Audio Reflections of Friday, December 16, 2016

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Friday, December 16, 2016 - Who do you say Jesus is? Has your response resulted in a transformed identity?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa56:1-3, 6-8; Jn 5:33-36

As we near Christmas, the readings make more and more explicit who Jesus really is. In the text of today, which compares John with Jesus, the point is clearly made that Jesus is superior in every way. This testimony is offered, not only by Jesus, but also by John who is just one of the other witnesses that testify to Jesus. John witnessed to Jesus when he witnessed to the truth, since Jesus is the Truth. Jesus does not need this testimony because he knows who he is and God has testified to him. Thus, he needs no human testimony. Yet, it is given because people are swayed by such testimony. John was a mere lamp in contrast to Jesus, who was the light and to whom John testified. The people were happy to accept from John’s testimony only what suited them. They conveniently rejected what did not suit them. Another witness to who Jesus is, are the works that Jesus does, which here do not seem to refer only to the miracles that Jesus worked, but to the whole of his ministry. This was a ministry that he received directly from God and thus, was a greater testimony to his person and mission than John could ever be. God bears witness to who Jesus is.  Jesus does, and completes, the works of God.

The text of today invites us to ask ourselves who Jesus is for us. He is one sent from God and always seeks to do God’s will. In all that he does, he points to God. He is the one who has come to give life and draw people to God by giving them a new, transformed, identity. This is what one has to realize and accept if one desires the transformation that Jesus effects. There can be, on the one hand, an attitude of rejection of Jesus and his witness and thus, a rejection of the transformed identity or, there can be an acceptance in faith of Jesus as the revelation of God who comes that we may have life in abundance. 

Audio reflections of Thursday, December 15, 2916

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Thursday, December 15, 2016 - When things do not go the way you want them to, where do you look for answers? Whom do you approach? Why?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 54:1-10; Lk 7:24-30

This text appears immediately after the one which was read yesterday and after Jesus had answered the question about Messiahship asked by John’s disciples. It contains Jesus’ assessment of John and John’s role and, in doing so, defines his own identity more clearly. The last two verses of this text are exclusive to Luke. In the three questions that Jesus asks concerning John, it is obvious that the first need not be answered because the answer is obvious. While reeds shaken by the wind might be found in the wilderness, no one would go into the wilderness to see them. The second is answered but its inadequacy is shown immediately. Those who wear fine clothes are not found in places like the wilderness, which is where John preached. The third answer, that John is a prophet, is also inadequate because John is more than a prophet; his coming was prophesied by scripture. John is not merely a prophet, but also the messenger who would prepare the way for the coming Messiah. He is the forerunner of the Lord and is thus, by implication, Elijah, and so is greater than any other human being. However, as the forerunner, John is outside the kingdom since he announces its coming. Thus, even the least that is in the kingdom is greater than John.  John was great and impressive. Jesus is greater and more impressive. John is the precursor; Jesus is the one whom John announces.

There are times in our lives, especially when things do not go as we plan, when we turn to faith healers and others in the hope that they will do for us what we desire. These are like reeds shaken by the wind or, those who, because of their desire to wear fine clothes, milk gullible people of all that they have. This pericope, therefore, moves the reader from searching for figures or movements that will satisfy their spiritual needs, to finding and accepting God’s justice and God’s purposes. The answer is not in our attachment to any movement or human figure, but in our submission to God’s claims on us. The two are radically different.  It is important that we recognize the difference, and check our personal questing from time to time, to be sure that we have not been fooled into substituting one for the other. To be even the least among those who have submitted to God’s sovereignty is to be greater than any of the prophetic figures outside the kingdom, regardless of their appeal or their following.

Audio Reflections of Wednesday, December 14, 2016

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Wednesday, December 14, 2016 - What name do you use to address Jesus? Why?

To read the texts click on the texts: Isa 45: 6-8,18, 21-26; Lk 7:19-23

Though Luke has mentioned earlier in his Gospel (3:20) that John was in prison, there is nothing to suggest that he is still in prison when he asks the question about Jesus’ identity. Here, the question is asked after John receives a report from two of his disciples about the things that Jesus was doing. Thus, a number of explanations have been offered as to why John asked this question of Jesus. One reason is that John, after hearing the report from his disciples, was troubled by uncertainty. If he was still in prison (as Matthew clearly states he was when he sent his disciples to ask the question) then this uncertainty would have been greater. Another reason is that John expected the Messiah to come with spewing fire and venom, but Jesus was reaching out to people in unconditional love. This surprised John since Jesus was not the kind of Messiah he had expected. Another reason is that John, though not sure, was hopeful that The Messiah, whose coming he had announced, had indeed come in Jesus and that would vindicate his own proclamation.  Or, John thought that, by asking such a question of Jesus, he could encourage him to make a public announcement so that all would know that the Messianic age had arrived.

The disciples sent by John repeat the question of John to Jesus. In his response to them, who had probably seen, just then, the healings performed by him, Jesus lists six prophetic actions. These actions are works which both Elijah and Elisha had accomplished, as well as others mentioned in the book of Isaiah. Jesus was not merely a prophet, like Elijah or Elisha; he was the fulfillment of all the prophets. Besides healing those in need of it, the poor were also promised redemption through the preaching of Jesus. Jesus’ answer ends with a challenge not to have a stereotypical view of him or a preconceived notion that will prevent one from encountering Jesus as he is. A blessing is pronounced on those who will not reject him even though he turns out to be different from what they expected, imagined, or hoped he would be.

Jesus cannot be captured in an image, or picture, or put in a box. He remains bigger than anything we can ever imagine. Thus, what is required if one is to encounter him is to get rid of any categories that we may have used to define him.  Jesus fits no specific category and yet, belongs to all of them. We sometimes think we know who Jesus is, what he stands for, and what he is doing, and then he surprises us and does something quite contrary to our expectations. Many scholars and holy men and women have proposed first one understanding of who Jesus is, and then another. They are all correct and all incorrect. Thus, the best response to Jesus is to be constantly open to whatever revelation he decides to make and to keep our whole being open in the hope that we will encounter him.

It is only important for us to constantly realize that God has acted in Jesus, and has been revealed as a God of the poor, a God who wants all people to be whole, a God who reaches out to the lame, the blind, the deaf, the mute, and the scum of society.  God reaches out to tell them that they are loved and honoured because they, too, are created in the image and likeness of God.  The ones who accept this Jesus, will also accept that the mission he inaugurated is now their own, and they are called to join him in continuing it as he would have done.

Audio reflections of Tuesday, December 13, 2016

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Tuesday, December 13, 2016 - Are you a person who says but does not do? Do you say YES but mean NO?

To read the texts click on the texts: Zeph 3:1-2, 9-13;Mt 21:28-32

The parable, which is the text of today, is exclusive to Matthew and contains the first of three parables.  These parables are all addressed to the chief priests and elders of the people, as a continuation of Jesus’ response to their challenge of his authority. Since they remained silent to his earlier question about John the Baptist, the Matthean Jesus begins this parable by forcing them to answer. He does this through the question, “What do you think?” The older son is first asked to go and work in the vineyard. He initially refuses, but afterwards, relents and goes. Since the older son refused him at first, the father then goes to the younger son and asks that he go and work in the vineyard. This son replied that would certainly go, but did not do so. Without any doubt, the one who did the will of the Father was the older son who was asked first.

The Parable does not seem to be so much about Jew and gentile as it is about religious leader and public sinner. Thus, Jesus is saying that the scum of society, though it says no to God, repents, performs the Father's will, and enters the kingdom, whereas the religious authorities loudly say yes to God but never do what he says, and therefore they fail to enter.

Both religious leaders and public sinners had John as a pointer of the way to Jesus and the kingdom. Yet, of these, while the sinners repented and believed, the religious did not, even after seeing sinners repent.

Lip service is easy. It does not require any action on the part of the person who gives it. This kind of person merely says, but will not do. Committed service is more difficult, because this calls for action and putting oneself out for the sake of another. It is not those who say “Lord, Lord”, but those who DO what God wants, who will gain entry into the kingdom.

Audio reflections of Monday, December 12, 2016

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Monday. December 12, 2016 - Do you usually mean what you say?

To read the texts click on the texts: Num24:2-7, 15-17; Mt 21:23-27

In these verses, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus enters the Temple for the last time.  Even while he teaches, the chief priests and elders of the people challenge his authority. The context in Matthew for this challenge seems to include Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple, his miraculous healing, and also, perhaps, his teaching in the Temple. In his response to this challenge, Jesus mentions John the Baptist and his entire ministry, including his baptism. In doing so, Jesus is not being evasive.  He is trying to get the chief priests and elders to recognize that John was, indeed, sent by God, so that they will then be able to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, about whom John prophesied. If they gave the correct answer to the question that Jesus asked, they would know from where Jesus’ authority comes.

The answer of the chief priests and elders that they did not know is loaded with meaning. This is evident in the way they argued among themselves how they must respond. Thus, what they were in effect saying was that they knew, but did not want to say it aloud because that would lead to their being trapped in their own net. If they answered that John was from God, they would have to also answer why they did not accept him and his baptism. However, even more than that, they would have to answer why they are not accepting Jesus to whom John pointed. They could answer that John was not from God, or of human origin, since they were afraid of the people who regarded John as a prophet from God. This leads them to realize that it better not to answer at all. Jesus responds by refusing to answer their question, since they have shown that they do not have the authority to ask it. Since they have not opted for John, they have not opted for Jesus.

While it is true that a person will not know the answer to all questions and “I do not know” is an accepted and legitimate response because of the fragmentary nature of human knowledge, we must be careful in using “I do not know” when we really mean that we do not want to know or do not want to say. We may not want to know because the knowledge that we profess to have will demand a response from us.  We may not be ready for this response and, thus, hide our closed minds under the words “I do not know”. We may not want to say because we are afraid of the consequences that our views will have, on us and, on others.  We may prefer to let things be as they are rather than rock the boat and topple over ourselves.