Taste and See: Waiting

John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:

‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;
he will prepare your way before you.

‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

Matthew 11:2-11

We heard that Gospel passage of Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Joy.

And clearly the Gospel helps us to identify reason for joy. But the joy is not unalloyed. John is in prison, conerned, and doubtful. His doubts dispelled he still faces his martyrdom. That death is to his glory, but , still, it is a cruel death and one visitied upon him as a result of scheming and of brutal dictatorship.

We have no one more that we are to wait for, the kingdom is at hand, but sometimes it appears, also, very far off.

• For what needs  – of yourself and others – do you pray today?

Beheading of John the Baptist. Pierre Puvis De Chavannes. Barber Institute. Photo © 2016, Allen Morris

Speak Lord: Give us life

At Mass today, the third Sunday of Advent, the following is the First reading:

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,
let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,
let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,
let it rejoice and sing for joy.

The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it,
the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they shall see the glory of the Lord,
the splendour of our God.

Strengthen all weary hands,
steady all trembling knees
and say to all faint hearts,
‘Courage! Do not be afraid.

‘Look, your God is coming,
vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God;
he is coming to save you.’

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy
for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.

They will come to Zion shouting for joy,
everlasting joy on their faces;
joy and gladness will go with them
and sorrow and lament be ended.

Isaiah 35:1-6,10

This Sunday is Gaudete Sunday. In many churches the purple of Advent will be replaced by the Rose traditionally associated with this day, a sign of its joyful character as the Liturgy begins to turn its attention more and more to the forthcoming feast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ.

• What in you would you like to see healed, renewed?
• And in others?
• How might you offer yourself, even in brokenness, for the service of the Kingdom?

Flowering plant. Lerins, France. (c) 2013, Allen Morris

Speak Lord: ever present, still longed for

Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

James 5:7-10

The Second reading on Sunday next, the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, reminds us that we wait still for the Lord’s Second Coming.

We live with hope because of his first coming, but his second coming is still ahead of us.

In this meantime we anticipate that second coming again and again in our sacramental encounters with the Lord in word and in Sacrament.

Already, here and now, we meet with him and experience his saving love. These tokens of what is still come sustain and encourage us.

St James. St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham. (c) 2016, Allen Morris

Speak Lord: Our Freedom

John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?’ Jesus answered, ‘Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’

As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:

‘Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;
he will prepare your way before you.

‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is.’

Matthew 11:2-11

This coming Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, a day of joy in the love and workings of God.

The gospel of the day reveals to us something of the doubt and fear that John endures in his imprisonment.

Doubt and fear linger around us too, even on a day of joy.

Remembering and being renewed by the workings of God is our way to freedom – his gift and our response.

Carving. Grasse, France. 2007

Speak Lord: Lead us to your light.

The Gospel for Mass today, Gaudete (rejoicing) Sunday, the 3rd Sunday of Advent comes from the Gospel of John. It tells of John the Baptist and his witness to the Christ.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness:
Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

John 1:6-8,19-28

The way John the evangelist tells the story emphasises again and again what John the Baptist is not. He is not the Christ but he is the one who is witness to the light, the Christ.

The suspicion is that there was a time when many did think John was more important than Jesus. Perhaps this was during Jesus’ lifetime, perhaps at the the time the Gospel was being written, perhaps both.

What lesson might we take from this?

• Are there times when we are tempted to think of ourselves as more important than the Christ? Or our call to serve?
• What does it mean that the one whose sandal-strap we too are unfit to undo, comes to serve us?
• How open to change and growth are we?

Photograph of The Baptism of Christ by Marek Zulaski (1982) in Church of Our Lady, St John’s Wood. Photograph (c) 2007, Allen Morris.

 

Speak Lord: That we may give thanks

The Canticle (or New Testament ‘psalm’) that is the responsorial song after the first reading on Sunday comes from St Luke’s Gospel. On this third Sunday of Advent, Mary’s song, the Magnificat prepares us for the final stage of Advent, and for our own thanksgiving for God’s goodness to us.

My soul rejoices in my God.

My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her nothingness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.

He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy.

My soul rejoices in my God.

Luke 1:46-50,53-54

• What are the wonders of God for which you would like to give thanks?
• Where do you see the justice of God being established? Where does it seem to be lacking?

Photograph is of detail from a figure of Mary, Mother of God, in the Lady Chapel, Salisbury Cathedral. (c) 2010, Allen Morris