THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
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Sunday BibleTalk: December 16th, 2018
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CANTICLE OF JOHN
And the virgin set out
for the hill country,
to the house of punitive silence
and geriatric laughter.
The old shall conceive
and the mute shall sing
for nothing is impossible
to God.
Intent on prophesying,
the child leaped
within his mother's womb
and spoke to the darkness
that is before birth.
"Prepare, make straight,
HERE is your God!
Open your eyes,
understand with your heart--
THE KINGDOM COMES!"
The old shall conceive
and the mute shall sing
for nothing is impossible
to God.
"Why this uproar?
Why this impotent muttering?
Break your fetters,
throw off the yoke,
receive the fullness
that awaits you.
The darnel will burn,
but the seed in rich soil
shall produce a hundredfold;
the birds of the air
shall shelter in the branches
of the mustard tree.
Seek the lost coin,
by the fine pearl,
plunge into the dragnet,
mix with the yeast,
BECOME
the kingdom!"
The old shall conceive
and the mute shall sing
for nothing is impossible
to God.
"The wilderness and the dry land shall exult;
decked in morning's glory,
the wasteland shall bloom
with lilacs,orchids,jonquils,
with the most fragrant
and fragile of flowers.
And the blind shall see,
the deaf will hear,
the dumb will sing in praise.
The lame shall cast aside crutches,
paralytics, their mats.
The dead shall rise from their graves.
For water flows through the desert,
through the wasteland, through the scorched earth
and the parched lands...."
And you, little child, you shall be called "Prophet of the Most High," for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him.
From "Advent Pastiche,"
EAS, 1985
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Greetings, SBT Readers:
This week I have been battling a severe cold and, wanting to rule out both strep and flu, I paid a visit to the nearest Urgent Care facility which happens to be half a block from where I live. Everything was normal (except my streaming nose), but the attending physician was curious about something.
"How do you keep your breathing so regular?" she asked, placing her stethascope on the desk.
Caught off guard, I asked her to repeat the question.
"I don't get to hear regular breathing very often," she explained. "Your breaths are very controlled."
"Meditation!" I said, laughing. "That could be it!"
The next thing I knew, she opened the door and introduced me to the office staff -- nurses, receptionists, physicians' aids, all very young. I was the only patient and so they could take time out. What I discovered was that the team members wanted to learn how to meditate but didn't know where to begin. They had downloaded meditation apps, but weren't having much luck; they understood the value of meditating, but needed a guide. Were it not for my feeling so congested, I would have offered a workshop on the spot, but I ended up going home, prescription in hand.
What this taught me is how hungry the world is for peace and well-being, for inner stillness and even for silence. The medical staff were all Millennials, a generation that has largely walked away from organized religion-- yet they knew they were missing out on some indefinable "something."
This theme came up at the conference,
"Disappear from View'?: Thomas Merton Fifty Years Later, and Beyond
(
Bernardin Center, CTU
, Dec 7-8). What was it that made Baby Boomers and even Gen X gravitate towards Merton's writings, and, indeed, his very person? He addressed everything from the monastic journey to racism, from opposition to the war in Vietnam to observations of nature, from reflections on solitude to the practice of contemplation. Surprisingly, his views on these seemingly esoteric topics turned him into something of a cult figure, making life quite uncomfortable for his fellow Trappists in Kentucky; to this day, pilgrims visit the
Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani
, not only to learn more about this icon of spirituality, but to walk in his footsteps and, perhaps, to linger in his hermitage. Years ago, I had the privilege of co-leading a student retreat there when I was a University Minister at DePaul; we had no difficulty getting students to sign up and ended with a very diverse group -- again, testimony to Merton's universal appeal. The monks' website states that
"
The monastic milieu offers a place apart 'to entertain silence in the heart and listen for the voice of God – to pray for your own discovery'”
(Thomas Merton). Happily, that's what we found at the Abbey.
Advent is a time for entering the silence of our own hearts, for "regulating breathing" and for discovering more about ourselves and about our God. May this holy season carry us on God's breath!
Advent Blessings!
Elizabeth
PS
Please note that my weekly video reflection,
Sunday Chat
(see below),
is an imperfect production, entirely unscripted and therefore prone to some "rough spots" in terms of clarity, content and expression! Sadly, there's no time for "re-takes"!
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SCRIPTURE REFLECTION
The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”
"What should we do?"
The paradox is that in spite of the desert setting and his wild appearance, despite his fiery language about the coming wrath, John's message is a gentle one: that anyone who does what his or her circumstances demand can be saved. To the crowds, he points out that sharing of resources is appropriate -- not the giving away of what they need for survival but a sharing of any surplus food or clothing with those who have neither. Instead of rebuking the hated tax collectors for collaborating with the Romans, he simply instructs them to be honest -- to stop overcharging the people and pocketing the extra revenue. As for the soldiers, they are to stop all bullying, making false accusations and complaining about their wages. In effect, his message is that is is possible to achieve holiness in any walk of life if one performs one's duty and treats others justly and with compassion.
"What should we do?"
John's approach is to encourage spiritual renewal. He urges the crowds to examine their lives, to repent of their sins and to submit to the purifying waters of the River Jordan. He is clear that he is preparing the way for One who is mightier than he, and for a baptism not of water but of Spirit and fire. Though we are drawing close to the celebration of the birth of Jesus, we need to be clear that John is preparing the people for an encounter with the adult Christ, not the Infant Jesus!
"What should we do?"
The teachings of Jesus are much more challenging than anything John has to say: while John is advocating a basic morality, Jesus will turn upside down any notions of mere piety or conventional faith, challenging basic beliefs surrounding sin, redemption, holiness and righteousness. Those who will be saved not only include the tax collectors, but also sinners, prostitutes, the poor, the sick, the ostracized, the marginalized, along with Romans, Samaritans and Canaanites. As far as Jesus is concerned, what is needed goes beyond "duty" and includes loving neighbor, forgiving enemies, giving away everything, abandoning home, turning the other cheek, returning good for evil, renouncing evil, taking up one's cross etc. etc. This is by no means a soft and sentimental message, but one which rejects any form of entitlement, exclusivity or privilege. If the crowds breath a sigh of relief when they hear John's the Baptist's preaching, they will have a very different reaction when they listen to Jesus' parables and to the Beatitudes.
"What should we do?"
Sadly, many Christians stay at the level of "duty," never progressing to the radical discipleship to which Jesus invites us. But attending mass, being a "good citizen," performing private devotions and observing the commandments is not enough. There is always that "one thing more" to which Jesus invites us, just as he invited the rich man who had observed the commandments since his youth (Matt 19:16-22). In this season of Advent, let us reflect on that "one thing more" so that we don't delude ourselves about how closely we are following the Christ.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
- What should YOU do to become a better disciple?
- Which of Jesus' teachings do you find the most difficult and why?
- Why do many Christians feel more at home with the Child Jesus than with the Adult Christ?
- Do you think that the Church should emphasize the Baptism of Jesus more than his Birth?
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CHRISTMAS GIFT SUGGESTION FOR TEACHERS & PREACHERS
In light of the newly-released government report on Climate Change, my book on the spiritual implications of a green agenda might make a useful gift for people of influence -- namely, teachers and preachers!
Preaching and Teaching Laudato Si'
is not a synopsis of Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment, but a simply written primer for those who wish to preach, teach or reflect on the spiritual implications of a green agenda; it is a resource for those of any faith who wish to respond to the Pope's plea for ecological conversion. Though the book is primarily intended for preachers and teachers, it offers basic principles for anyone who wishes to learn more about sustainable living. This little book is not a scholarly work, but a series of reflections meant for every day people who happen to preach, teach or think!
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