III Sunday of Advent
Gospel (Mt 11.2 to 11)
...
2 John meanwhile, who was in prison, having heard of the works of Christ, sent to tell him by his disciples: 3 "Art thou he that should come, or we look for another?". 4 Jesus answered: "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached, 6, and blessed is he who takes no offense at me. "
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go to see in the desert? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What did you go see? A man clothed in soft garments? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses 9 So, what did you go see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written: "Behold, I send my messenger before thee, which shall prepare thy way before thee."
11 Verily I say unto you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
is not easy to recognize the Messiah of God
Educated by the prophets, Israel has waited for centuries, and yet, when it came, even people spiritually prepared and well-disposed have struggled to understand and welcome . The same Baptist remained disoriented.
But a Messiah who is not surprising, that does not arouse wonder and disbelief can not come from God, it would be too logical and consistent with our expectations and our God thinks very differently from us.
In the first part of today's Gospel (vv. 2-6) is presented the question that arose one day in the minds of the precursor and the answer that Jesus gave.
John is in prison and the reason is told in Mt from 14.1 to 12: he denounced the immoral behavior of Herod that he took the wife of his brother. In Machaerus fortress where, according to the historian Josephus, was locked up, is treated with respect, can receive visits from his disciples and, eager to witness the coming of the kingdom of God is kept informed about what Jesus is doing of Nazareth, whom he hailed as the messiah.
In this range, however, his faith began to waver.
Some say that the doubts are not John, but his disciples. Not so. From the Gospel is clear that he doubted that Jesus was the messiah. For this he sent to ask, "Are you he that should come or do we look for another?" (V. 3). Why
of concerns were raised about him?
The answer is quite simple. Just keep in mind the image of Messiah who, since childhood, John had taken up by the spiritual leaders of his people.
is in prison, and conscious of what the prophets have foretold, he expects the "liberator" (Isaiah 61:1), in charge of restoring justice in the world and the truth. He does not understand why Jesus did not decide to intervene on his behalf.
Wait a messiah strict court doing battle against evil. Here was the surprise: Not only does Jesus not condemn sinners, but he eats with them and the glory of being their friend (Luke 7:34). Recommended not to quench the dimly burning wick, and suggests that still take care of the "bruised reed." Do not destroy anything, recover and fix what is broken. Do not burn the sinners, change their hearts and wants them happy at any cost, has the words of salvation for those who have no more hope and that everyone avoided like lepers. Not discourages the face of any human problem, not give up even before death.
envoys of John the Baptist, Jesus presents himself as a messiah, listing the signs implied by some texts of Isaiah (Is 35.5-6, 26.19, 61.1), the prophet of hope who had predicted: "Nobody in the city more say, I'm sick "(Is 33.24).
The Baptist is invited to take note of six new reality: the healing of the blind, the deaf, the lepers, the crippled, the resurrection of the dead and the proclamation of the gospel to the poor. These are all signs of salvation, no condemnation.
New World is thus arose: who was walking in the dark and had lost orientation of life, is now illuminated by the Gospel, who was crippled and could not move a step towards the Lord and our brothers and sisters, now brisk walk, who was deaf to the word of God, now listen and be guided from it: he was ashamed of himself for the leprosy of sin that kept him away from God and by his brothers, now feels cleansed, and he who carried out only dead works now lives in the fullness of his life: he was considered a miserable and without Hope has heard the good news: "While there is no salvation for you."
The Messiah of God has nothing to do with the energetic character and severe than John expected. His approach has shocked the precursor and continues to shock us today. There is still someone who asks the Lord to intervene and punish the wicked, there are still those who interpret God's punishment as the misfortunes that affect those who have done evil. But can God be angry or feel pleasure in seeing his children (even if bad) suffer?
Jesus concludes his response with a bliss, the tenth one encounters in the Gospel of Matthew: "Blessed is he who takes no offense at me." A sweet invitation to review the Baptist in his theological convictions.
A good God with all contradicted the belief that John had done. Like us, the Baptist imagined a God strong and if he found himself facing weak; expect sensational action, however the events continue to unfold as if the Messiah had not come.
Blessed are those who accept God as it is, not as he would like them to be!
Faith in the God revealed in Jesus can only be accompanied by doubt, uncertainty, difficulty in believing.
The Baptist is the figure of the true believer is being debated so many doubts, asks questions, but does not reject the Messiah because it matches your requirements, call into question their certainties.
not care who finds it difficult to believe, those who feel lost in front of the mystery and puzzles of existence, who says he does not understand the thoughts and acting of God care who confuses his own certainties with the truth of God, who has a ready answer for all questions, who always has some dogma to be imposed, those who never leave question: such a belief sometimes borders on fanaticism.
parties the disciples of John, Jesus speaks his opinion on him with three rhetorical questions. This is the second part of today's Gospel (vv. 7-11).
responses to the first two are obvious: the Baptist is not like the reeds growing along the Jordan River, the capriciousness because symbols are bent in the direction of the wind. John is an opportunist that adapts to all situations and bow before the powers that be. On the contrary, is one that is resolutely opposed to the same political leaders, who openly address the king and not afraid to say what he thinks.
John is not a corrupt, who thinks the interest that accumulates and the unscrupulous money squandered on entertainment, clothing, elegant and refined. The corrupt - Jesus says - are the kings and their courtiers, the rich, the leaders who have imprisoned.
The third question requires a positive response: John was a prophet, so it's more than a prophet. No one has served a mission in the Old Testament than his own. More than Moses, he is "an angel" sent to precede liberating the coming of the Lord.
the final addition is significant: "The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (v. 11).
Jesus did not establish a ranked list based on personal holiness and perfection, but calls to verify the superiority of the condition of the disciple. Who belongs to the kingdom of heaven is able to see farther than the Baptist. Who took the new face of God, who understood that the Messiah has come to meet the man to forgive, to embrace it, love it, however, entered the new perspective, a view of God
What we today, regardless of our holiness staff, we can see and understand, the Baptist has only guessed because he was on the threshold of new times.
Fernando Armellini (biblical scholar)
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