3rd Sunday Advent, Year A
Fr. Albert
St. Peter Catholic Church, New Iberia
“Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” The blind see again, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, who would be offended at that? Perhaps, if John were not the greatest man “among those born of woman,” he might. After all, while Jesus’ popularity is increasing and hundreds of people are benefiting from his miracles, John is languishing away in prison. John was the one who introduced Jesus to the public and it’s safe to say that John’s preaching made it a whole lot easier for Jesus to gather disciples. Actually, John the Baptist was more well-known than Jesus, even after Jesus rose from the dead! It takes years of evangelization for Jesus’ own fame to eclipse that of the eccentric prophet named John. The blind see, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, but your own relative, the man who helped you make it big, is sitting behind bars at the mercy of an unstable, selfish king. Offensive, no?
But not for John, and blessed is he. Since these are biblical figures, perhaps we lose sight of their humanity. But try for a moment to really think about how strange all of that must seem from a human perspective. This man has seemingly magical powers, but doesn’t even suggest that John should be freed; much less does he do anything to help him. No, all John gets is a beatitude.
But, John never even asked to be freed because he believes, as we believe, that that beatitude is a gift beyond measure. But why is that? The answer to that question also helps us to answer the first question I asked. The reason that people might be offended by Jesus’ healing ministry and the reason that John is blessed to be in prison for his preaching are one and the same. Ultimately, it comes down to the Cross. Though we have not come to that tree just yet, we still stand beneath its shadow. And we see that shadow in the mysterious question of John and the equally mysterious answer of Jesus.
When John the Baptist asked if Jesus is “the one who is to come,” most people assume that he was asking about the messiah. I don’t think John had any doubts about Jesus being the Messiah, the Christ. The Gospel even starts off by saying that John heard of the works of the Christ. No the phrase “one who is to come” is a reference to the prophet Malachi, who prophesied about a messenger who would come. But, he also says that the Lord is the one coming to his temple, not just his messenger. John knows himself to be the messenger, so that leaves him wondering about this coming of the Lord. When Jesus starts listing all of his accomplishments and miracles, he is answering John in the same way as the question was asked, by referring to an ancient prophecy. The prophecy Jesus uses is our first reading. And look at Isaiah’s prophecy: the blind, the deaf, and the lame are all healed when God comes with vindication, not the Messiah. Jesus even adds the raising of the dead, something not in Isaiah’s prophecy, but something that marks the action of God himself. So, while many of the Jews started to realize that Jesus is the messiah, they had not realized that he is divine.
And that is plenty of reason for many people to take offense. Indeed, it is his claim to be God that ultimately gets him killed. As Jesus reveals who he really is, there are two ultimate responses: we believe and are blessed or we reject him and crucify him. Those who believe will share in his victory. Those who take offense at him, will be defeated by him.
And why should God’s coming as a man be so offensive? Because of his humility. Because of his suffering. Because of his patience. People want God to be distant and powerful. They want him to suddenly show up and take away all their problems. But that is not what our God does. And people take offense at what God does because he asks us to follow him. If God chooses to be humble and born as a little baby, then I have to be humble. But being humble can be difficult. If God chooses to let himself suffer, then I have to accept my sufferings too, but I don’t want to accept my sufferings. If God chooses to be patient, then I have to be patient, but I don’t want to wait. And so, people are offended by Jesus.
But we are supposed to be joyful! Today, I am wearing rose vestments; rose is the color of joy! Why? Christmas is still two weeks away, but we are getting closer. Christians are filled with a joyful anticipation because the arrival of our God and savior is just on the horizon. It is like looking forward to a big party on Saturday. For some reason, on Thursday, we get excited because the party is almost here. And what are we joyful about? Jesus Christ brings healing, he brings peace, and he comes to help those who are weak and poor.
But, we must learn accept the way that he chooses to do that. Not everyone who is sick will be miraculously healed. Not everyone who is poor will suddenly become rich. God comes to save us, but he saves us according to his design and not ours. God humbly chose to be a man and we are called to humbly admit that we are not God. We are not in control. If you often struggle with anger, it might be a sign that you are trying to control what is beyond you. The thoughts and behaviors of others, traffic on the roads, how fast your computer or internet is, the political process – all of these are outside of your control. We can influence them, but we must do so with a degree of detachment and acceptance of our smallness. And there is a real joy in that acceptance.
Then there is the suffering. How strange an idea, how offensive that God will allow himself to suffer in the person of Jesus Christ! But the cross transforms suffering through love. By accepting suffering, God grants every human being the ability to enter into their own redemption and to overcome the worst part of suffering, it’s meaninglessness. Through the cross, all suffering can become redemptive – that is a joy.
And then there is that unbearable Divine patience. Jesus waited 30 years to start his ministry. He took another 3 just to get to the Cross. Then, worst of all, he has already waited 2000 years before wrapping everything up and it’s still not done. Our own conversion seems to take forever: breaking bad habits, building good ones, praying forever for someone else’s conversion… But James tells us to be patient like the farmer. Even the prophets of God, who spoke with God, had to suffer while they waited. Many waited for centuries before a single prophecy was fulfilled, much less the whole plan of God! Even John the Baptist – who is the greatest man born of woman, who got to herald the coming of Christ directly – he had to suffer and wait. But he rejoiced in his trials.
So we should learn from John the Baptist. We must watch for the coming of the Lord and be patient. But, we also belong to the Kingdom of Heaven, so we can rejoice even while we wait. It is a mystery, but Christians have the ability to rejoice even while they suffer! And that is the best way for us to build our patience. We should rejoice in the Lord while we can. Every day, thank God for the gifts he has given you. We should praise him and sing joyful songs – Scripture says about a thousand times to sing joyful songs and praise to the Lord – so we should sing even if sometimes we have to force ourselves to do it. And the Mass is a time of worship. By praising God then and at other times, we can gain strength to be patient and to watch for the coming of the Lord. Seek joy in humility, seek joy in the ability to offer up your sufferings, seek joy in God’s patience with your sins. Praise God day by day, hour by hours, minute by minute, so that you have no time or desire to be offended. Truly, “Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”