Luke 2:22-40 - Feast of the Holy Family (December 28, 2014)

Gospel:

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took the baby Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the
temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon 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 may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her
husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the
child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Gospel Trivia:

Today is the feast of the Holy Family, yet the focus of the gospel is Jesus and the temple.  This points to the intended message of Luke for this passage, and the following "trivia" will help us identify the evangelist's intention:

- The gospel refers to the rite of purification per Jewish custom which is required from women after forty days from childbirth.  (Certain body fluids, like blood, were regarded as unclean and required purification after, say, menstruation).  This required a visit to the temple and an offering of two turtledoves or pigeons.  (Actually, a lamb and a pigeon were required, but if one cannot afford a lamb, then another pigeon would suffice).

- In the rite of purification, only the woman is required to visit the temple and to offer the sacrifice, and yet both Jesus and Joseph were present.  This may appear as simply the husband and child accompanying the mother, but is unusual because of the following.

- There is a second ritual mentioned in the gospel -- that of the presentation of the baby Jesus to the Lord.  This is also another Jewish custom symbolizing that the Lord had the right to the first fruits of any form of life, animal or human.  However, this does NOT require a visit to the temple.

It seems that Luke may have confused Jewish laws or customs.  Or he may have intentionally fused the two for a purpose.

The clue is the Hebrew word used for "presentation" (or paristani) which is used in the Old Testament to refer to priests.  Luke therefore intentionally fused the two to emphasize the priestly character of Jesus.  The priest is the one who stands before the sanctuary and ministers to the people.  In this case, Jesus, who is God and holy, is also human and stands in between God and humanity.

Paristani also denotes the presentation of an offering or sacrifice.  In this particular passage, Luke also wishes to convey that Jesus is both the high priest as well as living sacrifice.

Just like Jesus, we too are called to be "priest" and "sacrifice."  As "priest", we consecrate ourselves to God; we do this living a life worthy to be a living sacrifice to our Lord.


Reference:


- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 280-283.

Some Historical Info on Christmas Day: Supplementary Post

Here are some historical info on Christmas -- its origin and practices based on biblical (Luke 1:1-20) and historical accounts.  

Luke is quite specific about the circumstances surrounding Jesus birth:

1. When was Jesus born? 

Luke 1:5 states that Herod the Great was the king at around the birth of Jesus. Since history dates the death of Herod at around March or April 4 BC, then Jesus must have been born before that date. December 25 was later made as the official day of Jesus' birth, although it is difficult to ascertain on when exactly this was declared by the Catholic Church.


2. Luke mentioned that the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus ordered a census of the whole world, i.e. the Roman empire. We now know that this is inaccurate since there was no such universal census taken at around this time. The closest is that held in Palestine when Quirinius was governor of Syria (also mentioned by Luke), but which was around 6 AD.

Biblical scholars believe that the census is a literary device used by Luke to associate Mary and Joseph, residents of Nazareth, with Bethlehem, the town of David. Also, every time there is a Roman census, there is usually opposition by the people since this is a recognition of Roman authority over them, and caused a lot of inconvenience. Luke wanted to tie Jesus birth to a time of political disturbance associated with a census.

Such political disturbances were one of the triggers for the revolt of Judas the Galilean, and Luke wanted to show that Joseph and Mary (who were both Galileans) were obedient to Rome. This also showed that Jesus and the Christians have no political ambitions.

Augustus is also known at that time as the peaceful savior, so this serves as a contrast to Jesus who brings the real peace (see the message of the angels) and is the real Savior.


3. Luke establishes that the procedure is for everyone to go to the city of his ancestry and Joseph went to Bethlehem, the city of David; even though Jerusalem is traditionally regarded in the Old Testament as the city of David.

Luke wanted to connect the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem with what is written in Micah 5:2: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel."

Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth at that time and had to travel southward to Bethlehem which was about 100 kilometers away. Using an animal to travel (at about 3 to 4 kph), and considering Mary is pregnant which would have added to travel time, this distance would have taken about 7 to 9 days. By the way, the bible does not mention that Joseph and Mary used a donkey, although they certainly used an animal to travel. It could have been an ass, horse, mule or donkey.


4. Luke’s narrative of Jesus birth is very brief. Luke seems more interested in telling his readers where Mary lay the newborn child - in a manger. The symbolism behind this is not clear. Perhaps it lies in the contrast between the extraordinary titles given to the child and his poverty. God is thus revealed in a paradox.

A manger is a feeding-trough, crib, or open box in a stable designed to hold food for livestock. In Biblical times, mangers were made of clay mixed with straw or from stones cemented with mud. Some mangers were cut from a limestone block or carved in natural outcroppings of rock, because livestock was sometimes stabled in a cave. (Thus, there is some tradition that Jesus was born in a cave).


5. There were shepherds out in the field. Shepherds were despised people at the time of Jesus. They were suspected of not being very scrupulous in matters of ownership; and so, their testimony was not admissible in court. They had the same legal status as the tax collectors. In view of what Luke says later on in his gospel regarding the preference of Jesus for tax collectors and sinners, the choice of the shepherds as the first beneficiaries of God's revelation in Jesus becomes quite significant.

References: Nil Guillemette, SJ, Kingdom for All (St. Paul’s Publications, 1988); plus Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, and other Catholic sources from the internet.

Luke 1:26-38 - The Annunciation (4th Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2014)

Gospel:

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.  The virgin’s name was Mary. Coming to her, the angel said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord
is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and
you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called ‘Son of the Most High,’ and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be
born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Gospel Trivia:

The reader is reminded that the purpose of Gospel Trivia is to present the intended message of the gospel writer and not to present a personal interpretation of the gospel passage.  The question therefore is, "What did Luke intend to communicate when he wrote the Annunciation passage?"

The Gospel of Luke was written between 80 to 90 AD, or about six decades after the ministry of Jesus.  He is writing the gospel not as a biography of Jesus but, after much reflection, as a record of the fundamental teachings of the Christian movement.

In the Annunciation passage, Luke employs the five-element pattern of a birth announcement which was used in the Old Testament.  (An example is the announcement of the birth of Isaac in Genesis 17:1-21).  These elements are:

a. The appearance of an angel,
b. Fear on the part of the person confronted by the heavenly figure,
c. The heavenly message,
d. An objection expressed by the person, and
e. The giving of reassurance.

By employing this literary device, Luke is probably less concerned about the actual conversation between Mary and the angel (for indeed, who could one accurately recall a conversation that happened several decades earlier); as much as a theological meaning that he intended to preserve.

We should also note the following:

- Mary is greeted with, "Hail, full of grace." - This is not a usual Hebrew greeting (which is usually "shalom" or "peace), suggesting that this is a special occasion.  "Hail" means "rejoice."

The Greek word used by Luke for "grace" in "full of grace" is the word "charis" which refers to God's graciousness in choosing to be with his people.  The giving of Jesus, one who is divine but chose to be human to be intimate with humanity, is gratuitous gift borne out of God's initiative.  It is completely undeserved.  It is pure grace.  "Full of grace" refers less to Mary state of pure grace, but instead to God's sheer love.

A possible paraphrasing of "full of grace" could be: "Rejoice Mary; God is extraordinarily good to his people."

- Luke then proceeds to describe the son to be born by using the following:

"Son of the Most High" - meaning, one who is intimate with God.

He will receive the "throne of David his father" - the Jews believe that the Messiah will come from the lineage of King David, the greatest king Israel has known.  Joseph is also from the lineage of David.

Mary's concern is addressed by "the Holy Spirit will come upon you" - God overcomes the human impossibility through the creative power of the Spirit, the same Spirit that hovered above the darkness during the creation story.

Luke's intended message: The whole world rejoices because our God is an extraordinarily loving and gracious God, who chose to be one with us through the birth of his Son, Jesus.


References:


- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), 265-270.

John 1:6-8, 19-28 John the Baptist (3rd Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2014).

Gospel:

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the

light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and

Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?”

And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say about yourself?” He said: “ ‘I am the voice of one crying

out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Gospel Trivia:

For the second Sunday in a row, the gospel is about John the Baptist.  Last Sunday, John's message is about the true way to prepare for Christmas -- which is to repent and convert.


This Sunday, the central character is once again John the Baptist.  He is introduced as "a man named John" which, in Greek, is the emphatic way of introducing a person's name.  This is intentional because John, in Hebrew, means "God is gracious".  John's entry augurs well for all peoples because God, through Jesus, is gracious towards sinful humanity.

The rest of the gospel is about the testimony of John:

- that he is not the Christ (or the awaited and anointed king who will liberate the Jews from the Romans); nor is he Elijah or the prophet (who people expected will precede the coming of the Christ);

- but instead introduces himself as the one who prepares the way for someone so great that he cannot even untie his sandal (a task usually reserved for slaves).

The significance of a testimony in Greek culture is more than just an objective accounting of things seen and heard.  When a witness testifies, that witness becomes accountable for the outcome of the case.  Thus, John, as witness who testifies to the graciousness of Jesus, must then live his life so that others will be ready to receive this gracious God.

That's the message of the gospel -- we are also called to testify to Jesus, not through words in a courtroom, but in the way we live our life.

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), 13-16.

Mark 1:1-8 - Second Sunday of Advent (December 7, 2014)

Gospel:

The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.  A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.’ ”

John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on

locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Gospel Trivia:

The gospel describes how John the Baptist is the one tasked to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah.  The following notes will help us better appreciate the depth of this message:

- John is the harbinger of the "gospel" or of "very good news".  Note that the word "gospel" was not used to refer to a book in the bible until much later, around 150 AD.  "Gospel" referred to extraordinary good news such as, a victory in battle, the birth of a child of very important parents, or the enthronement of a king.  John is paving the way for the preaching ministry of Jesus.

- John hails from the desert.  The desert has a theological significance in the bible -- note that Jesus fasted for forty days in the desert, the Israelites wandered for 400 years in the desert.  The desert is believed to be where God reveals himself.  (Modern contemplatives would have their retreats, or sometimes spend the rest of their lives, in a desert monastery because the absence of anything else forces them to focus on God).

- John baptizes a baptism of repentance.  Christians did not start the practice of baptism.  Washing with water was done even in Old Testament times and by other religions.  Washing with water refers to removing ritual impurity; total immersion was practice by Judaism as a ritual requirement prior to joining the community.  But John's baptism was different: it was offered to all or anyone willing to convert, it was conferred by him personally, and was presented as a preparation for the Messiah.  The baptism of repentance referred to conversion, a radical change in heart.

- Finally, John appeared like he came from the desert (wearing camel's hair and a leather belt).  He appeared just like Elijah who is expected to be a forerunner of the Messiah.

We prepare for Christmas, not by completing our Christmas list, but by following John's message: we reflect on our lives, repent for our sins, so we can more meaningfully encounter Jesus on the day of his birth. 


Reference:


- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Parables for Today (Makati: St. Paul's Publications, 1987), pp. 3 - 6.