child and should help us meditate on the function of names. It is quite in order here to recall that in biblical times, and still today in many African cultures, personal names function the way business names do, that is, they aim to convey what the bearer of the names stand for. When Simon showed that he could be relied on as a leader of the apostles, he got the name "Rock." When the sons of Zebedee, James and John, petitioned Jesus to call down lightning from heaven to burn up the inhabitants of a Samarian village who did not welcome Jesus, they get a new name "Sons of Thunder." Names therefore, reveal an essential character or destiny of the bearer.

“The name, “John,” in Hebrew is “Yehohanan.” It means “The Lord is gracious,” or maybe better, “The Lord shows favor.” His birth signals the beginning of a new era in God-human relationship, an era to be characterized by grace and not by law. God himself gave John that name and it was revealed to his father Zachary in a vision (Luke 1:13). That this name was given the child already before his birth shows that God had a purpose and plan for the child. The words of Isaiah in the first reading apply equally to John: "The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother’s womb he named me...he formed me in the womb to be his servant" (Isaiah 49: 1, 5). In the birth of John we see that the philosophy that holds that people come into the world without a purpose, and that it is by exercising their freedom that they create a purpose for their lives is wrong. In John we see that God already has a purpose for His children before they come into this world, and so the challenge of life is for them to discover this purpose and to be faithful to its demands.
The purpose for which God created you and me may require that we walk to a different drumbeat than other people. For John it required that he lived in the desert far from normal human contact and civilization. God’s purpose for his life dictated even the minutest details of how he would dress and eat, since he had to dress in rough animal skin and eat the vegetarian food of locusts and wild honey. He adopted a lifestyle that would enhance his calling in life.
To discern what God is calling us to be we need to cultivate some sort of desert in our lives where we can listen to God. We need to make Samuel’s words to the Lord, "Speak, your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3:10) part of our daily prayer. And, to be faithful to the call of God, we need the courage and discipline to keep away from any choice of association or lifestyle that does not help us along the path to which God has called us. John is great today not just because God called him to a special vocation but because he walked faithfully in the path that leads to the goal that God had set for him.
The neighborhood in which John was born did not help him to realize his divine calling. In fact they wanted to prevent John from receiving his God-given name and identity. They wanted to give him his father’s name "Zachary." They objected to his being named John because "None of your relatives has this name" (Luke 1:61). For them what a child can be is determined by what his family and lineage has been. Their dream of a wonderful future for the child is limited by his family background. But God’s dream for us far exceeds anything that has been in our family background.
We are also part of God's plan. We have a function, a responsibility to the Kingdom. What exactly is your role? What is my role? We know in general, but the specifics become more evident as life progresses. In general, I am a priest, and therefore I have a role as an intermediary for God's people. You may be married. Therefore, in general, your role is to find God in your spouse and allow him or her to find God in you. You may be a parent. Therefore, in general, your role is to lead your children to God. You may be single. Therefore, in general, your role is to give witness to the world as a dedicated Christian and moral single. You may be a Teen. Therefore you have a role to prepare for your future so you can assume your responsibilities as a leader in the faith. These are our general roles in God's plan, but how about our specific roles?
As we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist and read the marvelous story of how he got his God-given name, let us ask ourselves: If I am now to receive a new name, a name that represents my God-given identity and calling in life, what would that name be? If you do not know your God-given name, the name which represents all that God sent you into the world to be and to accomplish, then it is time to find out by listening in prayer. This is because our greatness as children of God, like the greatness of John the Baptist, consists in discovering what God had created us to be and living out the demands of that call without compromise.
We have a lot to learn today from the birth John the Baptist.  In the first place his life and ministry was totally under divine will and direction. He cued into this divine plan and direction till he died in active service. We have been called individually for specific missions. God has a plan for each and every one of us (Jer. 29:11). We are blessed and greatly too if we discover and work in accordance with God’s plan. Do not work in another person’s plan. Work with the plan God has set for you. Most people have abandoned the life they should live and are living the lives of others. You are special the way you are and God loves you that way.

We see in the life of John the Baptist humility at its best. He never arrogated to himself anything that did not pertain to him. For those who were confusing him with the messiah he said: “I am not the messiah!” (John 1:20). He went further to state that the messiah is greater than him. On the day of Christ’s baptism he also displayed a heart touching humility by asking Christ to rather baptize him. (Matt. 3:14). We are called upon to reflect humility always in our lives. One of the best ways to achieve this is to know our positions and maintain them.

Truth was the hallmark of John’s ministry. We all know that he came to bear witness to the truth. Of course our Lord is the Truth itself (Jn. 14:6). His martyrdom was entirely on account of the truth (Matt. 14:1-12). Our advertence to the truth must be in season and out of season. Truth must always be told because it exalts God.

We can with confidence say that John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament Prophets. In his manner and speech he clearly has something of Jeremiah or Elijah about him. But you could certainly also say that John the Baptist was the first of the New Testament Prophets, the very first of the witnesses to Christ. There is always a need for prophets in the Church and God has not been neglectful in providing them. There are people in our own day who speak up for Christ. In recent times we can think of Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul, Oscar Romero, Josephine Bakhita and so on. We may not consider ourselves saints but each of us can make a spiritual impression on the world in our own way.

Mother Teresa relates this incident from her life. Once a man came to the home for the dying in Kalighat, and just walked straight into the ward. Mother Teresa was sitting there. A while later the man came to Mother and said to her, “I came here with so much hate in my heart; hate for God and hate for man. I came here empty and embittered, and I saw a Sister giving her wholehearted attention to that patient there and realized that God still lives. Now I go out a different man. I believe there is a God and he loves us still.” That sister paved the way for God in that embittered man’s life. John the Baptist, as foretold by the prophet Isaiah was the voice that was making the way straight for the Lord. He facilitated the coming of Jesus. He paved the way for Christ’s coming by his austere life, preaching and death.

Each of us is capable of being a Prophet of the New Testament. Each of us can make an impact for Christ on our neighbours. As we have seen the name John means God will show him favour. But as we recognise this favour is shown not only to John, it is shown to all of us. Paul was invited to say a few words in the synagogue of Antioch he stood up and gave the beautiful account of the history of salvation that we heard in the second reading today. And he concluded it by saying to his Jewish brothers: this message of salvation is meant for you. He speaks to the Jews of Antioch but he also speaks to us. This message of salvation is meant for us too. We receive the salvation Christ won for us but we are also, like John, its heralds. We too proclaim a Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. We too reject sin and proclaim our belief in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

6/16/2018

Eleventh Sunday of the Year, B


ELEVENTH SUNDAY OF THE YEAR B

Ez 17.22-24; 2 Cor 5.6-10; Mk 4.26-34

We walk by Faith Not by Sight

When we turn to the readings proposed for our meditation this Sunday for some instructions for life, our Lord puts before us in the Gospel passage two “growing” parables.  The first reading and the Gospel passage speak about seeds, the root of all great things, which germinate and grow into great trees with accommodative branches for birds of the air. All that a seed requires is a fertile soil to germinate and to produce abundantly.  A good seed would thus need a good soil; if either is deficient the outcome will be a depreciated harvest. In the parable it is as if man simply sleeps and wakes, day after day and the seeds we sow just sprout and grow of course with God being in control.  

In the first reading, Ezekiel tells us how the Lord God of Israel will send a descendant of King David as His Messiah and the Savior of the world. The Messiah is originating in a royal family (lofty Cedar, David). In the second reading, St. Paul teaches the Corinthian Christians that they are to advance the growth of God’s Kingdom and His rule in their lives by doing His will so that they may be amply rewarded in the final judgment. In the Gospel passage, Jesus compares the growth of the Kingdom of God to the germination of a wheat seed and that of a tiny mustard seed. Both have very small beginnings. The wheat seeds, by gradual but steady growth, give the farmer a bumper crop. In the same way, the life principle in a tiny mustard seed enables it to grow into a large bush. The reign of God in human hearts and the growth of the Church in the world also have small beginnings. But the Source of all life, God the Holy Spirit, gives to both a steady, persistent and gigantic growth, provided we cooperate with His grace.

The first parable on the seed growing secretly and invisibly is about many of us who have not been able to rise to the average level of livelihood because they do not appreciate the fact that great things begin small. Many have the intention of becoming successful men and women but wish to start big.  Often such people experience great setbacks before the first anniversary of their enterprise.  This is not the experience even from the Bible:

Abraham to whom God made the promise of being the father of a great nation came from the then small insignificant city of Ur of the Chaldeans (Gen. 11:28, 15).

Joseph who became a prime minister in the palace of Pharaoh was a prime suspect awaiting death sentence. (Gen. 39.20; 40.41-45).

Moses who later became the instrument of liberation for the people of Israel from Egypt was salvaged from the riverside by the daughter of pharaoh. (Ex. 2.5).

David the youngest of the sons of Jesse was finally chosen and anointed the king of Israel ( I King 16.11-13).  The smallest became the greatest.

Most of the judges and Prophets were men and women of little worth, but the little in them became great and helpful for the entire nation.
Our Lord Jesus Christ came from the small and insignificant town of Nazareth to become the Saviour of the world.  Of course we are familiar with the saying: Can anything good come from Nazareth?”. (Jn 1.46). 

These are not the only biblical examples of individuals  who made it in life starting small.  All these challenge those of us who, because of the setbacks, problems and obstacles in life, think that God is doing nothing in the world to look more closely.   God is still very much active in our world and He is still in control, leading the world to its appointed purpose, the time of harvest.

The Lord likened the Kingdom to a mustard seed which, though small, grows to become a great tree with comfort rooms for the birds of the air.  From the first reading and the Gospel passage we discover that the seed and the twig are at first small, tender and vulnerable. They could at most be neglected.  The power is not actually physical, hence it lies within them and they begin to manifest their potentials when they are planted on a receptive soil. In the prophecy of Ezekiel in the first reading, God promised that He will take a twig from the cedar tree and plant it on the mountain and it shall grow, bear fruits and be a place of comfort for the birds of the air.

The parable also challenges those of us who expect God to intervene in our lives with immediate flashes of lightning and thunder to realize that God does not often act in such sensational ways.  People who want God to act with visible immediacy are like Elijah on Mount Horeb, who expected to experience God in a hurricane, in an earthquake and in fire (I Kg 19.11-12), only to be disappointed.  He was finally able to experience God in the still small voice – God is not sensational.

The passage is a call to us all to be patient, even in an apparent lack of progress. Very often we wonder how, despite all efforts we are putting into life, we are not yet saints; we wonder how in spite of all the effort we still are far from being “as perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5.48). The passage assures us that so long as we abide in God, the seed of faith sown in us will continue to grow and bear abundant fruits for the Harvest. 

In the second parable of the Mustard seed, Jesus compares the reign of God in this world to “a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its branches.” (Mk 26.31-36).

In a sense we are connected with this parabolic seed.  Left alone we are nothing; we are small, fragile, vulnerable and even powerless.  But through Baptism we are united with Christ and it is through this union, as is being planted on a good soil that we grow, mature and become big solid trees.  It is not surprising then for St Paul to say that he can do all things through Christ who gives him strength (Phil 4.13).

This should be a challenge to us who are reluctant to believe and discount the little things we do for God and are negligent in doing the little everyday things we do for the Kingdom of God to grow in the world and through us. As Christians we are expected to bear fruits, we are expected to be charitable and accommodating.  If God has given us increase, we are expected to give others increase.  Some of us are however, unfortunately so sure of failure more than we trust in the power of God to lead us to the next level in life.

It is true that we cannot stop wars, but we can sow seeds of compassion, justice and forgiveness in order to make this world a better place to live in.  We cannot abolish prejudice, but we can be courteous and kind and have genuine respect toward those around us who are “different” from us.  We cannot end crime and political corruption, but we can be honest in all our dealings with fellow human beings. We cannot wipe out poverty, but we can help those in need. If we have patience and hope, eventually the harvest of what we have planted will take its appearance:  Nations will be reconciled; human rights restored; the vulnerable innocent will be protected, the unwanted cared for and the hungry given food. We may not necessarily even see these results in our life time, but the next generation will.

All of these are mustard seeds, little things that God turns into very significant things, small things that in the divine economy become big things. We should stop selling ourselves short, selling ourselves cheaply, and considering ourselves to be of little worth in the big scheme of things.

As we continue with the liturgy of this Sunday, let us continue to model our lives after the mustard seed or more appropriately adopt the mustard seed mentality by our humility, patience, obedience, and love. May we remember and sustain the fact that great things start small.