St. John the Baptist - Yahweh's Gracious Gift to Prepare the Way of Christ's Coming

The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on June 24. The narrative of the nativity of John the Baptist is found only in Luke’s Gospel. In terms of the birth of John the Baptist, Luke puts the announcement of his birth (Luke 1:5-25) and his nativity (Luke 1:57-66), followed by Zechariah’s canticle, known as “Benedictus”(Luke 1:67-79). The First Reading is Isaiah 49:1-6,  the Second Reading is Acts 13:22-26, and the Gospel Reading is Luke 1:57-66, 80, to reflect the birth and life and ministry of John the Baptist.

The First Reading (Isaiah 49:1-6) is the Second Servant Song. The servant here is collectively the people of Israel (Isaiah 49:3). But it is more specifically pointed to John the Baptist among the Israelites, as indicated with these words:

For now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; I am honored in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:5-6).

The above statement tells that John the Baptist was already commissioned by God to serve as the forerunner of Christ, to prepare the way of Christ to inaugurate his salvific mission to bring his Kingdom.

The above words of the Second Servant Song are echoed in these words of Archangel Gabriel to Zechariah:

Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord (Luke 1:13-17).

Unless being commissioned prenatally by Yahweh (יְהוָֹה) to bring His first chosen people, the Israelites, back to Him (i.e. Isaiah 49:5), John the Baptist would not have been already filled with the Holy Spirit while he was either an embryo or a fetus in the womb of Elizabeth (Luke 1:15). Because he was already filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth, John the Baptist was prenatally endowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including wisdom and knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:9), as well as, prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:10). In fact, John the Baptist is regarded as the last prophet under the old covenant. So, Malachi figuratively prophesized the coming of John the Baptist as the precursor to the Christ (Messiah)(Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1-5, cf. 19-21, NABRE). God commissioned John the Baptist while he was still in Elizabeth’s womb to prophesize the coming of the Christ (Messiah) and his Kingdom being at hand to bring the Israelites back to God (i.e. Matthew 3:1-12//Mark 1:2-8//Luke 3:1-20).

It is also important to know that God already gave John the Baptist the name, “John”, as his conception was announced to his father, Zechariah (Luke 1:13). However, upon his birth (Luke 1:57), on the day of brit milah (בְּרִית מִילָה‎), the eighth day from the birth, the neighbors attending this ceremony of circumcision and naming were going to call him “Zechariah”, after his father, but Elizabeth insisted that his name was John (Luke1:58-60). But they said to Elizabeth that there was no one in the family of Elizabeth and Zechariah to have name, “John”(Luke 1:61). So they asked Zechariah, what he wished his son to be called, and he wrote “John” on the tablet, and they were amazed (Luke 1:62-63).

There is something special about the name John. In Luke’s original Greek text, it is spelled, Ἰωάννης (Ioannes). In Hebrew, it is יוחנן (yohhanan), and it means, “Yahweh (יְהוָֹה)” is gracious, as יוחנן (yohhanan) is composed of יו (yo), which is derived from יְהוָֹה (Yahweh), and the verb, חנן (hhanan), which means “to be gracious” or “to provide”. In fact, John the Baptist was Yahweh’s gracious gift not only to Elizabeth and Zechariah, not only to Israel, but to entire world, for his service as the forerunner for Christ (Messiah).

Now, the name, “John” was clearly announced publicly. Then,  Zechariah spoke blessing God for praising and thanksgiving, as his speech was restored (Luke 1:64), though he had been muted by God for not believing that Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John when it was announced to him (Luke 1:18-22).

Upon brit milah ceremony of John the Baptist, the neighbors who witnessed how he was named as John and his father’s speech was restored (Luke 1:58-64) were in awe, and it was discussed throughout the Judean hill country (Luke 1:65). And as they came to know about the birth and brit milah of the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah took this to their heart and wondered what John would be as he grew up, recognizing that the Lord’s hand was with him (Luke 1:66).

Yes, the hand of Yahweh (יְהוָֹה) had been with John the Baptist ever since he was being formed in Elizabeth’s womb, as He commissioned him to be His servant, to prepare the coming of His Son, the Christ (i.e. Isaiah 49:5-6). But fear came upon those who were attending at his brit milah on the eighth day from his birth and those who heard his birth and brit milah, because they recognized the hand of the Lord, wondering what this baby would do for Israel. So, Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, sung Benedictus to bless the Lord and prophesize how His salvific work would be done through his son, John, and Christ, for whom he serve as his precursor (Luke 1:68-79).

John the Baptist’s servantship as the precursor to Christ is also addressed by Paul, as found in the Second Reading (Acts 13:22-26) and prophesized by Malachi (Malachi 3:1-5, cf. 19-21, NABRE).

Let Christ within Keep Storm at Bay : Inner Peace and Tranquility Impervious to Storms in Life - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

The very first thing in Gautama Buddha’s teaching, known as the Four Noble Truths, is that life is difficult. Unless we awake to the Dharma truth and become a buddha and attain nirvana, our lives are subject to challenges. To be free from difficulties in life, a vicious cycle of suffering, known as samsara, we must attain the state of anatman by resolving our egos. For this, Gautama Buddha taught the Eightfold Right Path.

Life is also difficult to Christians. The scripture readings of the 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle B, (Job 38:1,8-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41), tell us that we have nothing to worry about dealing with challenges in life as we become new creation by having Christ for our inner strengths. In order for this, we also need to resolve our egos and replace them with Christ. As Paul explains, in order to be free from anxiety, fear, etc, we must crucify our old selves, so that we have Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20). And Christ within us is our stabilizer, our inner strengths and tranquility.

Having the living Christ within us (Galatians 2:20) also means that living in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), as the Father is in Christ and he in Him (John 14:20; 15:4). This way, we become one not only with each other but with Christ (John 17:21-23), as  he is one with the Father (John 10:30). And this is what it means to be new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and one body of Christ, the Church (i.e. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27), as he is the head of this one body, the Church (Colossians 1:18). A body without head is dead. So we must be firmly attached to the head, the Christ, who is the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20; cf. Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22), as the branches are so with the vine (John 15:4-8).

In the Gospel Reading (Mark 4:35-41), we see Jesus and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee on the boat and hit by raging storm with high winds and waves. The disciples fell into panic, but Jesus was in the stern, asleep. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”(Mark 4:38). Jesus rose from his sleep and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”(Mark 4:39). In response, the storm gave its way to calmness. Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” (Mark 4:40), leaving them in awe. They wondered who Jesus really was, as even wind and sea obey him.

In this Gospel narrative, the real storm that Jesus had to rebuke and calm was rather the psychospiritual turbulence within the disciples. And this problem, as Jesus indicates, could have been prevented if their faith were strong. To have such a strong faith to remain calm and undisturbed even though living in  a stressful and anxiety-provoking situation, we must have Christ living in us, as we are in Christ, as well (i.e. John 14:20). In other words, strong faith, keeping Jesus within and being in him, makes us impervious to negative effects from life’s stormy situations.

God may test us for our faith, as He did with Job.

Though he seemed to be “perfect” for his blamelessness, uprightness, shunning evil, and fearing God (Job 1:1), Job was rather prideful and did not truly see the infinite greatness of God, as pointed by Elihu (Job 32:2). As God tested his faith, Job began to become bitter as his pride kept him blind to his covert haughtiness, resulting in prolonged suffering (i.e. Job 3:1-31:40). Because of his pride, Job only saw himself as “innocent and pure”, thus, did not understand why he had to suffer. This problem had to be confronted with Job by Elihu (Job 36:22-37:24).

Then, out of storm/whirlwind (סַעַר/car) God began to speak to Job directly (Job 38:1). In the First Reading (Job 38:1, 8-11), we hear God’s words to Job, reminding him of His power over nature, the fact that it is God, who has created the universe, setting order out of chaos (Genesis 1:1-19), has the power over it, not any human, not even a righteous man like him. This echoes what Elihu spoke of God’s commanding power over nature (Job 37:14-24).

So, God admonished Job with these words:

Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves stop? (Job 38:11)

This statement of God to Job hammers down Job’s inner pride. And there is a juxtaposition between Job’s pride and his emotional waves.

Job might have thought that he was in control to make himself appear innocent and pure to God by observing His commandments and doing all right things. But in the stormy whirlwind, God confronted Job’s blindness to his own furtive haughtiness. And God hinted that he reacted with emotional ups-and-downs, like high waves, to the test of his faith because of his hidden pride.

In the Gospel Reading (Mark 4:35-41), the disciples were experiencing traumatic emotional and spiritual storm, in response to high winds and high waves that made them afraid to perish in the sea, while Jesus was in control, keeping his peace undisturbed, until the panicked disciples woke him up. And Jesus confronted that it was because of their weak faith. In the First Reading (Job 18:1, 8-11), God confronted and knocked Job’s covert pride that kept him from attaining inner peace when his life turned into series of sufferings, as his faith was tested.

The disciples experienced psychospiritual storm because of their lack of faith. Though he never lost his faith in God, Job argued his way through (i.e. Job 13:15) because of his pride, resulting in his psychospiritual storm. A lesson from these two cases of storms is that strong faith and humility help us attain inner calmness, as symbolized by Jesus asleep undisturbed on the boat amidst sea storm. For such a faith, we need to be new creation, having Christ in us and being in him, as the Father is in him and him in the Father. And to overcome pride, we need to resolve our ego by replacing it with Christ within.

Life is, indeed, difficult, as taught by Gautama Buddha in his Four Noble Truths. And Buddha pointed to attain nirvana for eternal freedom from cyclical storms of suffering (samsara) by way of the Eightfold Right Path for anatman. On the other hand, for us, Christians, to attain inner peace and tranquility impervious to storms in life, we must strengthen our faith by replacing our ego with Christ within, and being in him, and this also removes our covert pride, because he is humble (i.e. Philippians 2:5-11). And this is us being new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This is, in fact, comparable to how Viktor Frankl kept his sanity and himself from sinking into despair, upon losing everything and suffering as he was put in four different concentration camps (Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Kaufering III, and Türkheim), like Job, who never lost his faith though he suffered greatly. Frankl never let the Nazi rob his inner freedom, where there is will to meaning. And for us, Christians, what Frankl calls "will to meaning" is our faith, stemming from Christ living in us, as we in him. 

St. Aloysius Gonzaga - Exemplary in Loving God and Loving Neighbors

The Roman Catholic Church honors the life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591) on June 21.

What St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a Jesuit, embodies is love, as Jesus is the embodiment of God’s love. On his memorial feast, the scripture readings (1 John 5:1-5 and Mattew 22:34-40) address how God’s love (chesed/חֶסֶד) affects us and how we respond to this with our love. And Aloysius is exemplary in responding to God’s love for him with his love, by loving his neighbors in need, as it is his way of loving God. So he poured out his life in caring his neighbors suffering from plague, as to reflect Jesus pouring out his love for us (Romans 5:5). Here, love means agape (ἀγάπη) which is the kind of love that makes self-sacrifice for the beloved.

To love God means to love children of God (1 John 5:1-2). This Johannine teaching reflects Jesus’ teaching on the supreme commandment in the Torah:

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments (Matthew 22:37-40).

In this statement on the most important commandment to observe, which is to love God without any compromise and condition (Deuteronomy 6:5), Jesus indicates that we cannot truly say that we love God unless we also love our neighbors as we ourselves (Leviticus 19:18). In other words, those who truly love God has no boundaries between themselves and others as they love them as themselves. So, a young Jesuit, Aloysius, dedicated himself entirely in caring for suffering and dying neighbors during plague pandemic, until he succumbed to this terrible infectious disease.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga is like St. Damien of Molokai (1840-1889), who poured out his life for his neighbors suffering from leprosy in Hawaii. They knew that the neighbors whom they cared for could infect their diseases, which could kill. But their love of God enabled them to take the risks so they poured out their love to their neighbors in need.

We say, “We love our neighbors. That’s why we run soup kitchens, free medical clinics, free shelters, etc. for our neighbors in need”. But, the question is: Do we really love them as ourselves? In other words, do we treat our beloved neighbors as if they were ourselves? Or, do we keep the “us vs. them” boundary in what we think as “love”? 

If you cannot take a risk of costing your life in loving your neighbor, it means you are not loving your neighbor as yourself. And it indicates that you do not love God truly.

The scripture readings to honor the life of St. Aloysius (1 John 5:1-5 and Matthew 22:34-40) make it clear that those who love their beloved neighbors without the “us vs. them” boundary are those who truly love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds. As we embody love, commanded by Jesus (i.e. John 13:34; cf. John 15:10-13), reflecting the love of God, there is no ego. We see ourselves in those whom we love, just as the Father sees Himself in His beloved, the Son, as St. Augustine puts it in his “De Trinitate”. This is why Jesus has said, the Father and he are one (John 10:30). Certainly, St. Aloysius and his neighbors under his care, whom he poured our his love for, were one. And this is because he loved God, who loved him first.

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us to love God and our neighbors as you did. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam! 

The Kingdom of God: Grows for Fruitfulness and for Serviceableness, in Juxtaposition to God's Post-Exilic Redemptive Plan - Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

A main theme of the scripture readings of the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, Ezekiel 17:22-24; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34, is the growth of the Kingdom of God. Remember, Jesus came to proclaim the Kingdom of God, as these words of his make it clear:

This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15).

I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent (Luke 4:43).

This is reflected in the Third Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary. In proclaiming the Kingdom, Jesus explains what the Kingdom is like through parables (Matthew13:3-23//Mark 4:3-20//Luke 8:5-15; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Mark 4:26-29; Matthew 13:31-32//Mark 4:30-32//Luke 13:18-19; Matthew 13:33//Luke 13:20-21; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 13:45-46; Matthew 13:47-50; Matthew 13:52; Matthew 18:23-31; Matthew 20:1-16; Matthew 21:28-32; Matthew 22:1-14; Matthew 25:1-13).

So why in parables?

First, it is impossible to describe the Kingdom in any human language, in a language that can be understood by human mind, because the Kingdom is a mystery (i.e. Mark 4:27). Therefore, Jesus uses metaphors and allegories in explaining what the Kingdom is like. Another reason is that the Kingdom is understood and appreciated only by those who have been granted necessary knowledge to see it in the eyes of faith and those who are willing to see through faith. So Jesus said:

Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because “they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.” Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: ”You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.” (Matthew 13:11-15; cf. Isaiah 6:9-10).

Those are the people reflected in the Second Reading (2 Corinthians 5:6-10), those who walk home to the Lord by faith, not by sight, aspired to please him. If you walk by faith, not merely by sight, you can see what has not been seen yet, because faith assures us of what we hope for, which is unseen (Hebrews 11:1; cf. Romans 8:24).

Has anyone seen the Kingdom in his or her eyes? The Kingdom of God is not geopolitical one but rather has the transcendental nature (i.e. John 18:36). In other words, it cannot be contained and defined by any human means. But it does not mean that the Kingdom is abstract. This is why Jesus explains what the Kingdom is like through his parables. And there are many parables to explain what the Kingdom is like.

The Gospel Reading (Mark 4:26-34) is one of Jesus’ parables on the Kingdom and reflects two aspects of the Kingdom’s development. First, it grows to be fruitful (cf. Luke 10:2; cf. Revelation 14:14-16) but the exact mechanism of its development is rather mystery to us (Mark 4:26-29). Secondly, its growth begins with a small yet potent thing, like a mustard seed, and turns into something large to provide shelters for many. This echoes the First Reading (Ezekiel 17:22-24), in which God proclaims that He will establish His majestic Kingdom with the best cedar of Lebanon on His high mountain (Ezekiel 17:22-23a). The Kingdom provides dwelling places and shades to many, as a large tree provides these to various kinds of birds (Ezekiel 17:23b; cf. Daniel 4:10-12; cf. Hosea 14:5b-7; cf. Mark 4:32). But, because God humbles the haughty and exalt the lowly and meek (Ezekiel 17:24; cf. 21:26; cf. Matthew 23:12; 1 Peter 5:5-6), only those who are worthy to be raised by God are to be in the Kingdom (i.e. Matthew 7:13-14; cf. Luke 18:25).

The First Reading (Ezekiel 17:22-24) gives deeper appreciation of Jesus’ parables of the Kingdom in the Gospel Reading (Mark 4:26-34), as it is read in its context. It is a part of God’s prophetic words to Ezekiel about the inescapable bleak fate of Judah and His redemptive plan for the remnant of His people through Christ the Son (Ezekiel 14:12-17:24). Judah was subjected to God’s judgement for its arrogance and defiance (Ezekiel 16:45-52).

In Ezekiel 17, God speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the southern kingdom, Judah, through a set of two parables of two eagles and a vine (vv.1-10). The First Reading (Ezekiel 17:22-24) is the concluding part of God’s explanation and application of the parables (Ezekiel 17:11-24).

God uses two pagan nations, Babylonia, which is represented by the first eagle (Ezekiel 17:1-6), and Egypt, as allegorized to the second eagle (Ezekiel 17:7-10). In this two-fold parable with two eagles describe how Judah was destroyed by Babylonia and manipulated by Egypt.

The first eagle (great eagle) (Ezekiel 17:3) represents king of Babylonia (Ezekiel 17:12), and the cedar (Ezekiel 17:3) represents the Davidic dynasty of Judah. The native seed (Ezekiel 17:5) is Josiah’s son, Zedekiah, uncle of Jehoiachim, and Babylonia made him king (2 Kings 24:17). Having lost its sovereignty and made vassal to Babylonia, Judah was no longer a tall cedar but now a vine spreading low, indicating people of Judah were being deported to Babylon (Ezekiel 17:6).

Another great eagle (the second eagle) (Ezekiel 17:7) symbolizes Egyptian pharaoh, Psammeticus, who offered help to Jerusalem in 586 (Jeremiah 37:5) and stood against Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia (2 Kings 24:20). The expression, “This vine bent its roots to him, sent out branches for him to water” (Ezekiel 17:7) means that Zedekiah of Judah asked military assistance to Egypt (Ezekiel 17:15) to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia (2 Kings 24:20). But, was it a good idea, in the eyes of God that Judah uses Egypt to rebel against Babylonia, to break its vassal agreement with Babylonia? At least, remaining in the vassal agreement with Babylonia assured fruitfulness of Judah (Ezekiel 17:8). Thus said God in regard to Judah, which is represented with the vine:

Can it thrive? Will he not tear up its roots and strip its fruit? Then all its green leaves will wither- neither strong arm nor mighty nation is needed to uproot it. True, it is planted; but will it thrive? Will it not wither up when the east wind strikes it, wither in the very bed where it sprouted? (Ezekiel 17:9-10).

God confronts the arrogance of Judah, resulting in a folly to use Egypt to rebel against Babylonia with the above words.

East wind (Ezekiel 17:10) refers to dry hot wind, known as the khamsin, which turns vegetation withered (Ezekiel 19:20). This represents Nebuchadnezzar’s destructive army coming from east, Babylonia. So God calls Judah,  “the rebellious house “ (Ezekiel 17:12; cf. 2:3).

So, Judah was destroyed by Babylonia, as hot dry east wind completely withered the vine, and Egypt was no help at all (Ezekiel 17:13-21). This was the end of Judah, the southern kingdom, the last remaining Jewish kingdom, after the northern kingdom was annihilated by Assyria (i.e. 2 Kings 25).

But God will not leave the surviving people of Judah in desolation in Babylon. Thus, God declares that he will step in, this time. No more “eagles”(foreign empires, like Babylonia and Egypt) to affect God’s people (Judah). But He will redeem the remnant people of Judah from the Babylonian exile and place them in the post-exilic new house (Ezekiel 17:21-23). “A tender shoot” (Ezekiel 17:22) is a Messianic promise, suggesting Christ as the Davidic redemptive King (cf. Isaiah 11:1 Zechariah 3:8; 6:12). And those who are raised by Christ to the Kingdom are anawim (וַעֲנָוִ֥ים) (i.e. Ezekiel 17:24; cf. Matthew 5:3; cf. Matthew 5:5).

St. Anthony of Padua: Anointed Shepherd for the Kingdom of God, Finding and Redeeming Lost Sheep

St. Anthony of Padua epitomizes the spirit of the scripture readings of his memorial feast: Isaiah 61:1-3d and Luke 10:1-9, for being an efficacious evangelizer on his apostolic mission. As reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 61:1-3d), St. Anthony of Padua was anointed with the Holy Spirit, endowed with many graces. And he recognized this during his childhood. This is why he entered an Augustinian abbey to become a priest, though his family wanted him to pursue a civil career of nobility, for he hailed from an aristocratic family. Knowing the anointment, young Anthony devoted himself to his priestly formation, including rigorous study. He was much into the teaching of the Church Fathers. It was also important for him not to let worldly affairs distract him as his eyes were firmly fixed on Christ and his ears are on the will of God. This, indeed, reflect these words from St. Paul’s teaching:

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.

Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

Anthony excelled in his studies and was ordained as an Augustinian priest in 1220. However, given his disposition to keep his mind free from worldly influence, he wanted to minimize time and energy in dealing with worldly matters. Then, during that year, the relics of the five Franciscan martyrs were brought back, and this deeply moved Anthony, and he decided to offer himself for Christ’s mission in Morocco, where the five Franciscans were martyred. However, upon his arrival in Morocco, Anthony fell sick and had to leave. The ship that he was on was hit by a storm and this resulted to land in Sicily, where he made a full recovery from the illness.

Then, in May, 1221, Anthony was in Assisi, listened to St. Francis of Assisi preaching. Upon this, he seriously began to consider joining the Franciscan order. Besides his encounter with St. Francis, what drew St. Anthony into the Franciscans was the fact that a Franciscan monastery models after the monastery established by St. Anthony of the Desert. Anthony saw it as an idealistic life style for him to stay unconfirmed to the world. In fact, he took the name, “Anthony” from St. Anthony of the Desert. His birth name was Fernando. And he became a Franciscan friar.

St. Anthony’s preference to a monastic lifestyle not to be bothered by secular noises does not mean that he withdrew himself to a monastery. Though a monastic life, as established by St. Anthony of the Desert, was essential to him, Anthony went out and reached out to people, the rich and the poor, especially those who are in need of Christ and his grace. Before St. Ignatius of Loyola would practice for himself and teach his fellow Jesuits in the 16^th century, St. Anthony of Padua strived to keep a fine balance between contemplation and action – balancing monastic contemplation with pastoral activity. This lifestyle of Anthony is echoed in Pope Francis’ command to all priests: to proclaim the Gospel of joy and to serve as shepherds with the smell of their sheep and anoint those whom they serve with the oil of joy and serve the Lord with gratitude.

So everyday, St. Anthony of Padua stepped out of his Franciscan monastery to serve as shepherd with the smell of sheep, proclaiming the Good News of Christ and his Kingdom with joy and gratitude. His sheep are both rich and poor, both the learned and the illiterate. He preached as the rubber meets the road to people from all walks of life. His preaching was very effective in finding “lost sheep” and bringing them back to the Church. For this, Anthony is Evangelical Doctor of the Church. His homiletics serves as a good model to all priests.

St. Anthony willingly volunteered to go to Morocco, upon the martyrdom of the five Franciscans there. It was because he was willing to be sent like a sheep among the wolves (Luke 10:16). To bring the good tidings of loving God, the Good News of Christ, for the Kingdom to be established on earth as it is in heaven, St. Anthony went and reached out to anyone whom God willed. And he drew energy from his monastic life, modeled after St. Anthony of the Desert, from whom he took his name.

St. Anthony of Padua is known for his powerful intercession when we need to find what is lost. This is because he had his book returned upon his prayers, after a monk took the book with him when he left the monastery to leave a religious life. Affected by Anthony’s prayer, however, he repented his sin of stealing Anthony’s book and converted. So he not only brought back Anthony’s book but also returned himself to the religious life. Both his pastoral outreach and his prayer have power on finding what is lost and bring it back. We need both the Bayesian mathematical model and St. Anthony of Padua's intercession to find what is lost. But in terms of what is lost spiritually, the Bayesian model is of no use, while an intercession of St. Anthony of Padua is efficacious especially when it comes to spiritual recovery. 

St. Barnabas: Advocate, Son of Encouragement and Comfort, Salt of the Earth, and Light of the World

The Roman Catholic Church honors the life and apostolic ministry of St. Barnabas on June 11. The Scripture Readings in reflecting him and his ministry are: Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3 and Matthew 5:13-16.

The First Reading (Acts11:21b-26; 13:1-3) describes Barnabas’ work for the nascent church in Antioch before going on a mission journey with Paul. As the new church in Antioch grew and its news reached Jerusalem, the Apostles sent Barnabas to this city in Syria (Acts 11:22). Luke describes Barnabas and his work in Antioch with these words:

When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the holy Spirit and faith. And a large number of people was added to the Lord (Acts 11:23-24).

Barnabas was, indeed, a great encourager, for his name, Βαρνάβας (Barnabas) means, “son of encouragement” (yἱὸς παρακλήσεως/huitos parakleseos)(Acts 4:36), while, in Hebrew, his name means “son of speaker or prophet”( בר /bar נביא /nabi). The Greek word, “παράκλησις/paraklesis”, means “encouragement, comfort, consolation” (παρακλήσεω/parakleseos is the possessive form). The Greek and Hebrew meanings associated with his name, Barnabas, make him a man to be by the side of a person or people, whom he is called to encourage or console or to speak Christ’s Good News, as the word, “παράκλησις/paraklesis”(encouragement, comfort), literally means “calling to someone’s aid or consolation” is closely related to the word that Jesus used to describe the Holy Spirit in John 14:16, “Παράκλητος”(Parakletos), which means, “called to be by the side of, to help”(παρά/para (by the side of)  + καλέω/kleo (to call)), translated in English as, “Advocate” or “Comforter”.

Barnabas was sent to Antioch to see the condition of the new church and to encourage the faithful to remain faithful – as salt retains its taste and as lamp light shines to all peoples to glorify the heavenly Father (Matthew 5:13-16). And, Barnabas himself remained to be salt and light of the world to those whom he ministered to and encouraged, for them to grow further.

Then, Barnabas sent to Tarsus to bring Paul to Antioch, and they worked together there for a year, teaching and making the nascent church there grow further (Acts 11:25-26).

It was not the first time for Barnabas to see Paul, though it was the first time to see him in Antioch. In fact, Barnabas had met Paul before, as it was Barnabas to assure the genuineness of Paul’s conversion and credential of his preaching in Damascus in helping the Apostolic community in Jerusalem to accept him (Acts 9:26-27). Though he was able to preach in Jerusalem for a while but was sent to Tarsus for his safety, as the Hellenists, the Greek-speaking Jews, whom he debated for Christ, tried to kill him (Acts 9:29-30). Tarsus is Paul’s hometown (Acts 21:39; 22:3).

Barnabas was truly “Barnabas”, as his name stands for, being a son of encouragement and comfort, being called to be by the side of people whom he ministered. And he was an eloquent preacher in adding more people to the growing nascent church in Antioch, before he went on with Paul on Paul’s first mission (Acts 13:1-3). Luke describes him “a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith”(Acts 11:23) and a rejoicing encourager to the faithful in Antioch in helping them remain strong in faith (Acts 11:22). This makes Barnabas a great example to serve the heavenly Father as “the salt of the earth with its taste remaining strong” (Matthew 5:13), for he kept his faith strong, as he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:23). And he was also “the light of the world”, shining publicly in his effective teaching, for being a great נביא /nabi נביא /nabi (speaker, prophet). And he served the growing church in Antioch by making the faithful to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”.  Therefore, Barnabas was, indeed, yἱὸς παρακλήσεως/huitos parakleseos (son of encouragement, comfort), being “παράκλητο/parakletos”, called to stand by the side of the faithful, whom he ministered to. He served in light of the Παράκλητος/Parakletos, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit sent by the Father in Jesus’ name (John 14:16), to stand besides people for encouraging advocacy and consolation. Indeed, he was an advocate for Paul to the Apostolic community (Acts 9:27) and for his cousin, Joh Mark, to Paul (Acts 15:36-37).

The Unforgivable Sin against the Holy Spirit and the Battle against Satan - the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

Ever since he healed a paralytic man at Peter’s house in Capernaum (Mark 2:1-12), Jesus’ public ministry has drawn criticism from those who were in the religious authorities.

This took place in Peter’s house in Capernaum. The house was packed with crowd to hear Jesus preaching. Ever since the first day of his public ministry, Jesus had become a very popular figure in Galilee to be pursued for his teaching and healing (Mark 1:21-38).

Four men brought a paralytic man to Peter’s house for Jesus to heal the man. But, there was no way to enter the house because of the crowd, these four men climb up to the rooftop, made an opening on the roof, and lowered the paralytic man from this hole on the roof to where Jesus was in the house. When he saw the paralytic man, Jesus said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven”(Mark 2:5). However, some of the scribes among the crowd accused Jesus for committing “blasphemy”, saying “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” (Mark 2:7). Sensing what in their minds, Jesus said to them:

Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise, pick up your mat and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth (Mark 2:8-10).

In the Gospel Reading of the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, on Cycle B (Mark 3:20-35), Jesus is once again in Peter’s house in Capernaum, and it is packed with the crowd. And, again, Jesus faces his accusers. But this time, they are not local scribes but the scribes who came all the way to Jerusalem (Mark 3:22a) – perhaps, to find something to accuse him, upon hearing about his “blasphemy against God” for telling the paralytic man that his sins were forgiven (Mark 2:5-7). But, Jesus calls them unforgivable blasphemers for their offense against the Holy Spirit (i.e. Mark 3:29-30). In other words, Jesus condemns these scribes from Jerusalem for committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, because they accused him of having an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30), calling him being possessed by Beelzebul, the prince of demons (Mark 3:22), which is referred to Baal-zebub, a demonic pagan deity of the Philistines (i.e. 2 Kings 1:2).

Jesus’ relatives try to pull him out of the crowd in Peter’s house, thinking that he is out of his mind (Mark 3:21). Why do they want to take Jesus away there? Because he is an embarrassment to the family for being out of his mind? If so, is it because of the accusation against Jesus by the scribes when he said, “Your sins were forgiven” to the paralytic man and because he indicated himself as the Son of Man with the authority to forgive sins on earth (Mark 2:5-10)? Obviously, the relatives of Jesus do not know who he is – his Christological identity. This is why they were easily influenced by those who commit unforgivable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, accusing Jesus, who is filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), as being demonically possessed.

After all this, Jesus’ mother, Mary, and his brothers come to the house of Peter but could not get in. So they are outside and send a message to Jesus in the house, letting him know that they have arrived (Mark 3:31-32). Brothers of Jesus are not his blood-brothers, as Mary is the Blessed Virgin. They are children of Joseph from his previous marriage, as he was a widow when he met Mary (i.e. The Protoevangelium of James, 9). To this message, Jesus says, pointing to the crowd:

Who are my mother and my brothers? Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother (Mark 3:33-35).

In regard to this, unfortunately, some accuse Mary for “not being faithful to the will of God”, thinking that Jesus uttered these words because Mary did not believe in him as the Christ. What makes them to think that Mary lacked her faith and failed to do the will of God? She is, indeed, a faithful handmaid of God, letting the will of God be done on her (Luke 1:38), and St. Augustine of Hippo describes her as a faithful disciple of Jesus (Sermon, 72). Making such an accusation against Mary, based on the above words of Jesus on his mother (and brothers) (Mark 3:33-35) is a sign of ignorance as to who Mary is, though implicating Jesus to “the prince of demons” for being possessed by “Beelzebul”(Mark 3:22) is not merely due to ignorance of who Jesus is but rather the unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit (Mark 3:29-30).

It is important to note that Jesus gives a parable (Mark 3:23-27) in response to these words of his accusers, “By the prince of demons he drives out demons” (Mark 3:22b).

First, Jesus points out a fallacy committed by the scribes in their accusation against him, saying:

How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him (Mark 3:22-26).

Then, Jesus argues:

But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house (Mark 3:27).

Who is the strong man and who breaks into the strong man’s house and plunder his property by tying up him?

Jesus is speaking of himself against Satan and those who commit the unforgivable sin of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.

The strong man to be bound is Satan, and the one who breaks into his house and plunder his property of Jesus, the Christ. And this echoes these words from the Book of Isaiah:

Can plunder be taken from a warrior, or captives rescued from a tyrant? Thus says the Lord: Yes, captives can be taken from a warrior, and plunder rescued from a tyrant; Those who oppose you I will oppose, and your sons I will save (Isaiah 49:24-25).

This is a powerful prophecy that Christ the Son breaks into the domain of Satan and release those who have been bound to be Satan’s captives, upon binding Satan to be destroyed (i.e. Revelation 20:1-10). For this, the Father sent His only begotten Son out of His love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10), and the Son did the Father’s will (Luke 22:42) by taking up the cup of God’s wrath (i.e. Matthew 20:22), going through his Passion, dying on the Cross, and being raised on the third day, as we say, “Dying he destroyed our death, rising he restored our life”. And this is the economy of our salvation (i.e. 1 Corinthians 6:20), based on God’s words against Satan when Adam, Eve, and Satan, were expelled from Eden:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; They will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel (Genesis 3:15).

Here, “the woman” is the New Eve, namely, Mary. And her offspring is her Son, the Son of God, Jesus, and those who are with him, children of God adopted through him (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:5) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:15). Those who are on Jesus’ side are those whom he calls his mother and brothers for doing God’s will (Mark 3:35). And they have the Holy Spirit, the spirit of faith, therefore, their inner self is being renewed daily, being able to endure afflictions, bound for heaven (2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1).

Upon the fall of Adam and Eve, having being lost the garment of God’s grace and glory, as St. Ephrem puts it (Genesis 3:9-15), we are prone to be captured by powerful Satan and become his servants. But, Christ has already begun doing the Father’s will to bind Satan and plunder his possessions, those who have captured by him, by his suffering, death, and resurrection. And Satan is already bound to be destroyed. In the meantime, there is always a battle between the offspring of Mary, including the Christ and those who are with him, against Satan and his offspring, those who are possessed by him and commit the unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus – The Eternal Wellspring of the Divine Mercy

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation (Isaiah 12:3).

On the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we sung these words for the refrain of the Responsorial Psalm (Isaiah 12:2-3,4,5-6). Pope Pius XII also cites these words of Isaiah in his encyclical on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, “Haurietis Aquas”. And this title, which means, “You will draw waters”, was taken from the above Responsorial Psalm refrain.

The Church’s solemn celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus traces its roots to Jesus’ appearance to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque on June 16, 1675, expressing his desire that we turn our hearts to his Sacred Heart and consecrate them to his. To remind this, Jesus also told to have the Church the solemn celebration of his Sacred Heart on Friday of the Octave of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.

So Jesus said to St. Margaret Mary:

Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love. But what I feel most keenly is that it is hearts which are consecrated to Me, that treat Me thus. Therefore, I ask of you that the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi be set apart for a special Feast to honor My Heart, by communicating on that day, and making reparation to It by a solemn act, in order to make amends for the indignities which It has received during the time It has been exposed on the altars. I promise you that My Heart shall expand Itself to shed in abundance the influence of Its Divine Love upon those who shall thus honor It, and cause It to be honored.

In 1765, Pope Clement XIII officially recognized and approved devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In 1856, Pope Pius IX declared the Solemn feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the entire Church.  In 1899, Pope Leo XIII wrote Annum Sacrum to address consecration of our hearts to the Sacred Heart. In marking the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Pius XII issued his encyclical on the Sacred Heart, Haurietis Aquas, in connection to the Body and Blood of Christ.

As the above-cited words of to St. Margaret Mary on June 16, 1675, make it clear, what prompted him to ask her to call the universal Church to make it solemn celebration of his Sacred Heart was to draw us back to him, in particular, to his Heart, to consecrate our hearts in it. It was his response to our indifference and ingratitude to his love. This is reflected in the First Reading of the Solemnity (Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9) in which God, as their loving Father, called the His beloved Israelites to remember his love and mercy in response to their sins against Him, instead of punishing with His wrath.

We recall on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus how he has called us to return to him and to consecrate our hearts to his so that we can protect our hearts from evil, as Pope Pius XII addresses in Haurietis aquas. With his love and mercy, Jesus draws us to him, draws our hearts to be consecrated to his Sacred Heart, which is the eternal wellspring of the salvation (i.e. Isaiah 12:3).

Perhaps, prior to the coming of the incarnated Christ, the wellspring of salvation in Isaiah 12:3 was thought to be the healing water of the Pool of Siloam, with which a man born blind was healed by Jesus (John 9:1-11). However, the Gospel Reading of the Solemnity (John 19:31-37) describes that the eternal wellspring of the salvation is, indeed, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is in the Body of Christ, through which his precious blood runs. And when the sins of the world, represented by the soldier’s spear, which pierced the body of Jesus on the Cross, blood and water began to flow (John 19:34). As Jesus revealed to St. Maria Faustina in the 1930s, the blood and water from his Sacred Heart represent his Divine Mercy. This is reflected in the 3 O’clock Prayer of the Divine Mercy Chaplet:

You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us (Diary, 1319).

O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You! (Diary, 84).

Upon his death on the Cross, the Body and Blood of the Christ incarnated in the sinless human flesh, taken from the flesh of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, have become available to us as the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist for our salvation and eternal life (i.e. John 6:35-58; cf. Matthew 26:26-30//Mark 14:22-26//Luke 22:14-20).  And the center of the Body of Christ is his Sacred Heart, from which his precious blood of life flows, along with the water of salvation. The water that gushes out of the Sacred Heart becomes the River of Life (Revelation 22:1; cf. Psalm 46:5; cf. Genesis 2:10-14; cf. Ezekiel 47:1-12). After all, it is not really oxidized hydrogens (H₂O) but the Holy Spirit to give life (i.e. John 6:63; 7:37-39).

The Church’s solemn celebration and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus shall draw us to Christ, for he foresaw us to come to gather around him when he is lifted up (i.e. John 12:32). Jesus sure has made his Sacred Heart revealed and available to us to draw us to him upon his death on the Cross, his resurrection, and his ascension. As we are drawn to Christ, to his Sacred Heart, from which God draws His love, the Divine Mercy, for our salvation and eternal life, not only we have our hearts consecrated to his but he may dwell in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17a). Then, rooted and grounded in the divine love, we may cultivate the saintly ability to comprehend the surpassing supremacy of God’s love and be filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17b-20).

After all, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to which we are drawn and gather, is the eternal wellspring of the Divine Mercy, represented by the precious blood and water gushing from the center of Corpus Christi lifted on the Cross, lifted from the tomb, and lifted into heaven. This is how our God has responded to our sins against Him for He is the merciful and loving God.

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. The Lord is good to all, compassionate toward all your works. All your works give you thanks, Lord and your faithful bless you (Psalm 145:8-10).

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Christi) – the Covenantal Nature of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

The Scripture Readings of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ reminds us of the covenantal nature of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. From the First Reading (Exodus 24:3-8), we see that the Eucharist has its historical root in Israelites’ ratification of God’s covenant with the blood of sacrificial animal, upon receiving the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20:1-23:33). Moses was the mediator between God and the Israelites in receiving the Law and the Israelites’ full acceptance of the covenant with the Law. In fact, a prototype of animal sacrifice for upholding a covenant is found in Abraham’s offering of his son with Sarah, Isaac, though the actual sacrifice was the lamb provided by God (Genesis 22:1-19). Ratifying the covenant with God is to demonstrate our faithfulness to him and His covenant with us (i.e. Genesis 22:16; Exodus 24:3,7).

The First Reading (Exodus 24:3-8) describes how Moses, as the mediator, facilitated the Israelites to ratify the covenant with animal sacrifice and sprinkling the blood of the sacrificial animal. In fact, Moses was serving as a prototype of high priest (kohen godol), before his brother, Aaron was appointed by God to be the first official high priest (Exodus 28:1-2). But this high priest, Aaron, turned out to be unfaithful to God for facilitating the Israelites to commit idolatry, violating the Law (Exodus 20:4-5), by ordering them to make a golden calf idol of Egyptian deity, while waiting for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai (Exodus 32:1-33:6). Henceforth, the covenant had not been faithfully kept due to corrupted priests and infidelity of the Israelites (e.g. Malachi 2:1-9; 2 Maccabees 4:7-10:9). It was high priest, Caiaphas, who facilitated a trial of Jesus with false witnesses, with his intent to kill him (Matthew 26:57-68), violating the commandment against a false witness (Exodus 20:16).

There needed to be a drastic game change to make sure that the covenant is kept faithfully. And this is why God the Father sent His only begotten Son as the perfect and eternal high priest (Hebrews 7:25-28) and the mediator of the New Covenant, as addressed in the Second Reading (Hebrews 9:11-15; cf. Hebrews 10:1-18).

As we have Christ as our high priest, we no longer repeat animal sacrifice and shed the sacrificial animal blood to be sprinkled for a covenant ratification (Hebrews 9:11-14). This is why we do not need to slaughter and burn sacrificial animal on the altar and to have its blood sprinkled. For this reason, instead of animals to be sacrificed, we use the species of unleavened bread and wine to commemorate the self-sacrifice of the incarnated Christ, our great high priest, for us to ratify the New Covenant, for which he serves as the mediator.

The Gospel Reading (Mark 14:12-16, 22-26) depicts that how Christ, our high priest, established the New Covenant at the Lord’s Supper on the night before his death, which served as the eternal Paschal and Yom Kippur sacrifice on the Cross confirmed the New Covenant, shedding his blood (i.e. John 19:17-37; Hebrews 9:22; cf. John 1:29; cf. Exodus 12:1-13; cf. Leviticus 16:3-14). This is why no longer sacrificial animal’s blood but the precious blood of our high priest, the incarnated Christ, Jesus, to be shed, not to be sprinkled but to be consumed by us. For his blood to be shed, Christ, our great high priest, offered his body for the eternal sacrifice once for all.

Thus, our great high priest, Christ, transcendentally transformed the old covenant into the new one, by establishing the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, at the Lord’s Supper. He did so by offering unleavened Passover bread, as his body, upon blessing and breaking it, saying, “Take it; this is my body”(Mark 14:22) and offering the chalice of wine, as his blood, upon giving thanks, saying, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many”(Mark 14:23-24). Then, on the following day, he offered himself on the Cross as the eternal sacrificial Paschal Lamb (i.e. John 19:17-37).

Now, you may ask: Why does the unleavened Passover bread is the Body of Christ to be broken by him and eaten by us and why the Passover wine is the Blood of Christ to be drunken by us?

To answer these questions, we must recall Jesus’ self-identification as not just the bread of life (John 6:35) but, indeed, the living bread of life (John 6:51). And he is the living bread of life to give life because this bread, which is his flesh, is filled with the Holy Spirit (i.e. John 6:63). In other words, the bread of life is made into the living bread of life because of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the flesh that Jesus offered in his body is the living flesh (sarx) (John 6:53), not dead meat of carcass (kreas) . Therefore, the blood that he offers comes from his living body (John 6:53, 63), not his corpse, because of the Holy Spirit (John 6:63).

By connecting the Gospel Reading (Mark 14:12-16, 22-26) to Jesus’ living bread of life discourse (John 6:22-58), we can better understand why the Passover unleavened bread becomes the real living body of Christ and the Passover wine becomes the real blood of the living Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit through epiklesis during the Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.

Every time we celebrate Mass, we solemnly remember that we are actually ratifying the New Covenant established by our great high priest, Jesus Christ. We also remember that he offered himself, shedding his precious blood, for the New Covenant, once for all, making it unnecessary to sacrifice animals and shed their blood, by human high priests.

We receive the Eucharist at Mass at least on Sundays and holy days of obligations, as we make up about 25% baptized Catholics, who regularly attend Mass. Now the question is – Are we really upholding the New Covenant faithfully?

Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth: A Model for Pastoral Visit and Care to Bring Christ

In the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, the last day of May, which is a Marian month, is marked as the feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Having been told by Archangel Gabriel of surprise pregnancy of her older cousin, Elizabeth, in addition to her virgin pregnancy with the Son of Almighty God (Luke 1:26-38), Mary left Nazareth and went to visit her in haste (Luke 1:39-40). The path she took to the house of Zechariah was rather rough and dangerous.  She could have been injured for going so fast on a rough path on rocky terrain.  Robbers and wild animals could have attacked her on the way.  But, apparently, such risks did not discourage her from visiting Elizabeth, soon after learning her pregnancy at an advanced age. May must have been so excited about her older cousin’s totally unexpected pregnancy and extremely happy for her to leave Nazareth in Galilee promptly to see her in Judea.

Do you feel Mary’s joyful excitement and growing hope for Elizabeth?

Imagine, if you had someone like Elizabeth among your relatives, a woman of advanced age, who had been infertile for years and believed to never conceive, became pregnant. She lived so far from where you live.  Wouldn’t you be so excited and go to see her, no matter how expensive the trip might be and difficult it would to book a flight?

But let us make sure that we keep our focus on Christ in sharing the joy of Mary and Elizabeth in celebrating the feast of the Visitation, which is reflected in the Second Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary, following the First Joyful Mystery,  the Annunciation, followed by the Third Joyful Mystery, the Nativity of the Lord.

The main character in the Gospel narrative of the Visitation (Luke 1:39-56) is Jesus, who is the incarnated Christ, in Mary’s womb. It is not Mary.

Remember, Mary could not have been known to us unless she assented to be God’s handmaid (Luke 1:38), as the Theotokos, carrying the incarnated God (i.e. John 1:1, 14) in her, giving birth to him (Luke 2:7), and remaining to serve as his mother.

When Mary arrived at the house of Elizabeth and Zechariah, her husband, Elizabeth said to Mary:

Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:42-45).

It is important to note that Elizabeth clearly recognized the incarnated Christ inside Mary’s womb, calling Mary the mother of my Lord (Luke 1:43). She did not see him in her eyes. So how did she know?

Remember, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, she was able to recognize Christ in Mary’s womb. And so was the growing baby inside her womb, the future John the Baptist (Luke 1:41, 44).

Yes, Elizabeth was so happy that Mary visited her and her baby inside her womb, coming all the way from Nazareth. But her joy was made so special because Mary brought Christ to her, carrying him in her womb. This is why she said, “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”(Luke 1:43). It is Christ, indeed, who made Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and the future John the Baptist inside her womb specially blessed.

Elizabeth also recognized Mary as the most blessed, among all women on earth, for the blessed fruit of her womb, the incarnated Christ (Luke 1:41) – for being the Theotokos.

It is, indeed, because of Christ, brought by Mary to Elizabeth that Mary and Elizabeth share special joy together.

Then, Mary sung her canticle, joyfully proclaiming the greatness of God (Luke 1:46-55), known as Magnificat (“Magnificat anima mea Dominum”, which literally means, “My soul magnifies the Lord”(Luke 1:46)).

Why did Mary exalt the Lord? Why her did soul magnified the Lord?

It is for what he had done to her, who regarded herself as his lowly handmaid (Luke 1:48; cf. 1:38), and to Israel. Mary was filled with great joy because the Lord chose and blessed her to be his handmaid, to which she had consented (Luke 1:26-38), to bring justice and mercy to the world through Israel.

Again, Christ is the focus, throughout this joyful canticle of hers, Magnificat.

In fact, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth is a great model for pastoral care ministry, especially, bringing Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, secured in pyxes, for pastoral visit to those who would not be able to receive the Eucharist at Mass, for their infirmities. The pyxes that visiting pastoral ministers carry are like the womb of Mary, the mobile tabernacle, more like the Ark of the Covenant.

Bringing Christ to those who are in need is not limited to bringing him in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. It is also bringing Christ in the Word (i.e. Revelation 19:13;  cf. John 1:1, 14). Going on apostolic mission to evangelize and catechize, bringing Christ through the Word of God, to all the ends of the earth, is a great form of visitation that we can model after Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth.

Yes, Mary visited Elizabeth, and these women shared joy. It is, indeed, Christ, whom Mary brought, to make this joy so blessed. It is, in fact, Christ, who visited Elizabeth and the future John the Baptist in her womb, being carried by the blessed tabernacle in Mary’s body, her womb. After all, Mary ministered to Elizabeth and the future John the Baptist, by bringing Christ in her womb, when she visited Elizabeth. 

Having been filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, let the Holy Spirit empower and drive us to bring Christ to those who are in need, physically, mentally, and spiritually, especially women, whose pregnancies are at risk and threatened by a thought of abortion,  even to the ends of the earth! This is, indeed, an act of love, which Christ has commanded us to practice (John 13:34).