Third Sunday of Advent 'B'

Saturday December 13, 2008

Reading Between the Lines

Once upon a time there was a proud man named Carl who loved to ride his horse through his vast estate, and to congratulate himself on his enormous wealth and achievements. One day he came upon Hans, an old tenant farmer, who had sat down to eat his lunch in the shade of a great oak tree. Hans’ head was bowed in prayer. Carl said to the shaggy-looking man, “What are doing sitting under this tree?” When Hans looked up, he said, “Oh, excuse me, sir, I didn’t see you. I was giving thanks for my food.”

“Humph!” snorted the rich man noticing the coarse dark bread and cheese that made up the old man’s lunch. “If that were all I had to eat,” he sneered, “I don’t think I’d feel like giving thanks.” “Oh,” replied Hans, “it’s quite sufficient. But it’s remarkable that you should come here today because I feel that I have to tell you something. I had a strange dream just before awakening this morning.” “And what did you dream?” Carl asked with an amused smile. The old man answered, “There was beauty and peace all around, and yet I could hear a voice saying, ‘the richest man in the valley will die tonight.” “Ah, dreams!” cried Carl. “Nonsense!”

He turned and galloped away, and Hans prayed as he watched the horse and its rider disappear. “Die tonight!” mused Carl. “It’s ridiculous! No use going into a panic” The best thing to do, he decided, was to forget the old man’s dream.

And yet, he couldn’t forget it. He had felt fine, at least until Hans described that crazy dream of his. Now he wasn’t sure that he felt all that well. So that evening he called his doctor, who was a personal friend. He asked him to come over right away, for he had to speak with him. When the doctor arrived, Carl told him of the old man’s dream, how the richest man in the valley would die this very night. “Ah,” replied the doctor, “sounds like poppycock to me, but for your own peace of mind, let me examine you.” A little later, the examination complete, the doctor was full of smiles and assurances. He said, “Carl, you’re as strong and healthy as that horse you ride. There’s no way you’re going to die tonight.”

The doctor was just closing his bag when a messenger arrived out of breath at the manor door. “Doctor, doctor,” he cried, “come quick! It’s old Hans. He just died in his sleep!”

This is an excellent example of a parable with a bit of a prophetic spin — much like those told by Jesus. We are living in an age of a different kind of spin: political spin, economic spin, legal spin and yes, even ecclesiastical spin the purpose of which is to obfuscate rather than convey or clarify truth.

Whatever the spin, we need to parse the sentences and read between the lines before drawing conclusions.

As mature Christians in the Catholic tradition, it is not sufficient that we read the Bible or listen to the preacher. We need to be discerning readers and listeners. Above all we need to ponder the Scriptures prayerfully. Despite the number of times we have heard a particular passage, the application and meaning change because the circumstances of life change from year to year and from age to age. Moreover, our image of God has expanded beyond a distant supreme being to a creative relational force in the universe. The Spirit of God flows within us as an inspiration, a nudge and as a movement within a group of people toward a partnership for change in systems that exploit and oppress people.

Unfortunately, the compilers of the lectionary edited the reading from Isaiah. As a result, we missed Isaiah’s acknowledgment of the chaos that existed in Jerusalem after the return of the Jews from Babylon. The initial surge of joy was dampened by what they found shortly after their return to Jerusalem. The temple was in ruins; the cities desolate, poverty rampant. Isaiah perceived a subtle connection between the desolation and its cause. In essence, it mirrored the spiritual disposition of the Jewish people that occasioned their exile. Their shallow faith did not merit the favor of the Lord. But God did not hold it against them.

Paul suggests that if we are going to integrate the message, we need to be joyful people of prayer, people of discerning hearts committed to holiness which is not the same as a commitment to perfection. Holiness is the pursuit of a life consistent with the rhythm of God’s life. Only then will the story be understood and have a particular application and meaning for us. Perfection comes at the end of life.

I came across this citation by Scripture commentator, Pamela Sanchez, in which she refers to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Nine Requisites for Joyous Living:” Health – enough to make work a pleasure; wealth – enough to support your needs; strength – to battle with difficulties and overcome them; grace – enough to confess our sins and forsake them; patience – enough to toil until some good is accomplished; charity – enough to see some good in your neighbor; love – enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others; faith – enough to make real the things of God; hope – enough to remove all anxious fears about the future. (Pat Sanchez, Celebration, Preaching Resources, Third Sunday of Advent, NCR Publishing Co., Kansas City, MO, 2005)

The words of a true prophet are rooted in a heart that is close to God’s heart, and that is why we say a true prophet speaks for God. The true prophet challenges but does not hassle or nag; the true prophet calls us to a change of heart but gives us hope that change is possible. A true prophet makes us think not about the prophet or about profit — what’s in it for me — but about God and our relationship to all of what God has created. A true prophet moves us to values and the virtues of faith, hope and love; justice, courage, patience, meekness, piety, reverence—to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

The Scriptures, Old and New Testament during Advent provide panoply of prophets and prophecy.

•Isaiah was such a prophet;
•John the Baptist was a prophet;
•Paul was a prophet;
•Jesus was the prophet of all prophets.
• And we are called to be prophets too!

What are the prophets saying to you and to me in these troubling times of economic crisis, political conflict, global warfare and church reform?

On this third Sunday of Advent also known as Gaudete Sunday, Isaiah preaches words of hope and joy. Paul calls us to be attentive to the inner voice of the Spirit and John the Baptist challenges us to place Christ ahead of all the prophets and teachers and to defer to others as if to Christ.

The language of Advent is rooted in an attitude of gratitude reflected in our daily lives as we come to know our true selves as daughters and sons of God striving to live the Good News joyfully, with hope in our hearts and with the utter conviction that Jesus has made a difference and can make a difference again and again.

“May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you be preserved in spirit, soul and body, blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ because he who has called us is faithful and will be faithful forever.” Amen.

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