Dec. 8th Lectionary # 184 Wed of 2nd week in Advent
Matthew 11:28-30:
Yesterday we heard of the great comfort God will give to his people Israel.
An unknown author whom we simply call Second Isaiah keeps the voice of God
alive with his prophecy of good things that are to happen to the people God
has chosen. We all are among them with the fullness of revelation in the
Scriptures. Jesus does the same with his pronouncement of carrying our
burdens with him. We have this today in one of the most beautiful and
comforting passages in the New Testament and especially in Matthew
11:28-30. Jesus tells us he is gentle and kind; he is warm-hearted to all
of us who labor under heavy burdens of stress, illness, and over work. It
is he who gives us rest and helps us carry our burdens with him.
The Lord's Prayer (the Our Father) is a prayer that would help us
interiorize this living voice of Jesus and open us to the comfort God gives
us through Jesus in these seven petitions. Perhaps, the "give us our daily
bread" is directly related to the comforting love of the Lord for us. We
say this prayer often in the Liturgy of the Hours and the Eucharist and
probably many people say it in the recitation or meditation of the
mysteries of the rosary. The earliest Christians had the habit of saying
if often--even seven times a day. As a preface to all of the mysteries of
Christ: the Joyful, the Luminous, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious, this
prayer gives us a feeling for what the Lord means he will help us carry our
yoke, our burden, our pain.
The Gospel fulfills what Isaiah is describing. We, God's people, are able
to renew our spiritual strength. We will not grow weary or faint. The
weak will abound with vigor. Yes, Lord, come quickly and give us our daily
bread. Amen.
Scripture: Lectionary # 185. Dec.9th. Isaiah 41:13-20. Psalm
145:1.9.10-11.12-13. Matthew 11:11-15:
Jesus praises one of the great heroes of the season of Advent. He tells us
that of those born of woman John the Baptist is the greatest, but the least
in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist. The words are
paradoxical. We wonder about Mary his mother? Isn't she greater than John
the Baptist? How about himself? Is not the Son of God greater than the
Baptist? We are somewhat puzzled and maybe even shocked by what Jesus is
saying here about his cousin John.
The words however may be referring to the sacrament of Baptism by which a
person is born anew or born from above. Many of us after being celebrated
at our birth are within a week or two celebrated in the sacrament of
Baptism. This is the beginning of our pathway toward entering the kingdom
of heaven. The paradox may be understood when we realize this may be Jesus
way of showing how the Baptism from above in the Holy Spirit is greater
than the baptism of John unto repentance.
Our being born is a great event and then in baptism we are welcomed into
the whole community of believers and are part of the Body of Christ, the
Church. Nature and grace complement each other in these two births.
St. Thomas Aquinas shows us the practical theology of a sacrament when he
tells us "The sacraments are for human beings not for angels." During the
time in which Matthew's Gospel was written, this text of Jesus could be an
insight into the great sacrament of baptism rather than simply a comparison
of ourselves with John the Baptist who was born the same way we are. We
then are the little ones in the sight of God and through our simplicity and
innocence given in the sacrament we are entering the kingdom of God where
the roles on earth are reversed for those of a higher and more spiritual
way of life in eternity.
In the simple comparison Mary was not mentioned by Jesus. She already had
been graced by God at the Annunciation and was so united with her son that
she too was part of the little ones who are in the kingdom of God here on
earth. Her response is easily a way to acknowledge our own dependence on
God given in the sacraments. We say "Yes" in receiving them and with the
Anawim or Poor of God--Mary being among them--we say, "Behold! the handmaid
of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." Amen.
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 3:20 PM
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