Sunday Homily June 24, 2012, Birth of John the Baptist
Readings:
Isaiah 49, 1-6, I will make you a light to the nations.
Psalm 139, I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
Acts, 13, 22-26, To us this word of salvation has been sent.
Luke 1, 57-66, 80, John is his name.
Isaiah observations:
What: Remember last week we had Ezekiel, one of the Big 3 Prophets. This week we have The Big Prophet, Isaiah. Because of its 66 chapters this work is a long one. And a rich one. Remember, also, that at least 3 writers contributed to the book.
The first 39 chapters, Isaiah 1, present a strong criticism of the rampant corruption of the ruling class with their oppression of the ordinary people. This Isaiah lives around 750 years before Christ. He knows how the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel. He predicts the same for the southern kingdom, Judah.
Our selection: Isaiah 2 begins at chapter 40 and is called The Book of Comfort. You will see why. Picture the people now enslaved by the Babylonians. Isaiah 2 consoles the people with visions of a second Exodus & a return to Jerusalem
Isaiah 3 speaks to the people now resettled in Jerusalem in chapters 55-66. Emphasis is on justice, Sabbath observance, sacrifice, and prayer. In other words, behave now that God has resettled you.
Resources: Good News Bible
John the Baptist Figures
After five weeks, folks, of extraordinary events, I expected that for a while Rosemary & I would have a period of relative quiet, less emotional activity. Not so.
Yesterday she, John Cade, and myself, we went to the Corpus annual meeting. Corpus is the national organization of married priests. Corpus in this context means body and, in particular, we are the body. We married priests are still the body of Christ. The conference took place at the American Airlines Training Center, an excellent venue.
Three observations.
First, these married priests and their wives are John the Baptist figures. That is, like, John, they are pointing the way to the Lord. They are pointing to a better way. If Jesus was living today, I could easily see him being a member of Corpus.
Secondly, these men and the wives have spent time in the desert. This is at least because they have been rejected and not allowed to share their charism as priests. Folks, these are beautiful people. They make marvelous priests, but they cannot officially share their gifts.
These men & their wives are also walking in the desert today. The last time I met with these people was two years ago and there was optimism and hope everywhere in the people. Both John & I sensed less optimism about the Catholic Church this year. It was brought up now & then.
One of the great men of this group is Anthony Padovano and he, an eternal optimist, constantly affirms that in the reform of Catholicism history is on our side. Many of us who were at the conference see the reform and the principles of Vatican II going nowhere if not backwards.
Thirdly, want to know where these people tell me they find hope and optimism? You will never guess. In You! You who make up this community. You who come every Sunday to a cafetorium instead of a pretty church, you who are so generous, you who support so many outreach projects. Look at your Habitat involvement these weeks. You are a John the Baptist symbol for these priests and their wives.
I even had a married priest from Ontario, Canada come across the room to me and say what inspiration he takes from you.
How does it feel to be considered an inspiration and a John the Baptist symbol?
How are you doing it?