Sunday, 12/15/13
Throughout this
season of Advent the readings at Mass make references to the Old Testament
prophets who prepared the way for Jesus. Our first reading today is from Isaiah
who might be the finest poet who ever lived. Then, our Gospel focuses on John
the Baptist who came in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah. So, let us
see what Isaiah and Elijah can add to getting ready for Christmas.
Our first reading,
coming from Chapter Thirty-five of Isaiah is from a time of great sadness in Jerusalem.
The cruel conquerors of Assyria had recently enslaved the people of Lebanon; as
well, they had led Israelites of ten tribes off into captivity.
While all Jerusalem wept over the loss of relatives and of fair lands, Isaiah’s grounding in God kept him from lamenting.
He pictured God’s
trustfulness with a poetic vision of Carmel and Sharon restored to spender. He
saw those in sorrow “meeting with joy and
gladness.”
In today’s Gospel
Jesus said, “Of those born of woman there has been none greater than John the
Baptist.” All the people marveled over John’s strength of character. Jesus joined them in seeing John to be almost
a reincarnation of the great prophet Elijah. He said, “If you can see it, he is Elijah.” In the last verse of the Old
Testament God announced, “Behold, I will
send you Elijah the prophet before the Day of the Lord.”
One great Old
Testament story about Elijah comes from the Second Book of Kings. Queen Jezebel
had put all of God’s prophets to the sword, installing in their place four hundred and fifty priests of the
god Baal.
Elijah called the
bluff of those priests. On a rocky
mountain ridge he had servants place slaughtered cattle on two stacks of dry
timbers. He challenged the priests of Baal to call down fire from heaven to
light their sacrifice. With a day of wild dancing, and with self-inflicted
bloody cuts, the priests strove without success to get Baal to send down fire. Elijah had his servants thoroughly soak the wood with water. Then, with
complete confidence, he asked God to ignite the wood for his sacrifice. God
sent down the fire, and Elijah wasn’t at all surprised.
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