Breaking the Word

1^st Week of Advent, Monday – 29^th November 2021 — Gospel: Mt 8,5-11

Model of the Sermon on the Mount

The Gospel of Matthew projects Jesus’ warning of worldly rulership as oppressive and authoritative (chapter 23 of Matthew). He pointed out that the leaders misuse their authority to make their subjects do what they wanted them to do. He said, “Therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.” (Mt 23,3). On the contrary, in this narrative, Jesus highly appreciates the centurion for expressing unworthiness in his authority and exhorts others to follow him saying, “Truly I tell you, no one in Israel have I found such faith.” (Mt 8,10). Even though the centurion exercised “lordship authority” by being part of the Roman hierarchy, his compassion towards the sick servant makes him different. And Jesus’ admiration evokes an inspiration to look at him for some traits of Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount, even though the centurion never heard Jesus’ teachings.

With his behavioural attitude and genuine love in acting for the good of the other, he mirrors many aspects of the ‘authentic discipleship’ of the Sermon on the Mount. In his merciful consideration for the marginalized and his noble intention to exceed the reciprocal nature of service, he exhibits overwhelming and all-embracing love of God the Father (Mt 5,43-48; 22,34-40). In transcending all barriers to do good, even as an insignificant single character, he becomes valuable like the ‘salt of the earth,’ (Mt 5,13a), and through his whole-hearted trust in Jesus’ power becomes a ‘shining light’ (Mt 5,14b) to dispel the darkness of faith. In living out the Jewish form of prayer, ‘ask, seek, and knock,’ (Mt 7,7-8), he encourages individual persistence and assurance of the Father’s goodness.  In asserting that God can and will act on his behalf, he out-threw the basic human preoccupation and anxiousness (Mt 6,25-34).  In recognizing Jesus as a ‘true prophet’ who bears good fruit, (Mt 7,16-20), he reaped for himself the fruit of his faith and an instant healing for his servant in the way he wanted. Practically in living out the diverse teachings of Jesus, without ever having heard of them, the centurion gains ‘greater righteousness’ and merits entrance into the kingdom (Mt 5,20), an assurance for implementing the Sermon teachings.

1^st Sunday of Advent – 28^th November 2021 — Gospel:  Lk 21,25-28.34-36

Redemption and Apocalyptic Hope 

The new liturgical year begins again today with the season of Advent. The four weeks of Gospel texts in Advent run in reverse narrative order, starting near the end of Luke’s Gospel and moving backward to the beginning. This series opens up with the teaching of Jesus taking place shortly before his death and resurrection in Jerusalem (1^st week). Then follow John’s prophecy in the wilderness taking place prior to the beginning of Jesus’ adult ministry (2^nd & 3^rd weeks). And concludes with Mary’s song, as she and Elizabeth celebrate the impending births of their sons (4^th week). Thus, the end precedes its beginning, just as the beginning unfurls with the end already in sight. The Latin word ‘adventus’ means “coming.” Advent is a season of preparation for the coming of the Lord Jesus. It is also a reminder of Christ’s second coming at the end of time. That’s why today’s Gospel invites us to put aside the thoughts of Christmas for now and seriously reflect on our final days.

The message on this first Sunday paints a hope-filled picture for “all who live on the face of the whole earth” (Lk 21,34). In this passage, obviously, there are many references to the future. There ‘will be’ signs (Lk 21,25) causing people to fear ‘what is coming’ upon the world (Lk 21,26). The powers of the heavens ‘will be shaken’ and people ‘will see’ the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and glory (Lk 21,27). All these things ‘will begin’ to take place (Lk 21,28.36); indeed, ‘that day… will come’ upon all who live on the face of the earth (Lk 21,35). These devastating events are a ‘present future’. They are now promising to look ahead to its fulfillment. They will take place in the midst of God’s promised ‘redemption’ (Lk 21,28).

The ability to interpret a future depends partly in reference to the past. Jesus’ words in Lk 21,25-26 echo Isaiah’s prophecy against Babylon, when God promises to “make the heavens tremble, and earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger” (Is 13,13). The Son of Man, who comes on a cloud with power and glory (Lk 21,27) hearkens back to Daniel’s vision of an apocalyptic figure who appears after God has ended the reign of an exceptionally cruel king (Dan 7,13-14). These texts suggest that the past can help to make sense of the future.

When the present reality includes wars and political turmoil (distress among nations), and climate catastrophe (signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars), the coming of the Son of Man, the promised future, makes all the difference for today. Jesus’ apocalyptic language offers powerful hope in the midst of these experiences: “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk 21,28). He reminds his followers that God is not constrained by the chronos time represented by calendar and clock. Instead, in God’s Kairos time, past and future are woven together for the sake of today. God’s time is now and not-yet that reshapes the world’s present expectations and our own. In this, Jesus reveals how to know when the kingdom of God is near.  And He unfolds the truth that God is near, even during earth-rending moments.