Dec/13 amd Dec 14 :Lectionary 188 and 189
8-9. Matthew 21:23-27:
Prophetic truth is one of our themes from the liturgical readings. Balaam,
a prophet and diviner was called upon by King Balak to curse Israel. He
could not and gave us one of the most powerful blessings for the people of
God, Israel. Though he sinned and often took bribes for his soothsaying
this heathen prophet had the following divinely inspired message to the
King who wanted to destroy Israel, "How goodly are thy tents O Jakob, thy
dwelling-places O Israel." These words are uttered by those who enter the
synagogue early in the morning for prayer.
At the end of our passage we have one of the sayings that we Christians
have assimilated and appropriated for the Advent and Christmas season. It
often is featured on Christmas cards: "There shall step forth a star out of
Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel." (Numbers 24:17). This is a
prediction of the forthcoming of a Messiah "whose Advent will be like a
star appearing in the heaven, and he will gather the dispersed of
Israel." (Soncino, Chumash, p.926). This text has influenced our liturgy,
our Christian artists and song writers who see Jesus as that star who is
the Messiah. We will see a contrast with this in an apocryphal gospel
called the Gospel of Judas where Judas, the apostle of Jesus is seen as a
special thirteenth star who helped Jesus bring about the salvation of the
world!
In our own prophetic passage for today we see that Balaam has to affirm
his blessing for Israel with the truth of God's divinely inspired word.
This is his fourth oracle. All of the passages concerning Balaam are
contained in Numbers chapters 22-24; Deuteronomy 23:4 and in the New
Testament in II Peter 2:15; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14.
In the Gospel passage the theme of wisdom and truth are seen in Jesus'
questions and his non-answering of those who were attacking his authority
and power. He counterparts them with a non answer for they did not answer
his question. A stalemate resulted. John the Baptist is the object of his
questioning of them and they were dumbfounded for if they answered either
way they were trapped. Jesus therefore concludes the scene with the
following words, "then neither will I tell you on what authority I do the
things I do." Just as Balaam outwits Balak so does Jesus outwit his
opponents with practical wisdom and the truth.
Our Psalm gives us a good prayer for Advent, " Remember, Lord, thy
compassion and thy mercies, for they have been from of old." Amen. (Psalm
25:6).
Dec. 14, Lectionary # 189./ Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13. Psalm
34:2-3,6-7.17-18.19.23. Matthew 21:28-32:
The "remnant" refers to the Israelites who were deported to Babylon. They
are converted to the Lord again and will be the start of the nation once
they return to the Land that was promised to them and was theirs before
their deportation. The return to Jerusalem is their hope for the messianic
promises to be fulfilled. They together with the "Poor of the Lord
(Yahweh)" place all their hope and dependence on God; they have no one else
to go to. We are called to have such an absolute trust in the Lord and
thereby place all our hope in the promise of a Messiah in the person of
Jesus. He is coming and will not tarry.
Our reading from Zephaniah also gives hope to all the nations. Once
they,are converted the promises include them as well as the Israelites.
They do convert from their idolatry so good things happen for them. The
resemblances with Isaiah are noticeable both for the theme of the remnant
and the Poor of Yahweh. We see the latter in most of the psalms that are
coming from individuals who plead before God in the Temple.
Jesus is teaching the elders and scribes about the true meaning of yes and
no in the short parable that he gives to them. It has similarities to the
more descriptive and powerful parable called the "Prodigal Son" in Luke
15:11-32. Fr. Vivianio has a practical insight with strong exegetical
force: "The parable, like its better known counterpart in Luke 15:11-22,
the Prodigal Son, contains a psychological truth:the son who first says no
resolves his Oedipal conflict by first rebelling and then obeying." For us
we realize the many opportunities that the sacrament of Reconciliation
offers us in changing our no to a yes. The self-assured feign a yes to God
but do not really have the same intimacy with God as those who change their
no to a true yes. It is Jesus himself who gives us the greatest response
to God and Paul picked up on this Yes of Jesus in II Corinthians 1:19-20:
"I declare that my word to you is not "yes" one minute and "no" the next.
Jesus Christ, whom Silvanus, Tomothy, and I preached to you as Son of God,
was not alternatively "yes" and "no"; he was never anything but "yes."
Whatever promises God made are fulfilled in him; therefore it is through
him that we address our Amen to God when we worship together." Amen (which
means Yes I believe).
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 10:13 AM
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