• Isaiah 55:10-11. God’s word comes mysteriously and gently from above, yet powerfully achieves its effect with us.
• Romans 8: 18-23. The earth groans in travail, awaiting the revelation of the Son of God, the glory hidden within it, which the Spirit brings to fruition.
• Matthew 13:1-23. The parable of the sower and several explanations.

Thoughts for your Consideration, By John Gonzalez

Socrates is known to have said a phrase “I know that I know nothing.” The idea behind this statement and the Socratic Method is that true knowledge comes from our ability to be open to the hidden wisdom of possibilities when we question certain certitudes. If we investigate our assumptions it may unnerve us to find out that our dogmatic beliefs may not be so obvious and clear but if we stay on track what we will discover is the universal truth that our dogmatic statements attempt to convey imperfectly. In the letters of St. Paul he refers to this when he makes his distinction between living under the law versus living in the Spirit. The mystical truths are in some ways beyond human comprehension. But nevertheless it is God’s desire that we share in His eternal word and wisdom and the readings for this week instruct us on how we are to receive his divine word. The caution of course is to not be fooled into thinking that we actually fully understand this divine wisdom by ardently and unreflectively defending some dogmatic statements or beliefs. This will only result in a false sense of knowledge and a limited appreciation of that which is mystical.

The readings for this weekend follow from last week’s lesson about the wisdom of God being accessible to the ignorant while being hidden from those who are socially considered wise or clever. This week the three writers describe the mystical access and effect of God’s divine word. Jesus’ famous parable of the sower seems to borrow directly from the first reading where Isaiah describes God’s great wisdom within the metaphor of a gentle precipitation which saturates the ground and is expected to produce a good harvest. In the second reading Paul offers us an image of the effect of God’s word as it rains down upon all creation. Not only humanity but indeed all creation will be glorified as it is reborn with the Spirit of God’s message. In the gospel passage Jesus offers and then explains the parable of the sower. He lets his disciples know that God’s wisdom is self evident for all to see and hear but social conditions will compromise the access to this wisdom for many.

The human condition is one that desires to pursue the truth. God does not wish to keep His great truth from us. Through the elements of revelation and reason we have had access to the self-evident truths that are revealed to us by the Spirit. We must consider two things as we contemplate this divine wisdom and the meaning that these truths have in our own lives. The first limitation that we must accept is our own subjectivity. While we may yearn for the truth at times we may find ourselves redefining the truth so that it does not challenge our social reality. Many of Jesus’ teachings on nonviolence and uncompromising charity are very much socially disturbing and we continue to have theological debates regarding how we can incorporate this wisdom within the social context. The ideas of the “common good” or the “preferential option for the poor” continue to produce massive theological discussions. We can observe, for example, how these gospel principles are accepted in the underdeveloped context of Latin America is very different from the way they are perceived in the North American context. As we listen to the challenging word of God we ought to be aware of our own subjective approach to this message and recognize the cultural and social bias that we bring to our own interpretation.

The second limitation comes from our imperfect humanity which can comprehend universal truths from narrow perception of our human experience. The reason that Jesus uses parables is because the only way we can comprehend the ineffable is through the use of metaphoric images that are based on our natural reality. To say that God’s house in a mansion with many rooms does not mean that I must literally accept that God has a large and expensive domicile and that one of those rooms has my name on the door. Instead it gives us a symbolic image that conveys the fact that there is another existence after this one and that we (in some way) are expected to partake in this existence. Our knowledge of the mystery of creation is ever evolving and as a result our knowledge of God’s creative mystery (as revealed through creation) is also evolving. In the second reading Paul asserts that creation is not a stable unit that is passively waiting for God to transform it. Instead creation is depicted as a living and active organism that is at this moment undergoing a process of transformation.

God’s word has been given to us to aid us as co-workers that are commissioned to help bring about this transformation. Let us treat this divine word gently and habitually so that each and every aspect of the divine message will grow within each and every one of us.

• Zechariah 9:9-10. Your king comes, a just savior, to proclaim peace to all nations.
• Romans 8:9, 11-13. The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us to bring our mortal bodies to new life.
• Matthew 11:25-30. Jesus offers thanksgiving, praising the Father for what has been revealed to merest children but hidden
  from the learned and the clever. If we take Jesus’ burden upon us, we will find rest.

Thoughts for your consideration: By John Gonzalez

In the Gospel passage for this week Jesus is offering an unusual prayer of thanksgiving to God his Father. It is an ecstatic prayer that professes a mystical union with God but it takes place after he encounters some unrepentant towns that are not quite receptive to his message or great works. Jesus is taking some criticism from the established religious and social leaders and in an earlier verse (16-19) he offers an interesting comment about the criticism that he and John the Baptist received from the leaders of his day even though their styles were very different. John shunned the world and all its social trappings preaching from the wilderness and thus having people come to him. Jesus immersed himself in the world and accepted the hospitality that he received as he went about preaching and ministering throughout all of Judea. Ironically they both received their criticisms amidst the fact that they had completely different styles, John was deemed possessed while Jesus was labeled a sinner.

This is the context from which Jesus offers this prayer where me makes a strong statement about the social impact of God’s wisdom. The point of Jesus’ prayer is to place God’s wisdom apart from human wisdom. In this prayer Jesus suggest that it is the ignorant and simple who will have a greater chance of understanding the idea that God does indeed love them and cares for them in a way that those who are caught theologizing within a particular social context (in support of the Temple authority and their
collaboration with the Roman Empire) cannot fully appreciate. Gustavo Gutierrez tells us in his discussion of this passage that the “little children” or “babes” are the poor, the suffering and the sick, the people who have been marginalized by their society. In this passage Gutierrez comments over the odd sense of gratitude that Jesus expresses at having the revealed truth hidden from the learned and the clever.

The fact that God hides “these things” from the wise and reveals them to the simple is the concrete occasion for grasping what is behind this behavior and gives it meaning – namely, the free and unmerited love of God for every human being and especially  for the poor and forgotten. … This predilection, which does not imply exclusivity, is underscored by the hiding of revelation from the wise and important. An entire social and religious order is hereby turned upside down. [1]

The poor and marginalized are the ones who stand on the periphery and because of that they are not corrupted by social commitments. This liberated perspective will help them comprehend a meek and humble messiah who preaches an altruistic message of peace that will not be compromised by social conventions.  This is the messianic image that Zechariah attests to in the first reading and in the second half of the Gospel passage Jesus invites the poor and marginalized to again find their hope within this countercultural image of the messiah.

Paul guides us along this same lesson but we must be careful not to interpret his dichotomy between the Spirit and the flesh as an attack or condemnation of the natural world which we theologically accept as good. Instead Paul dichotomy refers to motivation. Will our disposition and actions be determined by our social conventions and values whose self interest will be contrary to the Will of God? Or will we be motivated by the Spirit of God that chooses to serve all life within a pledge of peace (verse 6)? If our preaching and actions serves a specific political or economic interest then it should be held suspect. But if our ministry and analysis considers and addresses the actual plight of those who are poor and marginalized than “the Spirit of God dwells in you.”

Our Catholic Church struggles to offer the prophetic and pastoral positions of our faith on a number of social issues that by moral
right must be addressed. This is a responsibility that our Church has and we (the faithful) are obliged to engage in this responsibility as we are all part of the “Body of Christ”. It is fair to critique the angle and positions offered however especially if the social and economic burden continues to fall on those who are poor and marginalized. The Gospel message we hear this weekend  gives us a clear orientation to serve those who are most burdened by our social and economic policies. May we continue to serve God by relieving the burden from those who our society has weight down.

• Ezekiel 37:12-14. God will raise his people from the grave, place his spirit within them and settle them upon their land.
• Romans 8:8-11. The Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us and will bring our mortal bodies to new life.
• John 11:1-45. For God’s glory and for the sake of greater faith among his disciples, Jesus calls Lazarus back to life.

Thoughts for your consideration: By John Gonzalez

There are many points of reflection in this week’s long Gospel passage. What was the special friendship between Jesus and Lazarus? What role did Martha and Mary’s faith have? Why did Jesus weep? Why was he perturbed and deeply troubled? How can we relate Thomas and the pessimistic realism of the disciples? These are only a few points of interest that we can contemplate as we consider this passage. But the focus of this passage and the three readings for this weekend is the centrality of the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of Lazarus foreshadows the cosmic resurrection that begins with Christ and becomes the basis of our Christian hope. As Paul tells us in another epistle, “if there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised then empty [too] is our preaching; empty, too, your faith” (1 Cor. 13-14). It is not important for us to know how the resurrection will take place or what it will look like. What is fundamental for our faith is to know the promise that God made Ezekiel, the promise that God has placed his Spirit in us so that we may have eternal life.       

Theologian João Batista Libânio reminds us that “Humans are utopian beings.”  Many political and economic ideologies promise a form of utopian social vision. João treats the resurrection and Christian eschatology within this framework of a utopian vision. Christianity does indeed offer a promise of hope and we understand the resurrection of Christ as the “firstfruits” of that promise. Christian eschatology has us living in a transitional phase where that promise is being fulfilled starting with the resurrection of Christ but eventually culminating in the final establishment of the Kingdom of God where the power of sin and death are finally defeated by the love of God. The social injustice that placed Christ on the cross is defeated through the intervention of God’s great love. For João this divine intervention is what separates the enduring Christian promise of hope from the fleeting social utopian visions. Whereas utopian visions offer a pretense of hope based on a particular social structure the resurrection demonstrates God’s promise to intervene within our social experience and to validate the social aspirations and hope of all who struggle for justice and dignity. “Through the resurrection of the dead, which is God’s fundamental act of love, the eschatological significance of God’s preference for the poor appears more clearly.”[i]        

Pope Benedict XVI dedicated his second encyclical to the central teaching of Christian hope. In it he refers to the incarnation that Christ shares with all who suffer and the deeply related promise that he offers through the promise of the resurrection. The general promise that God makes to Ezekiel in the first reading is offered to us directly in our own struggles and suffering which Christ shares with us.

“God now reveals his true face in the figure of the sufferer who shares man’s God-forsaken condition by taking it upon himself. This innocent sufferer has attained the certitude of hope: there is a God, and God can create justice in a way that we cannot conceive, yet we can begin to grasp it through faith. Yes, there is a resurrection of the flesh. There is justice.” (#43)

Paul describes this incarnational experience to the Roman community in the second reading when he reminds them that the “Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.”  Not only has Christ shared in the struggle of humanity but he also imparts on us the Spirit of eternal life that we witnessed in the resurrection of Lazarus and in his own resurrection. This Spirit promises to validate all our struggles in bringing the love of God into a suffering world and pursuing justice for all who are marginalized and persecuted. Sin and death will not have the final word, God has intervened in Christ, he continues to intervene through us and His Kingdom will be victorious in the end.    

• 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13. God judges not by external appearances but by what he sees in the heart. David, young, spontaneous and innocent is preferred to his older and stronger brothers. After his anointing the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him.
• Ephesians 5:8-14. Live as children of “light [which] produces every kind of goodness and justice and truth.”
• John 9:1-41. On the Sabbath Jesus mixed spittle with dirt, and with the mud he restored sight to a man blind from birth. This man was later rejected from the synagogue for confessing Jesus as Messiah.

Thoughts for your consideration: By John Gonzalez

The internet age has revolutionized global communications and information sharing. With the situations in Africa and Asia the impact of barrier free communications is already making a tremendous social impact. Former state secrets and Government manipulation of information are now subjected to a form of technological transparency never before experienced.  This social reality offers an interesting context for the admonition by St. Paul in the second reading for this week:

Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light.

The motives and political intents that have directed national policies are being exposed. The opinions of the people however are also finding a vast market of exposure through these same communication technologies. With the advent of wikis, blogs and social networks people are able to publically express their own opinion on every topic under the sun. Religious blogs are out there in droves and they offer a faith perspective from every viewpoint imaginable. The internet may reveal national motives and intents but it is still difficult to identify the motives and intent of individual bloggers. The question that we must ask ourselves is how can we discern the consistent Gospel message in light of this new form of evangelization?

In the Gospel passage Jesus had to confront the dark motive and intents of the Pharisees. His action was plain and simple, he healed the blind man. Jesus’ ministry of healing was very much part of this divine mission of bringing sight to the blind both spiritually and physically. The Pharisees choked on literal interpretations and rituals in an attempt to dismiss the Good News of God’s healing hope for all people. They also claimed authority through the name of Moses in order to create division and tension by trying to suggest that any disciple of Christ has abandoned the teachings of Moses and our thus thrown out of the synagogues. Jesus embraces the humble blind man who accepts the simple goodness of God’s work and rebukes the Pharisees who are blinded by their own self righteousness.

In the first reading God reminds the prophet Samuel that He does not perceive nor evaluates us the way we humans do. While we judge by external qualities God “looks into the heart.” The young David may not have the leadership stature that Eliab has but God obviously sees a great potential within this humble and innocent youth. The quality of leadership is not measured in how they rule but in how they serve. David does not look to rule but to serve the people of Israel. Similarly Paul tells us in another letter that the mission of Christ was not to be served but to serve:

“Though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave… he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)            

So it is that are faith calls us to serve the suffering human community through a message of charity, healing and unity. Through the forms of social communication many people including myself have undertaken the ministry of new evangelization to promote the Good News of Christ. But again the motive must be seen as consistent with the Gospel message. Messages based on division, fear and judgment are antithetical to the Gospel message of inclusion, hope and forgiveness.

Pope Benedict XVI has carried on the tradition of offering an annual message in observance of World Communication Day. His recent messages have offered guidance on the use of the new media technology to promote the ministry of new evangelization that is consistent with the Gospel tradition. In the 2009 message  Pope Benedict XVI offers the following admonition which offers a good guidance for discerning the Good News within this new social media.  

 I would encourage all people of good will who are active in the emerging environment of digital communication to commit themselves to promoting a culture of respect, dialogue and friendship. Those who are active in the production and dissemination of new media content, therefore, should strive to respect the dignity and worth of the human person. If the new technologies are to serve the good of individuals and of society, all users will avoid the sharing of words and images that are degrading of human beings, that promote hatred and intolerance, that debase the goodness and intimacy of human sexuality or that exploit the weak and vulnerable.

• Exodus 17:3-7. When the Israelites grumbled about their difficult times in the desert the Lord instructed Moses to strike a rock that water flow from it for the people to drink.
• Romans 5:1-2, 5-8. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us . This hope will not disappoint us.
• John 4:5-42. Jesus converses with the Samaritan woman at the well, declaring that people will worship the Father neither at Jerusalem nor at Mt. Gerizim, but “in Spirit and Truth.”

Thoughts for your Consideration:

In the first reading and in the gospel passage water becomes the catalyst for the teachable moment that God has with the people. Water is a very sacred symbol within our faith tradition. Water is a basic necessity of life and in both readings the physical importance of water is raised. As a sacrament water is used as our initiation into our faith community. Water is a powerful symbol for us. We have recently seen the devastating power of water with the tsunami in Japan and we can recall the equally devastating tsunami in Indonesia and the impacts of hurricanes on our own nation. And yet water is also a life-giving resource for us. In a recent study on the development of liturgical space I was excited to learn about the prominent resurgence of the baptismal font as a central symbol of our liturgical experience. As a symbol of our life journey the baptismal font are now being placed at the entrance of the Church and facing the Altar. It is also suggested that the fonts offer a sense of flowing water that again is aimed towards the Altar where the Eucharist is celebrated. In this way water will have the effect of reminding us of our life journey initiated with baptism, processing to Christ, and ending with a promise of eternal life.     

It is not surprising that God uses water as the context to provide an amazing lesson on justice and discipleship. In the first reading God is dealing with a disgruntled and ungrateful liberated community. They curse their new found freedom and threaten Moses for having brought them into the desert. God responds patiently to their need and uses the opportunity to demonstrate that he indeed is the source of life. God’s action in this event is reversed in the Gospel passage where a thirsty Jesus confronts some difficult social challenges.  

In the gospel Jesus confronts the ugliness of human prejudice with the indignant response of the Samaritan woman at the well who is ethnically horrified at being asked to serve “a Jew.” Notice the difference between how God responds to his ungratefully liberated people with compassion and mercy and compare that to the indignation of the Samaritan woman who responds with sarcasm to Jesus’ request for water. But instead of offering a human response by putting her in her place as a non-Jew Jesus takes this opportunity to break down the walls of religious discrimination and teaches her about the unifying truth of faith. The lesson here is that neither Jerusalem nor the Samaritan holy place of Mount Gerizim has a monopoly on faith. When religious institutions are narrowly defined so as to discriminate against others then that religious institution has become an idol that detracts from the true center of worship. “True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth.”

The lesson continues when Jesus’ disciples arrive. This time it’s a lesson on discipleship. Being a product of their own Jewish culture they seem surprised and perhaps confused by the interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. While the Samaritan woman is sharing her amazing experience with her local community Jesus offers the disciples a lesson on the patient endurance of ministry. Discipleship may not seem very socially rewarding. We preach the just word through our actions as well as our words and sometimes we may feel that our accomplishments are insignificant. But Christ reminds us that this is a long haul ministry and we all build on each other’s contributions.  

“’One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you have not worked for; others have done the work, and you are sharing the fruits of their work.”

In the second reading Paul reminds us that this radical and just love that Christ exemplified “has been poured out into our hearts.” In reminding us the radical nature of God’s love he reminds us that Christ did not just die for good people but for all of us “while we were still sinners”. As disciples we are not allowed to place artificial boundaries on God’s love through our own social constructs. Following the example of Jesus we are called touch each and every person we encounter with the same expression of love, respect and patience that God showed the Israelites and Jesus exhibited on the Samaritan woman. We must persevere in this challenge with the gentle reminder that Paul give the Roman community, “hope does not disappoint.”

• Isaiah 58: 7-10. Do not turn your back on your own; share your bread with the hungry. Then light shall rise for you in the darkness.
• 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5. Paul came among you in weakness and fear but also with the convincing power of the Spirit. Your faith rests not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
• Matthew 5: 13-16. You are the salt of the earth… the light of the world. Let your light shine before others so that they may give praise to your heavenly Father.

Thoughts for your consideration:

In 1971 the World Synod of Catholic Bishops published a document called “Justice in the World”. Paragraph six of this document offers a powerful statement which for me sums up the three lectionary readings for this Sunday.

Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church’s mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation.

In the first and third reading both Isaiah and Jesus tell us that our actions in pursuit of justice will be the beacon that shines on the rest of humanity. This week’s Gospel parable of salt and light comes on the heels of the beatitudes that we heard last week. Our light will shine when we exhibit the actions of being peacemakers and promoters of justice and righteousness. In the first reading Isaiah ties it all together in a very clear and unambiguous way:

Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn.

This week’s readings along with the consistent social teachings of the Catholic Church remind us that social justice is not merely a nice thing to do. It is as the Bishops tell us, “A constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel”. Some have argued in the past that social justice may be important but that it takes a second place to the higher virtue of personal charity. In the 2009 encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” Pope Benedict XVI effectively responded to this argument by saying that social justice is in fact the “institutional path of charity” and “every Christian is called to practice this charity”. It is important to know that during the time of Isaiah and Jesus the concept of individualism did not exist as it does today. People very much identified themselves not only as a person but as part of a community. Charity was never understood as merely a personal action but a systemic action as well. Jesus did not offer a personal message of salvation but a social vision under the theological rubric of the Kingdom of God. Jesus uses the metaphor of salt and light to inform us that our actions towards justice and peace are not meant for our own personal edification or individual salvation but for the transformation of society. Our good deeds and actions will be an agent of conversion towards the common good and that will slowly build a society based on this principle.

In the second reading Paul points out that the Gospel wisdom is not offered in eloquent words or in wise ideologies. Again they are based on actions of the Spirit. These actions are centered on an ethic of compassion that Paul offers through his sharing of the mystery of Christ crucified. The power of God is demonstrated through the suffering servant who challenged the social injustice of his day through actions of mercy, healing and forgiving justice. Society rewarded this counter cultural behavior with suffering and the cross but God responded back with power and eternal life. These are the actions that Paul testifies to and demonstrates in his preaching of the Gospel. His lives and preaches by example.

• Isaiah 8:23 – 9:3. Darkness and gloom give way to light and joy. Great, victorious moments are renewed.
• 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17. Divisions should cease, even those in the name of Paul, Cephas, Apollos or Christ. We have all been baptized in the name of the one Lord and Savior, whose cross has become our gospel.
• Matthew 4:12-23. Jesus returns to Galilee to begin his public ministry. Here he calls his first disciples, two sets of brothers who immediately follow him. He proclaims the good news of the kingdom.

Thoughts for your consideration:

The lectionary readings for this week offer us a message of hope in the midst of major transitions. The first reading by Isaiah tells us about an impending hope and glory that will be brought into a land that is suffering in gloom and anguish. The land is identified as the “district of the gentiles” and the message of hope is that this land will experience a great sense of liberation and enlightenment. Verse 5 tells us how through whom this glorious transition will happen.

For a child shall be born to us… they name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.  

Matthew saw this prophetic quote as the perfect scriptural passage to use as a conclusion to his four chapter introduction. This passage places a prophetic context to the amazing situation that has developed where Jesus will begin his public teaching ministry with the Sermon on the Mount in the gentile land of Galilee. Isaiah speaks of a glorious future transition for the suffering gentile community. For Matthew this transition is a present reality that is being lived out during the time this gospel was written which is approximately in the year 75 CE. In the Gospel reading we have Jesus inviting two sets of brothers to share in his ministry of bringing people back to God. This transition from a dark and gloomy social order to being healers and heralds of peace and justice is personified by Peter, Andrew, James and John taking up the call to follow Christ in proclaiming the kingdom of God in words and actions. These four were the first agents of change towards fulfilling the glorious transition that was foretold by Isaiah and begun through Christ. In Matthew’s account we are simply told that these brothers immediately left what they were doing and followed him.

We know from the rest of the Gospel story that the transition which these early disciples engaged in was not as simple or passive as we are lead to believe in this week’s gospel reading. The disciples faced many trials and tribulations as they carried out their exciting new community life and ministry. These trials included doubt, infighting, disagreements, betrayal, persecution and for many of them death. The message of a future hope does not negate the reality of a present suffering. Transitions are never easy. While our faith offers us a future promise of hope the fact is that our present transitions challenge us in so many ways. Individually many of us face and will continue to face personal experiences of transitions that will take us out of our comfort zone. As a society and as a church we are also aware of the massive transition that we now face that will challenge us in becoming a global family. How will we respond to these challenges?  

In the second reading Paul warns the Corinthian community that their transition into the Christian family cannot emulate the bad characteristic that was very much a part of their social order. Division, rivalries and jealousy are very much part of the human condition but they are not part of the Christian liberating experience. This experience will be marked by unity in serving the gospel message of hope. The disciples and early Christians were offered a glimpse of what is to come while they help transform the social order.

We as individuals and as a society our given a message of hope for a future of justice and peace that is to come. We are called to be agents of hope in this dark and gloomy world of ours. We are agents of change, but this change is not our own. We, like the early disciples, are invited to share in Jesus’ divine mission. This social and personal transformation must not carry the darker elements of our present social order. The Catholic social tradition has continued to offer us Paul’s warning by calling us to live in a spirit of unity that is working together to transform our society towards a “culture of life”.

The first and fundamental step towards this cultural transformation consists in forming consciences with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth of every human life. –Evangelium Vitae #96

To engage in this liberating mission we have to put off our human proclivity towards our own self-interest. In retaining our self-interest will we inevitably begin to create social divisions that first qualify then discriminate human life. Some of us will discard those who are unborn by defining them outside of human life. Others will define people of a certain ethnic or religious background as second class citizens not fully worthy of the dignity that we recognize in ourselves. And some of us may believe that criminal actions have forfeited the dignity and rights of other s.  These are social tendencies that are simply not consistent with the social vision that Jesus offers. As agents of change we need to be the first defenders of this consistent ethic of life where we protect and defend the dignity and rights of all.

• Isaiah 60: 1-6. Gentiles come from distant lands, attracted by the splendor of Jerusalem, bringing gifts and the “wealth of nations.” They will be the sons and daughters of the Holy City.
• Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6. Paul preaches the mystery, hidden from all eternity until now, that gentiles are co-heirs and “co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
• Matthew 2:1-12. The Magi from the east come with gifts seeking the newborn King of the Jews. Herod and all Jerusalem are upset by this.

Thoughts for your Consideration:

This weekend we celebrate Epiphany. The story in the Gospel of Matthew where the wise Magi from the east follow the star that leads them to the King of the Jews. This is the scripture event from which the Christmas tradition of gift giving originates with. The gifts of the Magi is very much relevant and meaningful to us as we celebrate the Christmas season, but for the moment let us reflect on two aspects of this story: where the Magi came from, and how was their visit and offerings received by Herod and all of Jerusalem.

Our tradition of offering gifts is often times done within the association of our family, friends and associates, intimate members of our lives. But the Magi where neither family, friends nor associates. They did not even share the same religious faith as Mary and Joseph. They were complete strangers from distant lands that followed a cosmological and universal symbol which lead them to a foreign country in search of a great truth.

All three readings for this weekend testify to an amazing aspect of the Gospel: that the promise of Jesus Christ does not belong to any one group of people. While the first covenant was defined as a contract between God and a chosen people this new covenant that was sealed through Christ is one that is made with all people. Isaiah prophesies about this when he describes Jerusalem as a Holy City by virtue that it belongs to all and it will be enriched by foreign nations. Its sons and daughters will be heralded from distant lands. Paul goes even further by declaring that the Gentiles will not come into this new covenant relationship as second class citizens, instead they are to be seen as “co-heirs” and “co-partners” through Jesus Christ. The gospel story compliments Isaiah and Paul by testifying to the celebrated birth of Christ by foreign Magi in pursuit of a truth that was a much relevant to them as it was to all of Jerusalem.

But Jerusalem, and Herod especially, was not at all thrilled with this outside exposure. As you can imagine, a chosen people were not too thrilled with the prospect of sharing their divine promise and hope with others. This was especially true for Herod and for those who ruled Jerusalem with him. Such external influences from the east was outside of Herod’s political power base (the Temple authority and of course, Rome) and as such they were a direct challenge to his political stability.         

It should be noted that this liturgical feast and these readings will be celebrated on the weekend of January 1^st which is observed as the World Day of Peace by the Catholic Church. This year’s World Day of Peace Message: “Religious Freedom, The Path to Peace,” is very much relevant to these three readings. With this message Pope Benedict XVI is again addressing a challenge from the East, although the challenge this time around is very different. The Magi symbolize strangers with different faith traditions who pursue the universal and divine truth, this pursuit leads them to a humble manger and the newborn savior of the world. In defending religious freedom Pope Benedict maintains that while the Church “is duty bound to proclaim without fail, Christ who is the way, the truth and the life … this in no way excludes dialogue and the common pursuit of the truth in different areas of life, since, as Saint Thomas Aquinas would say, “every truth, whoever utters it, comes from the Holy Spirit””.

The challenge from the east this time is religious fundamentalism. This challenge is seen very clearly in some of the atrocities in Iraq, the Middle East and Asia but the seeds of religious and anti-religious fundamentalism can also be found in the west. The goal of religion is to pursuit the universal truth and the common good and because of that Pope Benedict XVI is urging us all to pursue dialogue in hopes of coming to a common awareness our own truth and divine unity. According to the reading for this weekend the pursuit of the truth will result in unity and peace as it did with the Magi, not in division and conflict as it did with Herod.

• Isaiah 7:10-14. At a time when the Davidic dynasty was threatened severely, even with the loss of the throne, Isaiah promised survival but through God alone.
• Romans 1: 1-7. Paul has been designated to announce the Gospel – Jesus Christ, “descended from David according to the flesh but… Son of God… by his resurrection.”
• Matthew 1: 18-24. A tradition centering in Joseph recalls Jesus’ virginal conception as announced through the prophets.

Thoughts for Your Consideration: By John Gonzalez

We are coming towards the end of the Advent season. The readings call to mind the Divine plan which called for the birth of the savior. Isaiah offers his prophesy regarding the birth of Emmanuel to King Ahaz of Judah as a miraculous symbol of Divine hope for a period of great national stress. Paul describes the mystery of the incarnation as part of the gospel creed and the hope for the early Christian community in Rome. In the Gospel reading according to Matthew the miraculous circumstances regarding the birth of Jesus are narrated to us through the eyes of Joseph who is both righteous and compassionate. Joseph struggles with the social implications of this event but through the power of faith that graces his intuition he is able to identify the great salvific hope that will be born to them.

These readings set up for us the exciting context for celebrating Christmas. They describe to us the foretold birth of Christ and we can get excited over the message in preparation for the festivities of the week. But if we take the time to contemplate each of these readings and appreciate the dire situation from which each of them where written in we will be feeling something other than excitement.  Instead we may end up with a healthy amount of anguish and trepidation for what is to come. In all three cases (King Ahaz, Joseph, and the early Christian community in Rome) each is being given a message of hope that can only be accepted in faith as they each are asked to take their first step into the deep unknown. At Christmas we celebrate the foretold gift of hope, a gift in the midst of a suffering world, a gift that will challenge all of us to have faith in a hope that is not of our own making and which places us in the midst of the social suffering of our world.

Let us explore the situation of King Ahaz. Ahaz, the King of Judah, reigned in the midst of social upheaval. The armies of Syria and Northern Israel formed an alliance against Assyria. Ahaz would not join the alliance and so the two armies strategized to take over Jerusalem and set up a puppet government which would concede to the alliance. Ahaz was rightfully concerned that a war against Assyria was folly. So instead of joining the alliance with Israel and Syria he contemplated forming a military alliance with Assyria. Here is where Isaiah comes in. He counsels Ahaz against forming an alliance that will eventually reduce Judah to rubble. Instead Isaiah’s advice to Ahaz is to wait out the crisis and “remain tranquil and do not fear.” Scripture Scholars suggest that Isaiah analyzed that Assyria would finish off with the two rebel states of Israel and Syria soon (which they did) and felt that it would be folly to place oneself into a relationship of submission to the Assyrians. In this situation Isaiah offers Ahaz a prophesy of hope regarding the birth of Emmanuel. This prophesy was to symbolize two things. For the interest of Ahaz it symbolized the preservation of the Davidic lineage. But it also signified hope in the midst of tribulation, new life in the midst of impending destruction. Ahaz does not concede to Isaiah  and engages the Assyrians. The Kingdom of Judah has lost faith, “unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm.” The birth of hope is instead brought to bear with the astounding faith of another member of the Davidic lineage, a lowly carpenter who faces a troubling pre-marital situation.

The central message of each of these readings is that hope is alive in the midst of our own social or personal tribulations. As the year 2010 draws to a close we face many social upheavals that can leave us without any faith for the future. Our global economy, domestic social welfare, political and military conflicts are all in turmoil. Where can we identify our hope in these times? Do we now compromise our faith with other organizations or ideologies out there that give us some semblance of comfort and stability? Like Ahaz, should we close in on ourselves with a narrow definition of community or nation and out of fear submit ourselves to the policies of those who appear economically and politically strong? No, Scripture has never presented that as a solution.  Our faith is in God, the God of the poor and the suffering, the God who promises justice, mercy and forgiveness time and time again. The non-violent prince of peace is our true hope, our way to address the violent and unjust challenges in our world. It is a path wrought with suffering as we promote policies of fairness; justice and compassion to all our brothers and sisters who need our help. It is a path that will bring us ridicule as we tirelessly advocate for peace and nonviolence to a world that is nurtured in conflict and violence. It is an unpopular path but according to the prophets it is the only sure path we have.

• Malachi 3:19-20. The day is coming, blazing like an oven, but for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12. Paul worked day and night, laboring to the point of exhaustion. All Christians should earn the food they eat by working quietly.
• Luke 21:5-19. The temple will be destroyed… signs and wonders in the heavens… persecution… yet do not worry about your defense. It will be given you what to say. By patient endurance you will save your lives.

Thoughts for your Consideration: By John Gonzalez

I am not sure why it surprises me when I get depressed after glossing over the newspaper headlines or listening to the opinionated pundits that inundate radio and TV. Comedian John Stewart recently told many activists “These are hard times, but they are not the end times.” His calming message during the recent “Rally to Restore Sanity” was a welcomed message for those of us who are struggling to turn the tide of American fundamentalism and political extremism. In these times of fear and disillusionment his words seem to be out there in the wilderness while the message of fear and distress continues to saturate our primary media outlets. What are we to do in times like these?

The Gospel readings for this week tell us that we are to be patient in times like these. Furthermore Jesus and Paul tell us that we should adopt a pragmatic perseverance during this era of deception. Malachi and Jesus tell us that the Kingdom of God will indeed come into this world, and when it does supreme justice and equality will triumph. Many believe that signs of war and famine will be a prelude to the end but in the Gospel Jesus tells us “do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Instead we are told that many will deceive us by taking advantage of these times with their own plans based on either their own self-righteous pride or an evil and self-interested agenda. We are not allowed to be deceived by these simple political or social solutions. We are instead told to persevere in following Christ and to exemplify the healing love and immeasurable compassion that Christ exhibited to all members of the human family.

This may sound like a very nice and gentle approach, but keep in mind that through this approach Jesus won persecution and death by the Cross. In the Gospel Jesus warns us that in following his example and by not allowing ourselves to be deceived by extremism we too will face persecution. Sadly, for many of us, this persecution will not come from any obvious enemy but from family and friends. By living and preaching a message of forgiveness and compassion it will not be foreign extremists that we will have to fear but our own countrymen who will feel that we have betrayed them in reaching out to others the message of God’s great love.

For the most part St. Paul and the Apostles were persecuted not from foreign invaders or occupiers but from their own Jewish community. In a time of great distress the Jewish community sided with the extreme factions of their community, the Zealots and the Sicarii. In the end they rallied the Jewish community to rebel violently against the Romans. This was the warning that Jesus gave his disciples, to not join these extreme factions. History has gone on to prove that Jesus was right. The Zealots achieved nothing but the complete destruction of Jerusalem. The Christians followed a different path, and although they suffered great persecution at first, their perseverance eventually won them the amazing conversion of the Greco-Roman world.

The example of St. Paul the Apostle in the second reading is based on honesty, integrity and hard work. Our way is to live by example. Through integrity and honesty in how we live our lives with fidelity to the Gospel message of universal love and compassion we will be transforming agents of God’s love to this world that is driven by fear and anguish. Many will complain about us and we will suffer insults and persecutions but as Jesus tells us “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”