REFLECTION
It is important in understanding this text that we
place it alongside the Beatitudes (read last week)
which immediately precede it. In that text, the
virtues to be cultivated by followers of Jesus were
outlined, but the danger with that approach alone
is that faith can become contented peacefulness
and somewhat inward looking. To avoid this risk,
Matthew follows the Beatitudes with this text
which teaches disciples about the task of
Christians in the world. They have been given the
gifts; they are the salt of the earth. But it is not
enough that they see their blessedness and rest
there. They may become ‘tasteless’ and good
only to be ‘trampled underfoot’. Instead, the
disciples are urged to place their light high on a
hill and let it shine for all to see. They are
witnesses to God’s living presence, not just for
the nation of Israel but for all the world. In seeing
the way that Christians live and act, their ‘good
works’, others will be drawn to God through their
active witness to faith. Others will come to give
praise to God in heaven.....
|
REFLECTION
The rendering of the Greek term used
in this text as ‘happy’ is rather weak.
A better term is ‘blessed’.
At the heart of the Beatitudes is Jesus
instructing his followers to cultivate certain
qualities in their lives. To be gentle, to mourn,
to thirst for what is right, to be merciful,
to be pure of heart and to be peacemakers are signs
of the presence of the Kingdom of God in our lives.
To have such virtues is to be blessed.
Jesus teaches that those who suffer some human
lack or pain are blessed, not because poverty,
pain or sorrow are good in themselves, but
because they reveal to us our need for God.
Those who are prosperous, comfortable
or content find this much more difficult
to realize and accept.
The final portion of this text speaks to the
experience of the early Church which
suffered persecution for the sake of faith in Jesus Christ.
Christians today are so called to stand against
arrogant secularism which proclaims
that humans do not need God.
Even today, people suffer for their faith
but they too are assured that their reward ...
|
REFLECTION
In Palestine, the betrothal period
was akin to our sense of engagement but was
somewhat more binding.
The couple is considered married
but have not yet come to live together.
An indiscretion of this nature requires a formal
divorce and thus public knowledge.
Joseph seeks to spare Mary this public
disgrace, but God intercedes and
alerts Joseph to the real identity of this child
which is in her ‘by the Holy Spirit’.
For Matthew, this is the most important
point of his infancy narrative.
The child Jesus is the fulfillment of the
ancient prophecy that the maiden will conceive
‘God-with-us’.
God has freely chosen to come among people.
The second important point in this text
is Joseph’s response. The anguish and turmoil
he must have felt is overcome by his trust in
God’s ways and he obeys.
He simply ‘did what the angel told him to do’.
Through his trust and acceptance of God’s will,
human history will never be the same because
‘God-is-with-us’.
|
REFLECTION As we have already noted, one of
the consistent themes in Matthew’s Gospel
is to reveal Jesus as the long awaited Messiah
of the Jews to his largely Jewish community.
In this text, Matthew cites the evidence
which is before their eyes.
Why is it necessary for John to question
the identity of Jesus when his
own eyes and ears will give him
the answer he seeks?
The blind see, the lame walk,
the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,
the dead are raised to life and
good news is proclaimed to the poor!
Such were the signs of the coming of the Lord
which Isaiah had prophesied.
Such are the actions which Jesus undertakes!
His identity is clear for all who have the
eyes and ears to see it.
|
REFLECTION During Advent in year A, all the first readings
come from the prophet Isaiah.
It is useful to pay particular attention
to his voice, noticing the development
of the vision and images he puts before us
relating to the meaning of Jesus
for the church and the world.
In last week’s reading,
Isaiah sees what is to come: the nations
assembling, surrendering to the Lord,
laying down the weapons of war,
beating them into useful tools of
farming and a peaceful life.
Today, Isaiah describes the qualities
of the Spirit of the Lord, and the just judgments
this brings resulting in a world of no conflict.
In the next week’s text Isaiah describes
The glorious and triumphant coming of the Lord
and the healing of all that is broken.
In the final week of Advent, Isaiah speaks of the
maiden who will conceive and give birth to one
who is ’God-is-with-us’.
|
|