AND SIMON BLESSED THEM AND SAID TO MARY HIS MOTHER., " BEHOLD THIS CHILD IS DESTINED FOR THE FALL AND RISE OF MANY IN ISRAEL, AND TO BE A SIGN THAT WILL BE CONTRADICTED (AND YOU YOURSELF A SWORD WILL PIERCE) SO THAT THE THOUGHTS OF MANY HEARTS WILL BE
REVEALED." (LUKE 2:34-35).
THE DARKNESS IS STILL WITH US, O LORD. YOU ARE STILL HIDDEN AND THE WORLD WHICH YOU HAVE MADE DOES NOT WANT TO KNOW YOU OR RECEIVE YOU... YOU ARE STILL THE HIDDEN CHILD IN A WORLD GROWN OLD... YOU ARE STILL OBSCURED BY THE VEILS OF THIS WORLD'S HISTORY, YOU ARE STILL DESTINED NOT TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE SCANDAL OF YOUR DEATH ON THE CROSS.... BUT I, O HIDDEN LORD OF ALL THINGS, BOLDLY AFFIRM MY FAITH IN YOU... IN CONFESSING YOU, I TAKE MY STAND WITH YOU...IF I MAKE THIS AVOWAL OF FAITH, IT MUST PIERCE THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART LIKE A SWORD.I MUST BEND MY KNEE BEFORE YOU, SAYING, I MUST ALTER MY LIFE., I HAVE STILL TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN.
KARL RAHNER, PRAYERS FOR MEDITATION.
TODAY THE MONKS ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT SEEMS FUTILE, AND A BIT FOOLISH. THEY ARE BLESSING CANDLES, ALL THE CANDLES THEY'LL USE DURING WORSHIP FOR THE COMING YEAR. THE BENEDICTINES, WHO DON'T MAKE BIG NOISES ABOUT BEING CHRISTIANS, EVEN THOUGH THEY LIVE WITH THE BIBLE MORE IINTIMATELY THAN MOST PEOPLE. IT'S GOOD TO THINK OF THE LIGHT HIDDEN INSIDE THOSE NEW CANDLES, WHILE WALKING TO PRAYER EACH MORNING IN THE BITTER COLD.I'LL SEIZE ANY BIT OF HOPE, EVEN IT'S MONKS SAYING PRAYERS OVER CANDLES. THE READING FROM KARL RAHNER, AT MORNING PRAYER, CAME AS A SHOCK, TO READ SO A ESTEEMED THEOLOGIAN CRY OUT, " I STILL HAVE TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN." AFTER TWENTY-ONE YEARS IN THE LUTHERAN MINISTRY, THESE WORDS STAYED WITH ME ALL NIGHT. THE BENEDICTINES REMIND ME MORE OF THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS, AS WE WILL SEE AS WE GET INTO OUR TEXT IN( LUKE. 2). THE BENEDICTINES REMIND ME MORE OF THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS, NOT AFRAID TO ADMIT THEIR DOUBT'S, THEIR NEEDS, THEIR LACK OF FAITH. 'LORD INCREASE OUR FAITH; TEACH US TO PRAY." MAYBE MARY'S STORY AND THE FEAST TELL US THAT IF THE SCRIPTURES DON'T SOME TIMES PIERCE US LIKE A SWORD, WE'RE NOT PAYING CLOSE ENOUGH ATTENTION.
LUKE BEGINS THIS GOSPEL TEXT WITH A SIMPLE AND MODEST INTRODUCTION, FINELY PHRASED, WHICH TELLS OF THE CARE HE TOOK TO SECURE FULLNESS AND ACCURACY FOR HIS NARRATIVE AND OF THE END HE HAD IN VIEW.
"many have taken in hand." THIS STATEMENT IS THE ONLY POSITIVE INFORMATION WE POSSESS ABOUT WRITTEN RECORDS LYING BEHIND THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS. THESE NARRATIVES HAVE ALL PERISHED. ' those things which are most surely believed (1); RATHER, THOSE MATTERS THAT HAVE BEEN FULFLLED. THEY RECORD A SERIES OF EVENTS BEGINNING BEFORE THE BIRTH OF JESUS AND TAKING US ON INTO HIS GROWING BOYHOOD. THERE IS A PECULIAR BEAUTY AND A JOYOUS ATMOSPHERE IN THESE OPENING SCENES OF THE GOSPEL TEXT, THE FIRST SCENE TAKES PLACE IN THE TEMPLE, THE CENTRE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT SYSTEM.
FROM THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM THE NARRATIVE TAKES US TO THE HOME OF A HUMBLE MAIDEN IN A GALILEAN VILLAGE. THE SAME ANGEL WHO ANNOUNCED THE COMING BIRTH OF JOHN WAS SENT TO NAZARETH TO ANNOUNCE A MORE TRANSCENDENT BIRTH. HE GREETED MARY WITH A SALUTATION THAT PUZZLED HER, AND SHE WONDERED WHAT IT MEANT. (1:26-29). HE TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD AND SHOULD BRING FORTH A SON, WHOM SHE WAS TO NAME JESUS. IN HIM SHOULD BE FULFILLED THE PROMISE GOD GAVE DAVID OF A THRONE AND A EVERLASTING KINGDOM ( 30-33. IN ANSWER MARY'S WONDERING QUESTION THE ANGEL CONVEYED TO HER THE EXPLANATION, WITH HOLY JOY, THAT GOD WAS TO BE THE FATHER OF HER SON (34,35) THEN HE ENCOURAGED MARY BY TELLING HER ABOUT ELISABETH AND MARY'S FINAL WORDS EXPRESS HUMBLE SUBMISSIOM AND HER FINAL WORDS ENDED WHEN SHE PUT HERSELF AT GOD'S DISPOSAL (36-38).
WE HAVE ALL DEAL WITH AUTHORITY FIGURES IN OUR LIFE. SOME WE SEE AS NOTHING BUT PAPER TIGERS WHO HAVE INFLATED VIEW OF THEMSELVES BUT WITH NO REAL AUTHORITY TO GET ANYTHING DONE. IN OUR TEXT TODAY FROM LUKE, POINTS TO THE PERSON OF THE LORD WHO WILLSEND ONE WHO WILL HAVE UNDISPUTED AUTHORITY TO SPEAK FOR GOD. THAT PERSON AS WE SEE IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 2 CHAPTER 1. JESUS WERE SOMETIMES QUITE SURPRISED BY HIS ABILITY TO TAKE OLD TEACHINGS AND MAKE THEM COME ALIVE. (WE REMEMBER HIS DISCOURSES IN THE TEMPLE AT 12 YRS OF AGE WITH NEW RELEVANCY).
REL AUTHORITY IS ABLE TO CUT THROUGH RED TAPE AND GET THINGS DONE. AND JESUS, THROUGH HIS AUTHORITY OVER SIN, DEATH AND THE POWER OF THE DEVIL, HAS DONE EXACTLY THAT. AND HAS GIVEN US THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS, WHOLENESS, AND THE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
AS CHRISTIANS WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE WORD.: THE WRITTEN WORD, WHICH IS SCRIPTURE; THE SPOKEN, WHICH IS PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL; AND THE WORD MADE FLESH, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF. JOHN GIVES PERFECT TESTIMONY TO THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF THE WORD WHEN HE WRITES: IN THE "BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. ALL THINGS CAME INTO BEING THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM NOT ONE THING CAME INTO BEING. WHAT CAME INTO BEING IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS, DID NOT OVERCOME IT.' (JOHN 1:1-5). THEY WENT TO CAPERNAUM, AND WHEN THE SABBATH CAME, JESUS WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE AND BEGAN TO TEACH. THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED AT HIS TEACHING, BECAUSE HE TAUGHT THEM AS ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY, NOT AS THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW. JUST THEN A MAN IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE WHO WAS POSSESSED BY AN EVIL SPIRIT CRIED OUT. " WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US, JESUS, JESUS OF NAZARETH?" HAVE YOU COME TO DESTROY US? I KNOW WHO YOU ARE- THE HOLY ONE OF GOD!"
"BE QUIET!" SAID JESUS STERNLY. COME OUT OF HIM." THE EVIL SPIRIT SHOOK THE MAN VIOLENTLY AND CAME OUT OF HIM WITH A SHRIEK. THE PEOPLE WERE ALL SO AMAZED THAT THEY ASKED EACH OTHER, "WHAT IS THIS TEACHING? A NEW TEACHING- HE EVEN GIVES ORDERS TO EVIL SPIRITS AND THEY OBEY HIM. NEWS ABOUT HIM SPREAD QUICKLY OVER THE REGION OF GALILEE. JOHN IN HIS GOSPEL TELLS US THAT AFTER PERFORMING HIS FIRST MIRACLE IN CANA OF GALILEE TOGETHER WITH HIS MOTHER AND BROTHERS MOVED TO CAPERNAUM. IT'S SITUATION ON THE SHORE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE AND THE INTERSECTION OF SEVERAL IMPORTANT TRADE ROUTES MADE CAPERNAUM AN IDEAL BASE FOR CARRYING THE GOSPEL INTO THE REGION OF GALILEE AND BEYOND. BESIDES, CAPERNAUM WAS ALSO THE HOME OF ZEBEDEE AND HIS SONS, JAMES AND JOHN, AND THE HOME OF PETER, WHOSE-MOTHER-LAW-WAS LIVING WITH HIM.
ON THE SABBATH FOLLOWING THEIR SELECTION TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN, PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN, ANDREW, TOGETHER WITH JESUS ATTENDED THE SYNAGOGUE SERVICE. SINCE SYNAGOGUES HAD NO RESIDENT ORDAINED MINISTERS, THE RULERS OF THE SYNAGOGUE WOULD INVITE SOME RABBI(TEACHER) OR SCRIBE PRESENT TO TEACH LESSONS. SO IT HAPPENED THAT JESUS WAS OFTEN INVITED TO ADDRESS THE CONGREGATION. THEY WERE AMAZED, FOR JESUS DID NOT TEACH AS THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW DID. HE QUOTED NO EXPERTS, BUT PROCLAIMED THE GOOD NEWS ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY. THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST LESSONS THE DISCIPLES HAD TO LEARN, NAMELY, THAT IN JESUS THEY WERE FACE TO FACE WITH THE FINAL AUTHORITY. FOR US TOO CHRIST IS MORE THAN JUST A WISE TEACHER OR A MODEL TO PATTERN OUR LIVES ON. HE IS THE ONE WHO IN WORD AND DEED REVELS TO US THE UNDESERVED LOVE OF GOD FOR SINNERS INCORPORATED IN HIS OWN PERSON. HIS IS THE FINAL WORD.
IT IS NOT ALL SURPRISING THAT SATAN, DESPITE HIS DEFEAT IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS NOT READY TO LET SUCH A MESSAGE AND SUCH A PREACHER GO UNCHALLENGED. IT IS THE DEVIL WHO CAUSED A MAN IN THAT SYNAGOGUE TO CRY OUT AGAINST JESUS, FOR IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS MAN WAS NOT SPEAKING FOR HIMSELF. HE COULD NOT OF HIMSELF HAVE KNOWN WHAT HE SAID ABOUT CHRIST. HOWEVER SATAN AND THE EVIL SPIRIT WHICH POSSESSED THIS MAN KNEW WHO JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS AND WHAT HIS PURPOSE WAS. THEY KNEW HE WAS THE SON OF GOD AND THAT HE HAD COME TO DESTROY SATAN'S HOLD OVER MANKIND. WITH HIS WORDS SATAN REVEALED HIMSELF WISER THAN MANY THEOLOGIANS.
THIS KNOWLEDGE DID HIM NO SPIRITUAL GOOD; IT ONLY FILLED HIM WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING, HE KNEW THAT HE FACED HELL AND THE GOSPEL WAS NOT MEANT FOR HIM. THOUGH WHAT THE EVIL SPIRIT SAID WAS THE TRUTH, JESUS WOULD NOT ACCEPT HIS WORDS AS TESTIMONY. SATAN WAS NOT A PROPER WITNESS, FOR THOSE HEARING HIM COULD SAY, " THOSE ARE THE WORDS OF THE FATHER OF LIES. HOW CAN WE BELIEVE THEM? BESIDES JESUS WAS NOT READY TO PROCLAIM OPENLY THAT HE WAS THE MESSIAH. MOST OF HIS AUDIENCE WOULD HAVE READ POLITICAL AIMS INTO THAT WORD. (THAT THEY MEANT TO COME AND SEIZE HIM TO PROCLAIM HIM .KING.). WE ARE NOW FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF THAT HOLY LIFE WHICH REVEAL REALITY, MUST TAKE THE SAME WAY. AS DYING AND BEHOLD WE LIVE" DEATH AND LIFE STROVE TOGETHER IN AWFUL COMBAT AND THE LORD OF LIFE, WHO DIED, AND NOW LIVING, REIGNS.
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