Mark 2:23-28 Keep Holy the Sabbath

The Pharisees should have felt blessed to have Jesus in their presence, and yet, they often were offended by his deeds.  In the gospel story for today, their offense stems from their strict interpretation of the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath.  Their interpretation was in part based on the connection of the Sabbath with God’s rest after the six days of creation (Ex 20:11). 

           

For the ancient Hebrew, God’s resting served as an example for human resting and for protesting the servitude of work and the worship of money (Ex 31:17, 23:12). The Sabbath also served as a reminder of Israel’s liberation from bondage (Dt 5:15).  This significance motivated the Pharisees to insist that the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath prohibited work of any kind, including the picking of grain from the field. 

Clearly, Jesus understood the historical and religious significance of the Sabbath, and he faithfully followed the commandments of God. But, he strongly disagreed with the Pharisees’ interpretation of how this particular commandment should be applied. For this reason, they took offense at his allowing the disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath.

           

Jesus responds to their offense with an authentic interpretation of the commandment when he says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Jesus declares with all authority that the Sabbath is for doing good rather than harm, for saving life rather than killing (Mk 3:4).  In other words, Jesus responds with a compassionate focus on authentic good deeds, not blind adherence to ritualistic behavior. 

           

Jesus will say to the Pharisees more than once, “You are more interested in doing religion than in doing justice.  You are more interested in miracles than in caring for the poor, the vulnerable, the outcast, the sick, and the marginalized.  You are more interested in religious ritual and celebration than in loving sacrifice for others.  You substitute following religious rules for doing God’s will.  No wonder the message of Jesus offended the Pharisees of his day.

           

The message that Jesus preached so long ago remains to this day a call to follow him, to live a certain kind of life, to be a certain kind of person.  The decision to follow Christ is a decision to be a person who is loving, kind, patient, understanding, merciful and just towards others, especially the poor and vulnerable members of society.  As St Paul puts it, the Christian way of life is life in the Spirit.  The Spirit of God helps us be the kind of person we are called to be.

           

This is what motivates Jesus to say to his disciples, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” (Mt 11:6).  The actions of Jesus are an invitation to follow him, not a reason to be offended. Following him is a blessing that leads to eternal life.  We are indeed blessed that God so loved us that he became one of us in the person of Jesus Christ.  We are blessed that Jesus is like us in every way, as St. Paul says—in failure and success, in sorrow and in joy, in doubt and in faith—in all ways except sin.  Jesus came to show us who the Father is and how we can get to his home.  This is the good news that Jesus preached so long ago.  And, we are truly blessed to hear his message once again. 

Baptism of the Lord B 2015 (Mk 1: 7-11)

            Jesus has a momentous encounter with God at his baptism.  It is momentous because this baptism reveals who Jesus is.  This baptism shows that Jesus is determined to carry out the will of his heavenly Father.  Notice that Jesus goes to John for baptism.  John does not come to Jesus.  This is significant, because John connects baptism with repentance, and yet Jesus does not need repentance.  Why then does Jesus go to John for baptism?  What does this baptism mean to Jesus?  What does this baptism mean for us?  

            John provides part of the answer.  John told his followers that he baptized with water so that Jesus, who would baptize with the Holy Spirit, might be made known to Israel (Jn 1:31).  In seeking baptism from John, therefore, Jesus intends to be made known beyond the shepherds and beyond the magi (Acts 19:4). 

            The identity of Jesus is made known in a dramatic way, for, the Holy Trinity is at the center of this revelation.  When Jesus comes up out of the Jordan, a voice from the heavens—the voice of the Father—declares that Jesus is his beloved Son with whom he is well pleased.  The text suggests that not everyone hears this declaration; only those who were willing to hear it. 

            At the same time, the Holy Spirit descends and comes to rest upon Jesus.  The Holy Spirit descends to anoint Jesus in preparation for his public ministry.  The Holy Spirit empowers Jesus.  The baptism of Jesus is the first public revelation of Jesus as the Son of God.  It is truly a momentous encounter with God because it is a transformation for Jesus.  At this point, Jesus leaves behind the old and puts on a new life.  He leaves behind his private life and begins a new life of public ministry, teaching others about the kingdom of God and the will of the Father.

            Jesus understands his own baptism as carrying out the will of the Father.  Jesus teaches Nicodemus that no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit (Jn 3:5).  For this reason, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and scribes for refusing to be baptized by John.  Jesus characterizes their refusal as setting aside the will of God (Lk 7:30).  In this sense, the baptism of Jesus is a model and motivation for our own baptism.

            Through his baptism and through his teaching, Jesus shows that the whole point of baptism is to set aside the old and put on a new life.  Baptism is thus a momentous encounter with God for us as well.  Most of us would not describe our baptism in this way, because most of us were not even aware of the event.  And yet, that is exactly what baptism is—a momentous encounter with God, even for infants.  Through baptism, we encounter the Father and become united with Jesus Christ the Son, and receive the Holy Spirit. 

            From this point on, we have a new life in Christ (Rom 6:4).  The white garment that we receive at baptism symbolizes this new life.  St. Paul calls attention to this new life when he says that, “all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Gal 3:27).  This reference to a new life in Christ led to the practice in the early Church of taking off old clothes and putting on new white garments for baptism.  The symbolism is clear.  Through baptism, we leave behind the old and put on a new life.  We become the Beloved of God, commissioned to proclaim the Good News with our lives.

            We have the example of Christ to guide us.  After his baptism and anointing, Jesus entrusted himself and his mission entirely to the Holy Spirit.  As a result, the Spirit led Jesus into the desert for a period of discernment and reflection.  This desert experience gives Jesus time to make sense of his encounter with God at his baptism, and to decide how to carry out the will of the Father; how to proclaim the Good News with his life. 

            Scripture clearly shows that this was no easy process for Jesus. Nor is it always easy for us.  God nurtures and develops the new life that we receive in baptism long after the original event—if we but listen to his voice.  Do we want to hear God's voice?  God responds to willing hearts, to those who are willing to hear his message.  We read in Revelation that God stands at the door and knocks.  He promises that if we hear his voice and open the door, he will come in and eat with us, and we will be with Him (Rev 3:20).  If we want to encounter God, first we have to hear his knock; we have to hear his voice.  Only then will we know to open the door. 

            Our challenge today is to remain attentive to the voice of the one true God, for there are many gods fighting for our attention.  Like Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Holy Spirit did not come on Pentecost as someone the Apostles could see and touch.  Rather, the Holy Spirit came to abide in their hearts. 

            That same Spirit comes to us today through Scripture, through the Church, through prayer, through the sacraments, through our experiences, and through each other.  The question is whether we are willing to listen to the voice of God spoken in our hearts.  The Psalmist encourages us to be still and simply know God (Ps 46:10).  This stillness is the beginning of reflection and discernment.  This is the beginning of our desert experience.  And it begins with baptism. 

Feast of the Holy Family B 2014

            Scripture provides very few details about the boyhood and coming of age years of Jesus. We know from scripture that, for the first thirty years of his life—90% of his time on earth—Jesus lived a very ordinary family life with Mary and Joseph.  He grew up in a town called Nazareth where he became strong in spirit and filled with wisdom. The young Jesus was not a willful child or a rebellious teen, but was obedient to his parents.  He behaved as he should have.  He did chores around the house.  He studied Scripture as well as his school lessons, and he went to the Temple with his parents at the appropriate times. 

            As he grew older, Jesus worked with Joseph and earned his living as was expected at the time. Throughout his life, Jesus never travelled more than 200 miles from his home, even after he began his public ministry.  Jesus experienced a normal growing up process, both physically and mentally, that most everyone goes through.  All of this shows that Jesus placed a great deal of importance on ordinary living.

            The ordinary life of Jesus was holy because he was dedicated to God from the moment of his conception.  In the same way, our ordinary lives are also holy.  Indeed, the feast of the Holy Family shows that ordinary living is sacred living.  We celebrate this feast during the Christmas season, for this is a very holy time of year when family takes on special meaning and importance. 

            We tend to think of family in very traditional terms of mother, father, and children—all of whom reside together in one household and are related by marriage, birth or adoption.  We know the reality is often very different, but we hang on to this ideal because thinking this way keeps us in our comfort zone.

            Jesus makes it clear, however, that our relationship with each other in the household of God is spiritual rather than biological.  He reveals his view of family in particular when he responds to someone who says to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.”  Jesus responds with the question, “Who is my mother?  Who are my brothers?  And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother’” (Mt 12:47-50).   

            The message is clear.  For Jesus, natural kinship is only “half” the story.  Jesus’ “whole” family includes all those who do the will of his heavenly Father.  With this response, Jesus shows that we are a spiritual family in the household of God, united in ways that enlarge the traditional terms of family.

              In his letter to the Colossians, Paul calls attention to what life in the household of God means in ordinary, practical terms.  According to Paul, we are equal “citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God…For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Rom 8:14-17). As a result, Paul says we are to put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience…bearing with one another and forgiving one another…and above all, we are to put on love (Col 3:12).     

            From this ordinary standpoint, we should experience our own families as safe havens.  Just as the baby Jesus found rescue and safety with his family, we too should find rescue and safety in our families.  Family is the place to find love and acceptance, encouragement and support, freedom from psychological and physical abuse.  Family is where we should find mercy and forgiveness, and a less critical eye than the world brings to bear.  Family is where we can learn genuine love for God and for others.

            Genuine love means taking an active regard for those around us.  And we can do this in very ordinary and yet sacred ways.  We can bring the love of Christ to others in our own families and in our spiritual family.  Our words and actions can be life-giving and life-affirming.  We can inspire others to search for truth and abandon old, destructive ways.  We can be open to all people, especially the foreigner and the stranger.   Sometimes all it takes is a simple act of kindness—just being there when somebody needs you.

            This is what the feast of the Holy Family means—showing love for others in very ordinary and yet sacred ways.  Ordinary living is sacred living.