Breaking the Word

1^st Week of Advent, Saturday – 3^rd December 2022 — Gospel:  Mt 9,35-10,1.5-8

Commissioned to build His Kingdom

Saint Francis Xavier, an apostle mad with Saint Paul’s madness, is a marvelous example of a great missionary, visionary and a prophet. The zeal he displayed, the novel methods he used, the wonderful miracles he performed, and the great number of souls he brought to the light of true faith, entitle him to this distinction. In a short span of ten years (1542-1552), he visited so many countries in South Asian region (India, Sri Lanka, Malacca and the Maluku Islands, Japan and China), traversed so many seas, preached the Gospel to so many nations, and converted so many peoples. He stands unique in his apostolic zeal since the time of the Apostles.

The summary of Jesus’ authoritative words and his authoritative deeds (9,35) prepare Jesus’ disciples to increasingly share in His mission (Mt 10). Jesus’ words proclaimed the kingdom and his deeds actualized the kingdom. The time for gathering God’s people into that kingdom has arrived, but there is a shortage of labourers. This need to mobilize workers for the harvest leads Jesus to commission the twelve disciples. The instructions to the twelve are twofold: the ministry of the Word demonstrated by the ministry of the deed. The disciples must proclaim the message that Jesus announced: “The kingdom of heaven has come near”; and they must do the deeds that Jesus performed: “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons”. In this the apostles’ mission is directed to the “the lost sheep” of Israel in Jesus’ time and to “all the nations” after His resurrection.

First Week of Advent, Friday – 2^nd December 2022 — Gospel: Matthew 9, 27-31

Jesus, the Son of David

The title “Son of David” portrays Jesus as Israel’s royal Messiah in whom prophecy concerning David is being fulfilled. This title gains prominence as it is sandwiched between royal descriptions of Jesus’ identity in the first verse of the Gospel (1,1). These titles “Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” are key to Matthew’s expression of Jesus’ identity in his gospel. Each of these titles are royal within the tradition of Israel, links Jesus with Israel’s history and offers hopes to all God’s people. The title is accented here in order to contrast with Israel’s blindness to the one sent to them as the Messiah.  This son of David would use his royal power to heal the needy and bring hope about God’s rule of justice upon his people.

The story of the two blind men places emphasis on their initiative and faith. Their cry to the Son of David emphasizes his compassion and humility amidst his messianic power. Their loud call to Jesus and their following him right into a house demonstrate their tenacious faith. For Matthew the title “Son of David” is predicate for Jesus as healer. The narrative also emphasizes, as do the other accounts, the touch of Jesus as an instrument of healing. And so Matthew has used frequently the messianic title “Son of David” with strong emphasis on faith.  In his gospel Jesus is hailed in faith by the blind (9,27; 20,30-31), the Canaanite (15,22), the crowds (12,23; 21,9), and the children (21,15).