Sunday Lectionary: Called, sanctified and sent

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist: 24th June, 2012

After being “fearfully, wonderfully made…knit…in [his] mother’s womb”, we read in this week’s Gospel of how Elizabeth gave birth to a son and how he was named “John”.  It’s a solemnity again! This week we celebrate the birth (“nativity”) of the one who would be the herald of the coming Messiah, John the Baptist:

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. – Matthew 3:1-6

As we celebrate Mass this week, let us pray for courage to step out boldly as prophets, to speak truth to our world and to prepare the way of the Lord.

The baptized have become “living stones” to be “built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” By Baptism they share in the priesthood of Christ, in his prophetic and royal mission… “[They] must profess before men the faith they have received from God through the Church” and participate in the apostolic and missionary activity of the People of God. – Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 1268 and 1270 

 

Reading I: Isaiah 49:1-6

Our First Reading from Isaiah is the beginning of the second of the “Suffering Servant” song. This Reading primarily refers to the Messiah, but it could easily be applied to the Messiah’s forerunner, John. Therefore, in the commentary I’ll point out how this passage is fulfilled for Jesus and how it is fulfilled for John.

Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Questions:

• This passage is typically applied to the Messiah. In what way could it be applied to John the Baptist?
• Who is speaking in this passage?
• When does the servant say he was called?
• What does the servant say God has done for him? What does this mean?
• How does the servant view his ministry? What is important to him?
• What does God say to His servant at the end of this passage?

Commentary:

Hear me, O coastlands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, …

The Lord called His servant from the very beginning:

1. Baptist: “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son…” – Luke 1:13

2. Jesus: “You will conceive and give birth to a son…” – Luke 1:31

…from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.

Both Jesus and the Baptist were named beforehand:

1. Baptist: “…you are to call him John” – Luke 1:13

2. Jesus: “…you are to call him Jesus” – Luke 1:31

This description is actually very similar to the description of two other Biblical characters:

3. Jeremiah: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; i appointed you as a prophet to the nations” – Jeremiah 1:5

4. St. Paul: But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace… – Galatians 1:15

The fact that God calls people “from the womb” demonstrates His foreknowledge and plan.

He made of me a sharp-edged sword…

The NAB translation is rather inadequate here. More literal translations render this verse as “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword”. God gives His servant the prophetic ability to speak the word of God:

Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God – Ephesians 6:17

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart – Hebrews 4:12

Both Jesus and John proclaim the word of God:

1.  Baptist: In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  – Matthew 3:1-3

2. Jesus: From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” – Matthew 4:17

…and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.

This means he afford’s God’s protection and intimacy.

He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me.

The servant is protected by God in His quiver and is also a means of delivering divine judgement:

1.  Baptist: Confessing their sins, they were baptized by [John] in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”  – Matthew 3:6-8

2. Jesus: You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:34-37

You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.

The servant is the “ideal” personification of Israel. However, whereas Israel was unfaithful, God’s servant shall be faithful. Both Jesus and John were faithful to the end.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God.

At times it will appear as though the servant has laboured in vain:

1. Baptist: [Herod] ordered that…John beheaded in the prison – Matthew 14:9

2. Jesus: In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself!” – Mark 15:31

However, the servant looks to God for approval from the Lord, rather than man, much like the Apostle Paul:

I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me – 1 Corinthians 4:3-4

I think this is a very difficult lesson to learn in ministry. We so easily care about what other people think and about the perception of success. As hard as it is to actually do, we should care more about what God thinks than what other people think.

For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, …

We find this language again in this week’s Psalm.

…that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; …

The servant is to draw the people back to God. In the original context, this would have referred to the gathering together of God’s people after the Babylonian captivity. However, if we view this in light of the New Testament, this refers to mankind’s freedom from the captivity of sin.

…and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!

The servant draws his strength from God.

It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

The mission will extend to include all nations, for this was the promise given to Abraham:

…all peoples on earth will be blessed through you – Genesis 12:3

This verse from Isaiah is sometimes known as the “Great Commission of the Old Testament” since it bears a strong comparison to the Great Commission given by Jesus to His Apostles in the New Testament:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth“ – Acts 1:8

Therefore this passage also points towards the inclusion of the Gentiles into the covenant.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15

This is one of my favourite psalms. It is a petition to the Lord to examine the life and soul of the psalmist.

R. (14) I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.

Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.

My soul also you knew full well; nor was my frame unknown to you When I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth. 

Questions:

• How does the psalmist view Himself? Why?
• What does the psalmist invite the Lord to do?
• What does the psalmist say about his calling? What does this say about himself and God?

Commentary:

R. (14) I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

The psalmist marvels at the work of God.

O LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.

The psalmist declares that the Lord knows everything about him. Nothing can be hidden from the Lord.

Truly you have formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.

Because God made us, He knows us through and through.

God does not make junk.

My soul also you knew full well; nor was my frame unknown to you When I was made in secret, when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth. 

God knows both soul and body. There is no part of me the Lord does not know.

 

 

Reading II: Acts 13:22-26

The setting for our Second Reading this week is a Synagogue in Pisidia. Paul is trying to show the congregation that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s Davidic promises…

In those days, Paul said: “God raised up David as king; of him God testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish’ From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am’ I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.” 

“My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.”

Questions:

• What Paul trying to prove to his listeners?
• What does Paul say was the purpose of John?

Commentary:

In those days, Paul said: “God raised up David as king; of him God testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish’ 

King David foreshadows Jesus.

From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, …

This promise is found primarily in the Prophet Isaiah:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him… – Isaiah 11:1-16

God said that He would set up an everlasting Kingdom.

…has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. 

Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise.

John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, ‘What do you suppose that I am’ I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.” 

John pointed to Jesus. (It is interesting to note that in most depictions of the Baptizer, he is pointing to Jesus – see above). This is what we should do also – point people to Jesus. This is exemplified in John when his ministry started to draw to a close and people began to follow Jesus instead:

 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim… An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’  The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.He must become greater; I must become less.” – John 3:22-30

John did not seek glory for himself. He was not the destination, only a sign pointing along the way.

“My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those others among you who are God-fearing, to us this word of salvation has been sent.”

The Good News has been delivered.

The reference to “those others among you who are God-fearing” refers to Gentiles who believe in the God of Israel, but have not fully converted.

 

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80

Our Gospel Reading describes the birth of St. John the Baptist. In order to fully understand the passage, it is helpful to begin reading a little earlier in Luke’s Gospel:

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah…[and] his wife Elizabeth… Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God…to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense… Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him… When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” 

…When his time of service was completed, he returned home.  After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant… “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” – Luke 1:6-25

In this account we can see similarities between John and other Old Testament figures such as Isaac, Samson and Samuel, as well as Jesus. Anyway, with that background, here is the Gospel Reading for this week:

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Questions:

• Who is “Elizabeth”? Who was “Zechariah”? What do we know about him?
• Who is this child to whom she’s about to give birth? What are the similarities and dissimilarities between Elizabeth’s pregnancy and Mary’s pregnancy?
• What event was to take place eight days after the child’s birth? Why?
• What name did the “neighbours and relatives” want to choose for the child? Why?
• What name was given to the boy? Why?
• What relationship was the Baptist to Jesus?
• Why could Zechariah not speak? What significance do you see in his sudden ability to speak? What was the first thing out of his mouth?
• Why did “fear [come] upon all their neighbours”? What question do they ask?
• What is the “manifestation” referred to at the end of the passage?

Commentary:

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, …

It was traditional to circumcise and name the male child on the eighth day after birth.

On the eighth day the boy is to be circumcised – Leviticus 12:3

This signified the child’s entrance into the covenant of Israel:

Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised… My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant. ” – Genesis 17:9-14

St. John Chrysostom’s explains how circumcision is fulfilled:

The rite of circumcision was first delivered to Abraham as a sign of distinction, that the race of the Patriarch might be preserved in unmixed purity, and so might be able to obtain the promises. But now that the promise of the covenant is fulfilled, the sign attached to it is removed. So then through Christ circumcision ceased, and baptism came in its place – St. John Chrysostom

To be clear, the child is John the Baptist, not John the Apostle.

…they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 

What a surprise! People other than the parents want to name the child…

….but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 

It was a common practice of the day to name a son after his father. The Jewish historian Josephus confirms this practice (Life, 1).

The name “John” means “The Lord is gracious” and St. John Chrysostom saw great meaning in the choice of moniker for his namesake:

But the name John is also interpreted the grace of God. Because then by the favor of Divine grace not by nature, Elisabeth conceived this son, they engraved the memory of the benefit on the name of the child. – St. John Chrysostom

So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 

The fact that they “made signs” suggests that Zechariah was deaf as well as mute.

He asked for a tablet…

A wooden board covered with wax. The iPad of the day.

…and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, …

After nine months of silence, Zechariah’s speech is restored. He no longer doubts:

Rightly also, from that moment was his tongue loosed for that which unbelief had bound, faith set free. Let us then also believe, in order that our tongue, which has been bound by the chains of unbelief, may be loosed by the voice of reason – St. Ambrose

The birth of John ushered in a new era:

Now in an allegory, the celebration of John’s birth was the beginning of the grace of the New Covenant. His neighbors and kinsfolk had rather give him the name of his father than that of John. For the Jews, who by the observance of the Law were united to him as it were by ties of kindred, chose rather to follow the righteousness which is the Law, than receive the grace of faith.

But the name of John, (i.e. the grace of God), his mother in word, his father in writing, suffice to announce, for both the Law itself as well as the Psalms and the Prophecies, in the plainest language foretell the grace of Christ; and that ancient priesthood, by the foreshadowing of its ceremonies and sacrifices, bears testimony to the same. And well does Zacharias speak on the eighth day of the birth of his child, for by the resurrection of the Lord, which took place on the eighth day, i.e. the day after the sabbath, the hidden secrets of the legal priesthood were revealed. – St. Bede

…and he spoke blessing God

The first thing he does is bless God. This blessing is omitted in our Gospel Reading, but it’s beautiful. It is the canticle prayed every evening in the Liturgy of the Hours:

Blessed be the Lord, The God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty Saviour,
Born of the house of His servant David.

Through His holy prophets He promised of old
That He would save us from our enemies,
From the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
And to remember His holy Covenant.

This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
To set us free from the hands of our enemies,
Free to worship Him without fear,
Holy and righteous in His sight
All the days of our life.

You, My child shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. 

The friends and relatives knew that something important was afoot:

As at the silence of Zacharias the people marveled, so likewise when he spoke. Hence it is said, “And fear came upon all”; that from these two circumstances all might believe there was something great in the child that was born. But all these things were ordained, to the end that he who was to bear witness of Christ might also be esteemed trustworthy – Theophyl

John is to fulfil the words of the Prophet Malachi:

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me” – Malachi 3:1; 4:6

There is then a break in the text and we jump ahead to verse 80. We skip over Zechariah’s Canticle (see above).

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert…

John’s parents were old even at the time of his birth. They probably died while he was young. The Church Fathers describe his time in the desert beautifully:

The future preacher of repentance, that he might the more boldly reclaim his hearers from the allurements of the world, passes the first part of his life in the deserts. – St. Bede

Many wax strong in the flesh, but the wrestler of God must be strengthened by the Spirit that he may crush the wisdom of the flesh. He retires therefore to escape the noise of cities, and the thronging of the people. For it follows, “And he was in the deserts”. Where the air is purer, the sky more clear, and God a closer friend, that as the time had not yet arrived for his baptism and preaching, he might have leisure for praying, and might hold converse with the angels, calling upon God and fearing Him, saying, “Behold, here am I”. – Origen

Or, he was in the deserts that he might be brought up beyond the reach of the malice of the multitude, and not be afraid of man. For if he had been in the world, perchance he had been corrupted by the friendship and conversation of the world. And secondly, that he who was to preach Christ might also be esteemed trust-worthy. But he was hid in the desert until it pleased God to show him forth to the people of Israel – Theophyl

Some people have suggested that John joined the Essene community nearby at Qumran. This is speculation though. (Here’s an interesting question: why did John the Baptist not become a priest? His father was a priest, so one would have expected him to become one as well. Instead, he goes into the desert. There are indications that the Qumran community had some opposition to the Temple. Could this be another argument in favour of John being an Essene?)

…until the day of his manifestation to Israel.

This was when John was about thirty. He begins to preach repentance and announce the coming of the Kingdom.

John becomes a figure of Elijah:

He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist – 2 Kings 1:8

He draws people out of Jerusalem into the desert. A time of renewal and refreshment, much like Israel’s forty years in the desert, passing through the Jordan back into the Promised Land.