Of Feasts and Focus

Gospel: John 1: 47-51

In today's Gospel Jesus tells Nathaniel he will see angels attending to the Son of Man, and yet in John's Gospel not a single appearance of an angel occurs.  The other Gospels note the presence of angels throughout the infancy narratives and at the empty tomb.  These three angels - Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel - are mentioned in various places in the scriptures, fulfilling important roles of being messengers and intercessors.  

Today's feast has a fractured history.  Each angel had a separate feast day until they were merged together in recent times, this date being chosen as it is the anniversary of the dedication of an ancient basilica to St. Michael.  If one still follows the calendar of 1962 the feasts of this day and many others are not the same as the normative calendar of the Church.  Never before in the history of the Western Church has this been the case in the Roman Rite.

All of this should not distract us from our fundamental task of following the Lord Jesus, to discover him as Nathaniel did in an ordinary encounter under a tree or in a myriad of other ways in life.  It is to accept the invitation of Jesus to follow him along the Way where angels tread alongside unawares.  We need not look for them or obsess at finding their presence among us.  It is enough to know they are there, walking with us on the way to the reign of God. 

Ignoring the Message

Gospel: Luke 9: 46-50

Jesus has repeatedly told the disciples that he will be arrested and executed by the religious leaders and worldly powers.  He states quite clearly that to be the Messiah of God is to serve others and to suffer.  Naturally the disciples respond by arguing about who is the most important among them, who has the authority and power.  Jesus again has to rebuke them, reminding them that service to others is the criterion of importance in the kingdom of God.

No sooner does Jesus finish that lesson to the disciples that they come upon someone healing and showing mercy to others in Jesus' name, and they want to rebuke this man because he is not part of their club.  Once again Jesus has to rebuke them, for they are more interested in exercising control and power over others than they are in extending mercy to others.  Despite the repeated rebukes and the example Jesus provides, the disciples continue to ignore the message.  

It should come as no surprise when this dynamic of ignoring these lessons of Jesus continue unabated from that time to the present.  When apologetics about primacy, authority, and membership take precedent over the mission of mercy to which Jesus calls us, we repeat this Gospel scene again and again.  The Lord's rebuke echoes to this very day, inviting us back to the mission to heal others, liberate people from their demons, and nourish them at table. 

A Tale of Two Tables

Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

A man had two sons.  Both sinned, but one regretted it and changed his behavior, doing what was required.  The other son did not.  Jesus ate with two different sets of people: tax collectors and prostitutes at one table, and scribes and Pharisees at the other.  Both sets of people were sinners, but one group regretted their sins and worked to live otherwise, while the other group did not as they saw themselves as sinless.  They talked about being faithful, but their actions, or lack of actions, said otherwise.

Notice the conversation at each table.  At the one, the tax collectors and prostitutes are talking with Jesus and listening.  There is authentic encounter, an opportunity for transformation.  At the other table, the Pharisees and scribes are talking to Jesus and talking about the sins of others.  Here there is no real encounter, no opportunity for transformation.  At that table there is only room for oneself, everyone else being unworthy to be in our presence, even the Lord Jesus.

How similar we are to the Scribes and Pharisees!  How often do we speak of faith but do not practice it.  How often do we speak of the sins of others, excluding others from the table, but do not see our own sin.  Regardless of our theological and liturgical bent the Lord's table more often is that of the Pharisee and Scribe, that of the son who did not do his Father's will, than we care to admit.  May today be our prayer of the Publican - Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.