The Cross: our Badge of Honour
Christianity is full of paradoxes. One of them is the Cross, which has been transformed from a symbol of disgrace into a symbol of honour. In the Roman Empire, dying on the cross was a brutal punishment reserved for slaves and lowly criminals; however, through Jesus Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection, it became a symbol of hope and love.
On 14 September, we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. It is a manifold commemoration: that of the discovery of the True Cross by St Helena on her pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the year 326 AD; the dedication of the church of the Holy Sepulchre built by her son, the first Christian Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, and consecrated on 13 September 335 AD; and the public veneration of the Cross there the following day.
Much later, Emperor Heraclius won back from the Persian Emperor Khosrow II the True Cross that the latter had captured on the occasion of his conquest of Jerusalem in 614 AD. The Byzantine emperor elevated the said Cross at Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, and later brought it to Jerusalem in 629 AD.
Considering the central role of the Cross in the Christian faith, the Sign of the Cross has become a distinctive gesture of devotion. Christian households usually have a crucifix (a cross with the body of Christ on it) hanging on the wall. ‘Exaltação da Cruz’ (Exaltation of the Cross, in Portuguese) is even taken as a baptism name. All of which speaks of how the Cross is exalted above all other symbols in Christianity.
This year, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross falls on a Sunday. This happens on an average once in seven years. Hence, a new set of Readings on the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time of this year.
In the First Reading (Num 21: 4b-9) we see the punishment meted out to the Israelites who had rebelled against God instead of being grateful to Him for rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. They were bitten by fiery serpents, and perished. So, God instructed Moses to create a bronze serpent figurine and hoist it on a pole or staff; whoever looked upon the bronze serpent, survived.
In reality, the bronze serpent was the prefiguration of the Lord Himself, who would hang on the Cross for our sake centuries later. This is clear from Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in the Gospel text (Jn 3:13-17): ‘No one has gone up to heaven except the One who has come down from Heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.’
The Ascension would not have happened without His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, all of which was an act of loving reparation for the sins of humankind: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.’
The Gospel text further states in no uncertain terms that ‘God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.’
St Paul makes this clear in today’s Second Reading (Phil 2: 6-11) when he says that Christ ‘emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’
Therefore, we must never feel embarrassed by the Cross. In fact, we must put it back where it belongs: in the Catholic educational institutions that have removed it in the name of ‘political correctness’ and in the clinics and hospitals that have replaced it with the Rod of Asclepius.[i] We must bring back the solid crucifix into our ultramodern churches that have fallen for minimalist crucifixes, or the Risen Christ with the cross in the background, or even just the Risen Christ – as though the Crucified Christ were something to be ashamed of.
Finally, today and always, we must make it a point to exalt the Cross in our homes and in society at large. In concrete terms, we must take up our cross and follow Him (cf. Mt 16: 24). The Cross is the ultimate example of love. We must make it a point to exalt the Cross in our hearts: it is our badge of honour.
[i] The Rod of Asclepius symbol is a medical symbol depicting a single snake coiled around a staff or rod, representing healing, medicine, and the Greek god of healing, Asclepius.
Jesus lambasts hypocrisy
The Bible is not a collection of feel-good stories that might give false hope and ultimately disappoint us. It is a collection of books that reveal God’s sincere and longstanding relationship with humankind. The Word became flesh in Jesus, who then refined the teachings of the Old Testament, making them comprehensible to modern man. For its part, the New Testament is a perfect guide for imperfect people like you and me, helping us to live rightly, as Jesus did.
Take the case of the Book of Sirach, from where the First Reading (3: 17-20, 28-29) is taken. Written circa 180 BC, it is the only book of wisdom literature whose author is known by name: Jesus Ben Sirach, a Hellenistic Jewish scribe. It is warmly recommended for its instruction and edification. Its rich, practical teachings are presented in a fatherly and persuasive manner.
Shining as it does by its supernatural motivation, its advice differs from, say, that of Bacon’s Essays, or Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. So, when Sirach tells you to ‘perform your tasks in meekness; then you will be loved…’, it’s not a manipulative strategy to find acceptance in the world. The words that follow ‘loved’ are important: ‘loved by those whom God accepts.’
In other words, the approach is other-worldly. God’s acceptance or ratification is what matters – an aspect so important to stress upon in an age when ‘anything goes.’ For example, if wanting to pass off as ‘broad-minded’ individuals, elders may fail to reprimand youngsters. Similarly, politicians of all hues bend over backwards to please (and in recent times, even Opposition members have shown much skill in backbends and forward bends). The bend is always on the side their bread is buttered...
As if that wasn’t bad enough, ‘men of God’ have followed suit. And what can be worse than the hypocrisy of the ‘men of God’? Some of them feed off the people’s adulation, while others curry favour with political animals… Just another move, and they’ll have crossed over to the other side and worship false gods. That’s precisely what happened in Goa yesterday (
If we’ve got any self-respect left, our archdiocese ought to feel distressed with the arrival of another edition of the ‘elephantine blunder’ of 2022 https://www.oscardenoronha.com/2022/09/13/elephantine-blunder/
In concrete terms, how can a priest engage in idol worship, imagining it to be some kind of innocuous ‘outreach’? If they argue that ‘those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick’ (Mt 9: 12), for goodness’ sake, where’s the medicine?... When Jesus was invited by shady characters – public sinners – He went, knowing full well that they didn’t have the right intentions. But then, He didn’t jump on the bandwagon; rather, confronting the majority, He announced the Good News straight on. That’s a medicine indeed; if we don’t give out our medicine, we could end up drinking their poison!
In today’s Gospel text (Lk 14: 1, 7-14), Jesus advises us to sit in the lowest place, so that when the host comes, he may say, ‘Friend, go up higher’. This may seem like a tactic to climb the ladder of success in this world, but it’s not! In fact, Jesus wants us to transpose the situation to Heaven. For in God’s eyes, ‘He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’ This is a lesson in authentic, not false, humility.
Further on, Jesus exhorts us to love and care especially for the poor, the weak, and the voiceless. By advising the Pharisee to invite people such as these, and not the rich and famous alone, to his dinner or banquet, He teaches a lesson in selflessness and total trust in the eternal reward that awaits us in Heaven: ‘You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.’
None of that is difficult for those who truly believe and trust in the Lord our God. That is also the message of the Second Reading (Heb 12: 18-19, 22-24), which juxtaposes the experience of the old and the new covenants. Whereas formerly God made covenants with His people in the midst of the great theophany of the Sinai (God’s visible manifestation to humankind there), in the latter days God made a covenant in the city of the living God. And where once there was fear, now there is love.
Where, then, is there place for hypocrisy in God's economy? None. In fact, Jesus reserves his harshest condemnation for religious hypocrites, such as the Pharisees. He decries their outward show of righteousness as a "whitewashed tomb" and warns that hypocrites will face severe punishment. Their place, then, could well be Hell.
Who will be saved?
Recently, when Israel began to pound Gaza, in a bid to forcefully occupy it, a quote from Zephaniah 2: 4 came up for discussion: ‘For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.’ Is the prophecy applicable to the present times?
Gaza is in Palestine; the remaining three cities, in Israel. Israel began its offensive against Gaza last Thursday. Yesterday, Yemen's Houthi forces targeted Ashkelon with drones and missiles. What will happen to Ashdod and Ekron (Tel Miqne), both in Israel? How it will all pan out is anybody’s guess.
Meanwhile, it is curious to note how modern Israel seems keen on rewinding Biblical history in its favour. The country is a far cry from the Biblical Israel. How, then, can they insist on the status quo ante? Canaan was for the Chosen People, an enviable position they lost as a result of disobeying God’s commands down the ages. We Christians, for our part, know that the erstwhile Chosen People’s problems are of their own making…
As the First Reading (Is 66: 18-21) states, the Jewish people had been expected to ‘gather all nations and tongues… that have not heard [God’s] fame or seen [His] glory’. They were enjoined to ‘declare my glory among the nations…’ and bring them ‘as an offering to the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem.’ How much of this did the Jewish people do to glorify the true God?
Whereas they failed to acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, and to go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News, now they line up, like self-proclaimed heirs and beneficiaries who unashamedly gather after a person’s death, to claim the former land of Canaan as their inheritance. Their gods are Baal and Mammon; their instruments of worship, drones and missiles! That’s the measure of their iniquity.
In the Gospel (Lk 13: 22-30), the Son of God, whom God the Father sent to earth as a final act of redemption, stated in no uncertain terms: ‘Many, I tell you, will seek to enter [the kingdom of God] and will not be able.’ This is a word of caution to all who go on with life as if the earth is their final destination: let them not be alarmed when the hour inexorably strikes! At that point, of what use will it be to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ He will retort: ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity!’
Alas, they will weep and gnash their teeth on seeing Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and be thrust out. Even if pagan nations unite against Jerusalem, God will defeat them and use them for His glory. Thereafter they will share the former privileges of the Jew: ‘Men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.’ The glorious task of evangelisation will be entrusted to them.
Is Israel, then, fated to perish? My interlocutor pointed out that the Lord says, ‘How can I give you up, Israel? How can I abandon you?... My heart will not let me do it. My love for you is too strong.’ (Hos 11: 8) For sure, we have a most faithful and loving God; He is just and full of mercy. The book’s narrative arc maintains that even if God’s people had deserted the Lord, in the end God’s constant love would prevail and win the nation back to Himself, restoring the relationship. This has been the message of prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, too.
But can the Lord be put to the test? It is futile to think that God being so good will not condemn us definitely. After all, Hell is for the condemned. Why can’t Israel, too, learn a lesson or two from the centuries gone by? They – and we – would do well to take a leaf from the Second Reading (Heb 12: 5-7, 11-13): ‘Have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as my sons? … My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord… The Lord disciplines every son whom he receives… For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.’
The kingdom of God belongs to such as these who will let themselves be disciplined by the Lord our God. They will show love; they will be grateful; they will serve and be saved.
The Peace We Seek
A prophet finds no acceptance in his own home or country. It could be so for many reasons, one being that true prophets speak the full truth. They do so to guide, warn, or offer hope. But, as the saying goes, the truth hurts, and the prophets end up alienating people. And if they be rich and powerful people, prophets will soon be at the receiving end of all sorts of punishments. It has been so since times immemorial, and is true even in our world that swears by openness, transparency and democracy.
It is therefore not surprising that the prophet Jeremiah in the First Reading (Jer 38: 4-6, 8-10) suffered what he did at the hands of the powers-that-be. It was the year 588 BC, when the king of Babylon had besieged the holy city of Jerusalem. God’s spokesman, finding it suicidal to resist the enemy, advised the country to surrender. His message, however, was not music to the ears of the political leaders. They first tried to prevent him from being in touch with the people. Then, egged on by the puppet king Zedekiah, they condemned him to death. Zedekiah was fated to be the last king of Judah before its destruction by the Babylonian Empire.
Meanwhile, Ebedmelech the Ethiopian prevailed upon the king to reverse his decision. Accordingly, Jeremiah was lifted out of the miry cistern of Malchiah. Ebedmelech, whose name meant Servant of the King, was evidently a believer in Israel’s God. He was an honourable man, the likes of which are rare. Really, how many men of character like the African who saved Jeremiah can we find in our midst today?
Alas, crisis of character is the bane of our times. There is an undeniable decline in moral principles and ethical behaviour, and a visible erosion of trust in institutions and leaders. Those in power are expected to protect and save, but they turn into predators instead. Their egoism and greed has become the defining characteristic of our days. Was it because we have had it easy for too long that we have even forgotten God our Provider? As Michael Hopf, a US Marine veteran, puts it memorably in his book Those Who Remain: ‘Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.’
‘Strong men’ is obviously what Our Lord wants to make of us when in the Gospel text (Lk 12: 49-53) He declares: ‘I have come to cast fire upon the earth… Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.’ This again is not good news to our generation that is so accustomed to sermons on forgiveness, love and peace alone, not war and retribution.
Could Our Lord ever be wrong? He spoke of ‘division’ in lieu of ‘peace’. Does that seem incompatible with Our Lord’s title of ‘Prince of Peace’? Fr Anton Huonder, Jesuit missiologist, ascetical writer, and renowned preacher of The Spiritual Exercises, states: ‘Certainly, the Saviour wanted to bring peace to men of goodwill, those who submit themselves to the yoke of His law; He wants to give them, not the peace that the world dreams of, but His peace, which the world cannot give.’ Hence, neither at home nor in society should we aim to please everybody, satisfy all tastes, wear a mask, make a pact with error and vice, harmonise irreconcilable dissonances. Instead, we must look for an authentic expression of peace, which is in keeping with God's law.
For that matter, in the world of politics, can we go by the promises of peace made by leaders, be it Trump or Putin, Netanyahu or Khamenei? Look at how ‘Pursuing Peace’ melted down in Alaska yesterday. The peace our statesmen present is not true peace; they neither know nor wish to know how to achieve it. It suits them to pose as ‘pacifists’ whereas all they ever want is personal glory and (maybe) monetary advantages for their country. The late Brazilian Catholic thinker Plínio Corrêa de Oliveira clinched it: ‘Peace [is] a cause much too beautiful, much too just and much too noble to be left in the hands of pacifists.’
To conclude, there is nothing else left for us to do but to ‘run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.’ That’s the message of the Second Reading (Heb 12: 1-4) today. And there is none else that we can trust but Him who gave Himself up for our salvation.
Jesuit Fr Douglas Rowe’s hymn puts it very heart-warmingly: ‘No one can give to me that peace which my Risen Lord, my Risen King can give’. Indeed, that’s the one and only peace we ought to seek.
Faith conquers all
It is sad how in the world today human reason or knowledge rather than faith in God is generally at the top of the order. Accordingly, people of faith are perceived as weak while those with worldly knowledge are celebrated. People with minds trusting in human agencies strut around as if they have seen it all, done it all. Thankfully, today’s Readings lend us a fresh perspective.
In the First Reading taken from the Book of Wisdom (18: 6-9), the writer refers to the fact that Abraham and his descendants were aware of the night when their people would be freed from slavery in Egypt. That night would mark the ‘deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies’. But then, did they acquire that knowledge on their own merits? No; it was revealed to them by God, because of their faith in Him.
In whatever we do, whether big or small, we must rely on divine providence; pray, and give thanks at all times. For their part, the Israelites offered sacrifices ‘in secret’, in the privacy of their homes. But that was not all. With one accord they agreed to abide by the divine law and were ready for ‘blessings and dangers’ alike. Life would be less stressful life if we too, as per the Ignatian formula, prayed as if everything depended on God and worked as if everything depended on us. ‘God knows best’ could well be our motto.
It is this type of faith that the Second Reading (Heb 11: 1-2, 8-19) defines as ‘the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.’ That is how our ancestors lived: always trusting in the Lord. That is how Abraham went out and lived in a foreign land, no questions asked; and Sarah, though sterile, received power to conceive. When a sense of adventure and openness is informed by a deep faith, God makes the seemingly impossible possible!
In fact, in chapter 11, the writer revisits the whole of salvation history from the faith perspective. He also introduces us to a number of individuals and events that bear out the power of faith. That is not to say that having faith frees us from trouble, sickness, criticism, attacks, danger, and the like. What it really does is strengthen us in the belief that, no matter what happens, we enjoy the benefit of God’s protection.
Similarly, all that we have prayed for or expected may not happen on earth. After all, we are exiles in this valley of tears. So, it is in Heaven, a ‘better country’, our final destination, that we shall receive our eternal reward. Heaven is the place God has prepared for us, just as He once prepared the Promised Land of Canaan for His Chosen People. Thus, setting our eyes on Heaven is not escapist but realistic; no wonder it ensures health of mind and body.
In that regard, the opening words of the Gospel text (Mt 12: 32-48) carry a hugely refreshing message to our world drowned in anxiety: ‘Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ So, let's not to rely on what the world has to offer; let's not to set our hearts on things that do not satisfy! Instead, ‘let your loins be girded and your lamps burning, for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
The said Gospel chapter has a series of parables on Our Lord’s exhortation to vigilance. We have to wait for the Second Coming, bide our time, and keep the faith. Such advice is ingrained in our religion. Therefore, however learned we may be, or no matter what we have achieved in life, there is nothing comparable to divine power and providence. As A. G. Sertillanges (1863-1948), the redoubtable French Dominican priest, philosopher, and apologist, puts it, ‘Reason ambitions only a world; faith gives it infinity.’ Indeed, faith conquers all.
Banner: https://shorturl.at/PIB5u
Between Jerusalem and Rome
The Readings of the Fourteenth Sunday of the Year especially grab our attention. In the First, we see Isaiah’s colourful imagery involving Jerusalem (Is 66: 10-14); in the Second, we have St Paul’s passionate testimony (Gal 6: 14-18) based on his life experience in the Roman Empire; and in the Third, Jesus exhorts His disciples to travel to the ends of the world (Lk 10: 1-12, 17-20).
With the goings-on in Israel, however, can we legitimately ‘rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her’? Must we love her at all? Regardless of the present conflict in the region (pushed by the modern State of Israel, which is not the biblical Israel), we ought to love Jerusalem as the cradle of Christianity and the city where Our Lord lived, died, and rose. Therefore, the Church favours a two-nation solution to the Israel-Palestine imbroglio and an internationally guaranteed special status for Jerusalem, with access to the holy places guaranteed.
For his part, the Jewish Prophet Isaiah is an integral part of our Christian heritage. His colourful images come alive even for us who have long looked to Rome for spiritual inspiration. Rome is the centre of the Catholic Church, the seat of the Papacy, and the location of Vatican City, an independent city-state, albeit surrounded by the city of Rome. The Church prays for the conversion of Israel, specifically for the Jewish people to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Messiah. All this makes the reference to Jerusalem all the more significant.
Of course, with Jesus, it became clear that salvation is not the preserve of the Jewish people. No doubt, it was first proclaimed to them. Jesus spoke first to the Twelve (see Lk 9), and then to the Seventy-two. Knowing that the Jewish officialdom would not take forward the divine mission, Jesus empowered His disciples to do so.[1] They went before Him to several places and ‘returned with joy’. And then, not only did Peter go to Rome and Paul journey through the Roman Empire, but Thomas came as far as India and died there.
A fragment of today’s Gospel text rings in the ear of every Christian: ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.’ He set them out ‘as lambs amid wolves’, anticipating trials and tribulations in a hostile world. Yet, He bid them to ‘carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and to salute none along the way.’ They were not to waste time in elaborate greetings, so typical of Oriental cultures, but to focus on announcing the Good News without delay.
Furthermore, the disciples were to eat, drink, and accept accommodation as provided to them, ‘for the labourer deserves his wages’; but they were not to have great expectations or make demands. God would sustain them. They had to reach out to the sick physically and spiritually, giving them the hope of eternal salvation. Divine Master gave His disciples practical tips, management skills infused with psychological and spiritual principles! It is no wonder that Vatican diplomacy possesses unique strengths and commands respect.
St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, who witnessed crises in the communities he tended and overcame them, concludes his Letter to the Galatians as follows: ‘I do not wish to take pride in anything except in the Cross of Christ Jesus our Lord.’ So, it is not circumcision or uncircumcision but the Cross of Christ that matters for our salvation. This is a big eye-opener. We ought not to sacrifice the truth of the Gospel to materialistic values and goals, something that even those in authority sometimes do. We must hold steadfast to the divine message.
So, whether in Jerusalem, in Rome, or at home, we must strive to be true disciples of Christ, the salt of the earth and light of the world.
[1] How many did Jesus commission? Some codices say 70, others 72; both figures are correct, as they represent the pagan communities (70 in the Hebrew text, 72 in the Greek) mentioned in Genesis 10. St Luke is the only Evangelist who mentions this number, suggesting that Jesus would not limit Himself to the twelve tribes of Israel (denoted by the Apostles) but would reach out to all communities and nations.
Models of faith and courage
Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. The Readings for the Vigil Mass[1] and the Day Mass are different, thus helping us to explore various facets of the feast and enjoy a richer liturgical experience. The Vigil Mass provides a broad overview, while the Day Mass offers specific insights into the lives and teachings of the two foundational figures of the early Church.
The Day Mass delves into the lives and ministries of the twin saints. In the First Reading (Acts 12:1-11), we see Herod’s persecution of the fledgling church. This was Herod Agrippa I, who ruled as king over Judea. He was the grandson of Herod the Great, who was on the throne when Jesus was born, and a nephew of the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, Herod Antipas, who beheaded St John the Baptist.
Here, Herod is seen persecuting the early Christians, executing Zebedee’s son James the Great, and imprisoning Peter. But, miracle of miracles, the angel of the Lord visited Peter in jail and walked him out. The city’s iron gate opened to them of its own accord, and with Peter now in a safe zone, the angel left him without ado. All along, Peter thought he was seeing a vision, until he exclaimed: ‘Now I am sure that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’
The day’s Reading ends here, but the story continues with Peter meeting his fellow men huddled in prayer at the house of St Mark the Evangelist. He described to them how the Lord had brought him out. The angel’s intervention had been a direct response to the church’s fervent prayers for Peter's release. He requested them to inform James, a leader in the Jerusalem church. Then Peter departed and went to another place. And when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. A frustrated Herod ordered that the soldiers be put to death and died shortly thereafter, struck by an angel for accepting praise as a god.
While all this is believed to have happened in the year 44 AD, a decade or so after Our Lord’s Ascension, the Gospel text (Mt 16:13-19 covers a much earlier, ground-breaking episode in Peter’s life: his profession of faith. When Jesus posed the question, ‘Who do men say that the Son of man is?’, to Peter, He was unmistakably ‘Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Recognising that his answer came by inspiration from God the Father, Jesus answered: ‘And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.’
Words of great import. They conferred primacy upon the son of Jonas, and set on him His Church, a name mentioned for the first time. Simon, the weak mortal of flesh and blood, was now destined to brave all assaults of Hell. Jesus assured him of the same stability that He gave to His Church, transmitting the privileges of Peter to his successors seated in the Chair of Infallibility and holding in their hands the Keys of supreme authority. They would give laws and guide kings and peoples, pastors and their flocks in the path of salvation; they would open and shut the gates of the celestial Kingdom.[2]
But these splendours were not free of troubles. Peter, the first Pope, endured persecution for the sake of the Church. Similarly, St Paul had his share of struggle and pain. But both persevered to the end. Hence, St Paul’s exhorted his people to preach the Word of God in and out of season, foreseeing that ‘the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths’ (2 Tim 4: 3-4).
How true, especially in our days, when ‘sound teaching’ is sometimes scorned for its directness. So, we go about our petty lives feeling just listless and complacent, if not revolted. But then, to keep up with the Joneses, we might find ourselves a cosy nook and turn to teachers who will whisper sweet nothings and never ruffle feathers. And as if these false teachers weren’t bad enough, we might even ‘wander into myths.’ These are now part of New Age movements that the Church cautions us against.
The Apostle to the Gentiles in the Second Reading (2 Tim 4: 6-8, 17-18), after speaking of his impending martyrdom, famously says: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.’ He can legitimately hope that the Lord will award the crown of righteousness to him and to all who have waited for His appearing.
All of which brings into sharp focus a psalm for deliverance from trouble (34:2-9), which the afflicted will hear and be glad. It invites us to trust in the Lord at all times, to look to Him and be radiant, to taste and see that He is good! It comforts the afflicted to know that ‘the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them.’ Hence, happy is the man who takes refuge in the Lord. Like St Peter and St Paul, we too must strive to be models of such faith and courage.
Banner: The Virgin and Child with Saints Peter and Paul, by Girolamo Figino
[1] Acts 3:1-10 (Peter and John healing a crippled beggar); Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5 (Their message goes out through all the earth); Galatians 1:11-20 (Paul's conversion and preaching); John 21:17 (Jesus asks Peter if he loves him); John 21:15-19 (Jesus reinstates Peter).
[2] Cf. l’Abbé C. Fouard, Jesus Christ the Son of God (Goa: Don Bosco, 1960), p. 258.
Beauty of being Church
The Readings of the Third Sunday of the Year provide important insights into two momentous beginnings: one, the great religious reform introduced by Nehemiah, with the help of Ezra and the Levites, in the First Reading (Neh. 8: 2-6, 8-10); and the other is Jesus’ teaching ministry, which gave birth to Christianity, in the Gospel (Lk 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21).
Nehemiah was a Jewish leader, and later governor, who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem (mid-5th century BCE) after the release of the Jews from their exile in Babylon. The Book of Nehemiah, partly based upon his memoirs, was later put together by an anonymous writer, who apparently also compiled the books of Ezra and the Chronicles.
Nehemiah introduced moral and liturgical reforms in rededicating the Jews to Yahweh. In today’s passage, we see the zealous public imparting of the knowledge of God to people of goodwill. The assembly thus gathered served as a model for the religious life of the Jewish community.
About the Sabbath, governor Nehemiah, the priest and scribe Ezra, and the Levites[1], taught the people: ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ The people wept tears of repentance for their earlier misdeeds. While they were then encouraged to rejoice in the Lord and be happy, it was not solely about partying (‘eat the fat and drink sweet wine’) but about partaking of the neighbours’ misfortunes as well (‘send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared’).
In a close parallel, Jesus preaches in the synagogue of Nazareth. After His Baptism, He had ‘returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning Him went out through all the surrounding country.’ When He was given the Book of Isaiah to read aloud from, behold the passage He found when He opened the Book:
‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’
If this Old Testament passage, like many others, is not an allusion to Jesus, what is? When Jesus closed that book, the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And Jesus went ahead and proclaimed, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of Him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out His mouth.
Finally, in continuation of last Sunday’s Pauline passage on the spiritual gifts, the said Apostle speaks of the Church as one body with many members (1 Cor: 12: 12-30). He compares the Church to our physical body, which has many members, and yet all of them make up one body. In fact, the metaphor of the body, to mean the unity of an organised society with diverse members, was commonly used by Greeks and Romans. St Paul says that, likewise, Christians by faith and baptism become members of the Mystical Body of Christ.
The good news is that all have a place in the Church – whether young or old, rich or poor, educated or uneducated; and all of them are respectable – whether apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle workers, speaking in tongues, or whoever. The only condition is that we have to believe in Christ, receive the sacraments He instituted and remain in obedience to the authority He established.
Bonding is effected through both suffering and rejoicing. ‘If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.’ Unity in diversity is the beauty of being Church; but the highest beatitude is that the People of God attain to salvation (CCC 874) Something that has come down to us from Nehemiah and was perfected by our Saviour Jesus Christ. We are called to be people of God and heralds of His glad tidings.
This year we are in the Jubilee Year (which Nehemiah had reinstated).[2] In the Catholic Church it is a Year of forgiveness, reconciliation, and renewal of faith. Let us move forward as 'Pilgrims of Hope'.
[1] Member of a group of clans of religious functionaries, their lineage is traced back to Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah.
[2] The 2025 Jubilee Year began on 24 December 2024 and will end on 6 January 2026. The theme for 2025 is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.
Salvos and Salvation
Even a glimmer of hope that the Gaza ceasefire will go into effect today seems to have instantly put the world at ease. But will the behind-the-scenes arm-twisting by the US President-elect really spell the end of the salvos? And whether or not the parties concerned will honour the deal, or how long they will do so, is just anybody’s guess.
Israel has always been a hard nut to crack. Ironically, the nation that comprised God’s Chosen People has long since been at loggerheads with Him. It is said that in the past God spoke to them through the prophets, but to no avail. Finally, two millennia ago He spoke to them by his Son, again in vain. The saving grace is that after this time the divine message was proclaimed to the world at large.
The First Reading (Is 62: 1-5) on this Second Sunday in Ordinary Time is witness to how God’s People, long exiled and suffering in Babylon, were not forsaken by Him. In fact, the Prophet Isaiah joyfully announces their impending salvation. God will not rest until ‘her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.’
The most shining image through it all is that of marriage. ‘As a young man marries a young woman, so will your builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.’ And to better define the love by which God wishes to restore His ties with his People, Isaiah picks up this key Scriptural theme of the marriage of God and Jerusalem.
Is it any wonder, then, that the first miracle that Jesus performed was at a marriage in Cana? While the Gospel (Jn 2: 1-11) describing this ‘sign’ (miracle) harks back to Isaiah, it also establishes Jesus as the Son of God and helps take forward His salvific plan. And Mary’s discreet participation is not to be missed. She not only suggested to her Son that His intervention was the need of the hour; she went ahead and created the right conditions by instructing the servants to do whatever He told them.
Here were two persons who cared and went out of their way to prove they cared. In human terms, this reaching out by Mother and Son was a sure way to win the people’s confidence and trust. But this was only the beginning, not an end in itself. The larger concern was the spiritual salvation of those people. The changing of the water into wine should have led the people to lose themselves in the Wonder Worker. But here again, Israel proved to be a hard nut to crack.
What about you and me? Do we firmly believe that Jesus is our personal and universal Saviour? That His Mother is Mediatrix and Co-Redemptrix? By becoming the ‘handmaid of the Lord’, she made possible the birth of the Son of God. And today we see her as catalyst in Her Son’s public life. At first, He seems to reject her suggestion but soon we see Him doing precisely what she had suggested. This not only goes to show how much Jesus valued His Mother but also how we must hold her in high esteem.
Finally, while Christ is the Bridegroom, none other than the Church is the Bride of Christ. And behold how the believers that comprise the Church are wedded together. The Second Reading (1 Cor: 12: 4-11) states that there is a diversity of ministries and operations but the same Lord and God.
Similarly, the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in us the believers through charisms: He gives to one the word of wisdom, to another, the word of knowledge, and similarly, faith, grace of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, the gift of tongues, interpretation of speeches, and so on, but all as per of that same Spirit.[1] Yet, these gifts are not meant for self-aggrandisement but to bring about our ultimate salvation.
A close-knit family of believers ought to be the apple of our eye. Family cohesion comes as fruit of a blessed marriage. God and His people together none can put asunder. And no matter how soon we see the end of the salvos, real salvation comes from God alone. He is our Spes Unica, our only hope!
[1] Operations, services and charisms refer to the same experience but are named differently as to be attributed to the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
Christ’s unmistakable divinity
All three Readings of Sunday after Epiphany underline the divinity and mission of the One born in Bethlehem. After all, that is what Epiphany was meant to be: a manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi. It was also the manifestation of divinity at His Baptism in the River Jordan, and finally at His first miracle, at Cana in Galilee.
January 6 (and now the Sunday close to it) is commemorated as the day the Magi visited the Infant Jesus. And today we commemorate His Baptism at the hands of His forerunner cousin, John, as recounted in the Gospel (Mt 3: 13-17). But what is the rationale behind a prophet baptising the Son of God, the Messiah?
Truly, John was hesitant but Jesus said, ‘Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.’ ‘Righteousness’ or ‘justice’ is the new fidelity, a total obedience to the will of God. For His part, Jesus wished to express His solidarity with sinners, through baptism. He showed how His mission was a far cry from the Judaic dream of a proud and triumphant Messiah.
Realising what Jesus meant, John the Baptist consented to baptise Jesus. As a fitting endorsement of this act, the heavens open and the Spirit of God descend upon Jesus like a dove. And, lo and behold, a voice from heaven says, ‘This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’ The bystanders must have been in awe and got goosebumps. What better confirmation could the Jews, then, expect before they accepted Jesus as the Messiah?
The First Reading (Is 42: 1-4, 6-7) prefigures the Gospel passage of today. We hear similar words from what is called the First Song of the Servant, making the hair stand on end. The Book of Isaiah has four oracles or poems on the Servant of Jehovah. It is not easy to identify this figure: was he the prophet himself? Or the historical Israel? Or the ideal Israel? Well, the New Testament identifies the Servant with Jesus Christ, linking especially the last oracle with His Passion.
Meanwhile, here are those words echoed at the Baptism of Jesus: ‘Behold my servant whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations.’
What follows is a picture of Our Lord meek and humble of heart, He who died for our sins. Finally, words expressing His mission on earth: ‘I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.’
Indeed, Jesus was the mediator of the New Covenant; He was a light by the love, compassion and hope He offered to the nations; He cured the blind, the deaf, the mute and the lame, and brought many people back to life; finally, in our times, He has liberated you and me from physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual captivity.
Finally, in the Second Reading (Acts 10: 34-38), St Peter[1] is at the house of Cornelius the Roman centurion (considered the first gentile to convert to the Christian faith) when he vouches for his Divine Master. Peter states that after Baptism, the name of Jesus was made known throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee. Now anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, Jesus went about doing good and healing those oppressed by the devil.
Since Jesus is the Light of the World and meant to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth, St Peter makes it clear right away that God is supranational. He does not care for earthly divisions of nations, societies, or any other. Any person is pleasing to Him and the Heavenly Father, not by their purity or impurity but by their fear of God and His justice.
By baptism, our sins are forgiven and our souls are infused with the life of God. We become children of that One True God. Like the first group of pagans who at Cornelius’ house were awed by the Good News of Salvation and broke their ties with their Jewish past by receiving baptism, may we too appreciate the fruits of the Holy Spirit and use our gifts to spread the Good News.
Banner: https://shorturl.at/3TKk0
[1] In St Luke’s Acts of the Apostles, St Peter is the primary protagonist through chapters 3-12 and the Apostle Paul through chapters 9-28.