What kind of messenger?

Year C, 15th Sunday Ordinary Time | Mark 6:7-13

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Recently, I was at the airport, sitting in a enclosed room, waiting for a flight that had been delayed by a few hours. It was a noisy place! From where I was sitting, I could hear many different voices. A lot of the voices were shouting, bitter, complaining and angry. These voices made my mood worse. I’m sure they had the same effect on many others in the room. Other voices, however, were more positive. There was a mother who was playing with her child, an elderly couple talking about the nice places they went on their trip and polite staff who tried to reassure the passengers that the flight would come soon. These voices were uplifting and made the waiting easier. Each day can feel like being in that airport waiting room. We are surrounded by many voices. Numerous messengers communicate to us. Some of these voices are good and others bad.

There are many messengers who fill the world with darkness by their way of life and with the message they convey. Some examples come to mind. Messengers in the media. Although there are many well-meaning people working in the media, too often the media - whether it be newspapers or news programs on TV - tend to be negative. Only the bad news seems to be reported. Social media has aggravated this tendency. In an attempt to garner more clicks, the stories shared on the internet are becoming more and more sensational. Political messengers. Although there are many dedicated politicians, others live scandalous lives, lie and cheat. Their message seems intent on inflaming the fear and hatred of people, dividing them in the process. Religious messengers. Unfortunately, even in the world of religion there are many negative voices. Some religious leaders, who should be serving their people, use their positions to enrich themselves. For example, you might have heard the story recently about the TV evangelist who tried to convince his congregation to buy him a private jet for 54 million US dollars. This would be his fourth jet!

In stark contrast to the many voices that fill the world with darkness, Jesus sent his twelve apostles to be be messengers who fill the world with love, liberation and healing. In the days before newspaper, TV and internet, information was spread through itinerant, wandering preachers. Jesus and the apostles were these kind of communicators. In the gospel of today (Mark 6:7-13), Jesus lays out clearly what kind of messengers the apostles are called to be. First and foremost, the twelve share in Jesus ministry. Like Jesus, they teach and call people to repentance, that is, to live a life more in accordance with what God would want. The twelve are also given authority over unclean spirits. Instead of bringing more darkness into the world, they receive the power to cast darkness out. Jesus also instructs his apostles “take nothing for the journey” except some mere essentials. They are to have just a walking stick, sandals and the clothes on their backs. In this way, Jesus informs his apostles that their focus should not be on material possessions but rather on their mission. This mission should fill them with a sense of urgency. They should not expect to have financial security but rather should rely on the hospitality of others. In addition, Jesus tells the twelve that when people do not accept them, they should “shake off the dust” from their feet “in testimony against them”. When they are rejected, the twelve are not to respond with violence or anger, but rather with this symbolic action which might represent that those places in which they are not accepted are not part of the true land of Israel. For this reason, they shake the dust of these places off their feet. It shows that those who reject them and Jesus are not part of Israel, that is, God’s chosen people.

Like the apostles, we are sent by Jesus to be messengers who fill others with love, joy and hope and lead them closer to God. Unlike the apostles, we are probably not called to go out as travelling missionaries. In our daily lives, however, Jesus calls us to be messengers like him. How can we do this? Two points stand out. 

First, we need to seriously evaluate our relationship with material possessions. Although we are perhaps not called to poverty like the twelve, we are challenged to put material possessions in proper perspective. Certainly, we need things like a place to live, food, and clothing and should work to get them. However, these things are not ends in themselves. These possessions are tools; they are means of building up God’s kingdom. When we die, Jesus will not ask us what kind of car we drove, the clothes we wore or the phone we had, but rather what we did to spread his message of love to others and how we have helped the needy.  

Second, like the apostles, we are called to engage in a peaceful way with others, especially those who disagree with us. We live in a polarized world where people no longer seem to get along. There is far to much shouting and too many unkind words. Like Jesus, we are called to speak kindly to others, to be patient and to forgive. Each day, we meet many people who are struggling and in need of encouragement. At work or school, we can compliment others when they do something well. If someone is passing through a difficult time, we can listen to them and assure them of our prayers.

Life is very much like that airport waiting room. It is filled with many voices. Many voices drag people down and bring more darkness into the world. Jesus calls us to be messengers who bring love, joy and compassion to others. What kind of messenger will you choose to be?

Water as a Symbol for the Holy Spirit in John

In the Gospel of John, the Holy Spirit is likened to water. While interacting with the Samaritan woman at the well (Jn 4), Jesus offers her living water. He declares that anyone who drinks this water will never thirst again. Once received, this water will become a spring, welling up to eternal life (v. 13). By the end of the encounter, the Samaritan woman accepted the offer of Jesus since she leaves her water jar behind and goes on a mission, bringing her townspeople to encounter Jesus (vv. 28-29). Later, on the final day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus again promised living water to the thirty who come to him (7,37-39). In this episode, the living water that Jesus gives is clearly identified as the Spirit (v. 39). When blood and water flowed from his pierced side as he hung on the cross (19,34), Jesus finally gave the Spirit – the living water – to his followers.

For readers of John today, much of the significant of the image of water can be easily missed. For many, water is readily available. Those living in an urban setting can be unaware of the necessity of water for agriculture and thus daily sustenance. Modern readers can forget that water is a basic necessity for life and its lack is something to be feared. In first century Palestine, water was not in abundant supply nor as readily accessible. Long droughts were not uncommon. From their daily experience, those who first heard the Holy Spirit described as water would have been struck by the image. The necessity of water for life would have been much more present in their minds. Similar to water, they could readily grasp how urgent and necessary the Holy Spirit is.

First century Jews would also appreciate the significance that water had in their Scriptures and therefore better appreciate what Jesus was offering them with the “living water”. In the Old Testament, water can be used to symbolize the following realities: 1) wisdom (Prov 10:11; 13:14; Wis 7:25); 2) the Spirit of God (Isa 32:15; Ez 36:25-26; Joel 2:28-29); 3) cleansing (Lev 14:5-6.50-52; Zech 13:1); 4) the Torah (Sir 24:23-29); 5) the power of healing (2 Kgs 12:5); and 6) the final state of salvation (Isa 30:23-26; 41:17-20; Ez 47; Zech 13,1). For the initial audience of John’s Gospel, the water that Jesus offered – the Holy Spirit – could be understood as fulfilling all these meanings which water had in the Old Testament.

One way we can better appreciate the gift of the Holy Spirit is by understanding what it means that the Holy Spirit is the “living water”. The Holy Spirit is necessary for life and growth. Being identified with water, the Holy Spirit corresponds with a rich tapestry of images from the Old Testament and fulfills what water symbolized there. Like the Samaritan woman, let us more fully accept the gift of Holy Spirit in our lives.

A "Culture of Dialogue" in the Bible

In response to discord in society, Pope Francis has called for a “culture of dialogue”. He encourages us not to ignore or stigmatize those we disagree with. Rather, we are to respect them and enter into open dialogue. In this way, consensus and agreement can be built. If we look carefully, we are able to find a culture of dialogue within the Bible. There are texts within the Bible that are clearly in dialogue and even disagreement with one another. Authors take up themes presented by previous writers and engage with them, offering another perspective. Over time, a clearer picture of God’s revelation is painted. 

For example, consider two questions posed by Isaiah. During a polemic against idolatry he asks, “to whom can you liken God and what form compare to him?” (Isa 40:18). According to the prophet, nothing on earth can compare to God. Some chapters later, Isaiah puts this question in the mouth of God: “where could you build a house for me, what place could serve as my abode?” (Isa 66:1). Again, the answer is clear. God cannot live anywhere on earth.

Isaiah’s questions are taken up in Genesis 1:26 and Exodus 25:8-9. These texts, which probably took shape sometime after the questions in Isaiah were written, give different answers. Genesis 1:26 narrates that God made man in his image and likeness. Unlike Isaiah 40:18, the author of Genesis 1:26 clearly believed that there was something on earth that could be likened to God: every human person. In Exodus 25:8-9, God promises Moses that if he builds a sanctuary just as he is commanded, then God will dwell there. Unlike Isaiah 66:1, the author of Exodus 25:8-9 thought that God could dwell somewhere on earth.

The questions of Isaiah are taken up again in the New Testament where new answers are given. Paul’s letter to the Philippians declares that Jesus was in the form of God (Phil 2:6). To Paul, it is clear that Jesus cannot be compared with God in the same way that Genesis 1:26 says every human being can, since Jesus is Lord, the one God has exalted and who all will praise. John puts things more clearly. Jesus wasn’t simply created in the image of God. Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30). Elsewhere, John responds to the question posed by Isaiah 66:1. Unlike Exod 25:8-9, which argued that God can live in a sanctuary made by people, John teaches that Jesus is the only true dwelling place of God on earth (eg. John 1:4; 2:21).

In the examples above, the Bible exhibits a “culture of dialogue”. First, questions are posed by Isaiah, who also offers tentative solutions. These questions are then challenged by the authors of Genesis 1:26 and Exodus 25:8-9, who engage openly with Isaiah. Finally, Paul and John give fuller responses in the light of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This development illustrates the fruit that comes from engaging with the ideas of those who see things differently. With God’s help, this dialogue can lead to a deeper comprehension of the truth.

Why Did People Want to Kill Jesus?

Why did people want to kill Jesus? Although there are few ways we could answer this, it might be helpful to try to discover THE event that make people want to bring Jesus to be tried and killed. For much of Jesus’ ministry, he encounters opposition, especially with the Jewish authorities. When we examine the Gospels, however, there seems to be a turning point in each of them where the decision is made by the authorities to have Jesus put to death. Jesus did something which was “the straw that broke the camel’s back”, as the saying goes. So, what is this event? Remarkably, it depends on which Gospel you consult.

For the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) the turning point in Jesus’ ministry that leads to his death is the cleansing of the Temple. When Jesus enters the Temple, he takes possession of it and begins teaching. The crowds who were there listened attentively to his words. The authorities were indignant. They began to ask Jesus where his authority came from. Who was this man - this carpenter from an unimportant town in the north - to come into the Temple in this way and teach?! The authorities tried to trick him. They asked him questions in order to make him look foolish in front of the people. Jesus, however, responded to all comers. In each round in the battle, he was undefeated. The crowds continued to grow in their acceptance of him. Because they could not overcome Jesus directly and in the open, the authorities sought one of his own to betray him, Judas. Eventually, they trumped up charges against Jesus, and brought him before Pilate. Some of the people who clung on Jesus’ teaching called for his death. 

John paints a different picture. In John’s Gospel, Jesus does not cleanse the Temple at the end of his ministry, but at the very beginning. For John, the event that leads to the death of Jesus, the turning point in the Gospel, is the raising of Lazarus. After Jesus performs this great event, crowds of Jews believe in him. This worries the Jewish authorities. They feel like they are losing control. Eventually they decide to try to have him put to death.

So, what is the answer? Did the cleansing of the Temple lead to Jesus’ death, or the raising of Lazarus? Both the Synoptics and John convey a true message. They are meant to be heard in unison. From a chronological standpoint, the Synoptic Gospels are probably correct. The Synoptics challenge us to consider how we can be like the crowds. Often we can enthusiastically follow Jesus and his teaching when things go well. At times, however, we too can betray Jesus and what he calls us to, especially when there is pressure from others to do so. John, however, is not wrong. He is trying to make a theological point rather that recount the exact order of events. In John’s Gospel, Jesus needs to cleanse the Temple first because he replaces the Temple. The Temple was the dwelling place of God. In John, however, we read that the word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Before, God dwelt on earth in the Temple. Now, God dwells on earth in the person of Jesus. In John’s Gospel, having the raising of Lazarus lead to Jesus’ death conveys a profound message. Giving life to Lazarus leads to Jesus’ death. Jesus’ death in turn will give life to us all. John reminds us that salvation from Jesus is a gift. Regardless of the fact that we are weak and betray Jesus, he gives himself up for us as a free gift.

St Paul Outside the Walls

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In this article, we conclude our series on Papal Basilicas with a look at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. The name of this Basilica is interesting. The first part, “St. Paul’s”, is straightforward. This Basilica was built to honour St. Paul and houses his physical remains, which are found in a sarcophagus beneath the altar. For almost 2000 years, this sarcophagus was hidden from view. Just after the Jubilee in 2000, the area under the altar was excavated in order to expose the sarcophagus. At this time, it was not opened, so we are not sure what is inside. However, long tradition has it that St. Paul’s body is inside, with the exception of his head, which according to another tradition is in St. John Lateran. The second part of the Basilica’s name, “Outside the Walls”, is less clear. Ultimately, it means that this Basilica was built outside the walls of the ancient city of Rome. The reason for this is that in ancient Rome bodies were not buried within the city limits. The city was for the living. The dead needed to be deposited in their own place, called a necropolis, which literally means “city of the dead”. For example, the place where St. Peter’s Basilica now stands was originally a necropolis in which St. Peter was buried. Though today St. Peter’s seems like a part of Rome, 2000 years ago this was considered outside the city limits since it was on the other side of the Tiber river. Similar to St. Peter, St. Paul was buried close to where he was martyred in a place specially designated for the dead outside the city boundaries. In the 4th century, Constantine build a Basilica over St. Paul’s burial place. Since this was outside the city walls, the name stuck.

The Basilica built by Constantine was soon expanded by Theodosius in the year 386. This structure remained substantially unchanged for almost 1500 years. For centuries, it was the only Papal Basilica that had maintained its ancient design as the others were significantly altered, or, in the case of St. Peter’s, completely rebuilt. In 1823, however, a worker fixing the roof of St. Paul’s set a fire which almost completely destroyed the building. Pope Leo XII ordered that the Basilica be rebuilt according to its original design, utilizing as many elements that had survived the fire as possible. This is why when visiting St. Paul’s one gets the feeling that one is in an ancient Roman Basilica, even though the structure itself is relatively recent. In addition to housing the body of St. Paul, the Basilica also is home to magnificent mosaics, notably the mosaic of Christ over the triumphal arch, which survived the fire and dates from the 5th century. A detail of the Basilica that is popular among pilgrims is the series of mosaics showing each of the Popes, which wraps around the Basilica’s interior. The translucent alabaster windows further enhance the space’s beauty.  This Basilica is truly a wonderful place to visit and contemplate the life of St. Paul the Apostle, who was beheaded just a few kilometers away.

Santa Maria Maggiore

Santa Maria Maggiore (Pic Source)

In this column, we continue our series on the Papal Basilicas with a church that is dear to the heart of Pope Francis: Santa Maria Maggiore. Before and after each apostolic journey, our Holy Father arrives at this Basilica to lay a bouquet of flowers before an image of Our Lady, asking her intercession for a safe journey and a successful mission. Although various modifications have been made to the Basilica over the years, the core of the structure dates back to the early 5th c., making Santa Maria Maggiore perhaps the oldest church in the world that is dedicated to Our Lady.

Another title given to this Basilica is “Our Lady of the Snows”. This name derives from a legend that surrounds the initial building of the Church. In one version of the story, the Basilica was built on the site upon which snow miraculously fell during the height of the Roman summer, on August 5th. On this date, the Universal Church continues to celebrate the dedication of this ancient Church. During the ceremony each year that occurs in the Basilica itself, there is a very interesting custom. In the special Mass, during the Gloria, one of the ceiling panels above the altar is opened and white flower petals are released, cascading upon the congregants below. This is done to call to mind the snow that was reported to have fallen when construction on the Basilica began some 1500 years ago. After the Mass is completed, those who were at the Mass hurry to try to take some of the flower petals as a special souvenir! Another special, annual celebration that occurs at Santa Maria Maggiore is the Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi. This procession begins at the Basilica of St. John Lateran. From there, the Holy Father accompanies a Monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament along Via Merulana as far as Santa Maria Maggiore. There, the Pope gives the people a Benediction from the porch of the Basilica.

In addition to its long history, the Basilica is significant because of the art and relics found within. The Church is covered with many beautiful mosaics, some of which date from the 5th c. and were probably commissioned to celebrate Mary having been officially recognized with the title “Theotokos” or “God Bearer” at the Council of Ephesus in 431. At this Council, Mary was given this appellation in order to defend our belief in Jesus. Since we believe that Jesus was, from his conception, true God and true man, the child that Mary of Nazareth gave birth to was indeed God, making her the bearer of the Divine. In one of the side chapels is found the image of Our Lady called  Salus Populi Romani”. It is this image which Pope Francis normally visits before each major trip and is a particular object of devotion for the people of Rome. Finally, under the main altar is found a reliquary which contains wood that is believed to be from the crib in which Jesus was laid after his birth. This relic was brought to the Basilica sometime in the 6th c.

Each year, on August 5th, the entire Church celebrates the Feast of this great and important Basilica.

St. John Lateran

In our last article, we tried to answer the question, “what is a Papal Basilica?” We will now investigate a very important Papal Basilica. Here is a hint as to its identity: it is the Cathedral of the Pope and the Diocese of Rome. In every Diocese, there is a special church which is called the Cathedral because it has in it the cathedra (latin for “chair”) of the Bishop. Each Cathedral, therefore, is associated in a special way with the Bishop of that Diocese; it is like his headquarters. As well, the Cathedral is a special sign of unity for the Diocese. People often assume that the Pope’s Cathedral is St. Peter’s since he spends much of his time there. In fact, the Pope’s Cathedral is St. John Lateran. Because it is the Cathedral of the the Diocese of Rome, this Basilica is sometimes called the “mother church” of all the world.

Photo: Livioandronico2013 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

The land on which St. John Lateran sits was given by Constantine to the Pope (probably Pope Miltiades) in the year 313. The building that we see today, which is the end result of many renovations over the years, is truly impressive. What perhaps strikes me most about this building are the enormous statues of the Apostles that flank the two sides of the nave. As a visitor walks through the Basilica, these imposing statues, which were created in the 18th century, make quite an impression. If you were to take a tour of the Basilica, a question often asked is, “which St. John is the Basilica named after?” The group is then usually divided as to whether it is named after St. John the Baptist or St. John the Evangelist. In fact, it is a bit of a trick question. The original and primary patron of the Basilica is “Christ the Saviour”.  Hundreds of years later, in the 10th century, the Basilica was also dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Then, in the 12th century, the Basilica was dedicated to St. John the Evangelist. Therefore, the main patron of the Basilica is Jesus and its two other co-patrons are St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

From the year 313, every Pope lived beside the Basilica in the Lateran Palace until Pope Clement V transferred the Papacy to Avignon in 1307. While the Popes were in Avignon, two fires greatly damaged the Basilica and the Palace. When Pope Gregory XI finally moved back from Avignon to Rome in 1377, the Lateran Palace was deemed to run-down to live in. Instead, the Popes lived for a time at St. Mary in Trastevere and then at St. Mary Major. After some years, the Papal Palace beside St. Peter’s was constructed and it became the official residence of the Popes. Pope Francis changed this practice as he chose to live in Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican guesthouse located a few hundred meters from the Papal Palace.

On November 9th, the entire Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran.

What are the Papal Basilicas?

Among the most popular attractions in Rome are the four churches known as “Papal Basilicas”: 1) St. John Lateran, 2) St. Peter’s, 3) St. Mary Major, and 4) St. Paul Outside the Walls.  All of these posses a long and interesting history, beautiful architecture, and important relics.  Because of their significance, over a series of five articles we will explore these churches.  Here, we begin by investigating what is meant by the term Papal Basilica.

In general, the word “basilica” is used either to indicate an architectural style or as a title designating the special status a church possesses.  The basilican architectural form arose in the Roman empire.  A basilica is basically a large rectangular building with an apse at the short side of the structure which is furthest from the entrance.  Often there was a raised platform in the apse.  The latin word basilica is derived from the greek basilike stoa, which literally means “kingly walkway”.  As such, a basilica originally referred to the court chamber of the king.  The place for the king was the raised platform in the apse.  Between 200 BC and 300 AD, numerous basilicas were built in Rome, many of them around the forum area.  The ruins of these buildings are still visible today.  These structures were used as public halls for secular events such as court sessions, public talks and even business transactions.  As the number of Christians in the Roman Empire grew, they eventually needed special buildings to hold their liturgies.  The well known basilica style was used by the Church for this very purpose. Whereas a human king used to be on the raised platform in the apse, in these new basilica churches, the King of Kings, Jesus, was now present on the altar in the celebration of the Mass.  Though few of the Papal Basilicas still retain this architectural style, originally they were built in the basilican form.

The word “basilica” is also a title given by Popes to significant churches around the world.  The four Papal Basilicas are known as Major Basilicas.  The vast majority of other basilicas around the world, including those in Canada (ex. St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal) are called Minor Basilicas.  Each of the Papal Basilicas has a Holy Door.  When a pilgrim visits one of the Papal Basilicas, he or she is able to receive a special Roman Jubilee.  Further, each is assigned to one of the Patriarchs of the Catholic Church, who traditionally were understood as governing over an ecclesiastical territory.  Therefore, taken together the Papal Basilicas symbolize the unity of the Church.  With respect to law, the Papal Basilicas are related to the Pope in a special way.  St. Peter’s is in the State of Vatican City, of which the Pope is the head.  The other three Papal Basilicas, even though found within Italian territory, still have a special relationship to the Vatican City as they enjoy “extraterritorial status” under the Lateran Treaty (1929).  In subsequent articles we will investigate what makes each of the Papal Basilicas unique and interesting.

St. John Lateran

St. Peter's

St. Mary Major

St. Paul Outside the Walls

Qoheleth says "All is vanity!" But what does this even mean?

“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).  For many, this well-known phrase sums up the message that the narrator of the book Ecclesiastes, Qoheleth, is trying to present.  Qoheleth looks out at the world and concludes that all he sees is vanity.  He challenges his audience to reconsider the value of things that they unquestionably accepted as good.  To paraphrase, Qoheleth argues like this.  “You think that it is better to be wise than foolish?  But I have seen that the ultimate fate of the wise and the fool is the same: death.  Why then should we bother being wise?”  We could express the mindset of Qoheleth by imagining how he might question one of our accepted Christian values.  “You think that God is loving?  But, I have seen young children die from cancer. How can you say that God is loving?  Life is meaningless.”

Though many scholars consider the message of Qoheleth to be incredibly pessimistic, numerous others view the book quite differently.  How one interprets Qoheleth’s message depends greatly on how one translates a word that is often repeated in the original Hebrew text of the book: hebel.  Hebel, which literally means “vapour”, is most commonly translated as “vanity”.  Some, assigning an even more negative connotation to the word, translate it as “futility” or “meaningless”.  Others, however, argue that hebel really means something like “enigmatic”.  Understanding hebel in this way gives Qoheleth a very different message.  Qoheleth does not want us to have a naive understanding of the world.  He challenges us to realize that there is much that does not make sense or fit our idea of how God should act.  For example, innocent people suffer while the evil prosper.  Life is full of such enigmas and paradoxes.  If we do not realize that there are things we cannot hope to understand, then we are foolish.  Qohelth teaches us to appreciate life, which is a gift from God, is spite of its enigmatic nature.  Far from being pessimistic, the vision of Qoheleth is rooted in a realistic faith.

This message is important to hear.  Questioning how a loving God can allow the innocent to suffer does not mean that we lack faith.  At times we give suffering people overly simplistic advice which can do more harm than good.  “If you just prayed more, it would make sense!” or “You are suffering, but you just need to offer it up!”  No, Qoheleth wants us to avoid thinking that we can understand everything.  Some things do not make sense and cause us to question our faith.  In spite of this unavoidable aspect of human existence, Qoheleth encourages us not to give up.  The solution is not to ignore the paradoxes but to accept that they are a part of life.  We need to wrestle with them.  At the same time, there is always goodness in life that comes from God.  Regardless of what we are going through, we are called to search for this goodness and appreciate it as a gift.

How does Jesus appear to me? Two different ways God intervenes in our life

During the Easter season we read at Mass different stories describing how Jesus appeared to His disciples.  When considering these stories, we can ask, “but… how does Jesus appear to me?”  Even in the Gospels, we see that there are variations in Jesus’ appearances.  Sometimes He shows Himself in a direct and bold way, like with Mary Magdalene at the tomb or the apostles in the upper Room.  At other times, however, Jesus appears to people in a gentler, more indirect manner.  This was the case with the disciples along the road to Emmaus.  They walked with Jesus and never knew it was Him until they finally recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.

In the Old Testament, God intervenes in people’s lives in two main ways, one forceful, the other less direct.  When God revealed Himself to the prophets, He did so in a powerful way.  Think of Moses at the burning bush or the dream of Isaiah when he was first called to be a prophet.  They had no doubt that they met God.  As a result of God’s powerful intervention in their lives, they spoke His words to people in an equally bold and direct way.  They passed on God’s revelation in the same way that they received it.  In what we call the Wisdom Literature (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon), however, we see a very different way of perceiving God’s revelation than with the prophets.  There are no visions or fantastic dreams.  Rather, the sages who wrote these works began by observing nature and human experience.  Grounded in the belief that all this was made by God, they were able to perceive an order in creation.  They then became convinced that the best way to live was in accord with this order.  In transmitting what they discovered to others, they used a very different mode than the prophets.  They did not speak forcefully.  Rather, they expressed the revelation they had perceived in creation through proverbs and beautifully constructed poems and stories.  In this way, they led their audience to ask questions, ponder and discover for themselves the order that they had found and choose to live in accord with it.

God sometimes speaks to us like He did to the prophets.  When describing how they knew what important decision to make in life, some explain that they had an incredible experience.  For example, maybe someone knew that their spouse was the right person to marry after having a profound and moving experience on a retreat.  Oftentimes, however, God reveals himself to us as he did to the sages who wrote the Wisdom Literature.  If we take the time to prayerfully ponder creation and our experiences, we too can perceive the order in it that comes from God.  We discover slowly which actions will lead to our well-being and the well-being of those around us.  God reveals Himself in different ways. No way is better than another.  The important thing is to approach life prayerfully, with an open heart and mind, confident in the fact that God is indeed revealing Himself to us.

Why the words of Isaiah never get old

The Book of Isaiah is incredibly versatile.  We read from it regularly at Mass.  Its words speak strongly to us year of year when we are passing through very different circumstances.  The rich versatility of Isaiah arises in part from the fact that although it possesses an overall unity, different voices are discernible which were initially aimed at distinct audiences in dissimilar settings at specific moments in history.  When we identify with certain aspects of one of these audiences, the message originally intended for them exerts power over us.

Chapters 1-39 of Isaiah were initially directed towards a people under threat in the 2nd half of the 8th century BC.  At this time, both the kingdoms of Israel and Judah faced the very real possibility of being wiped of the map by the Assyrians, the strongest and most brutal force at that time.  Isaiah called this threatened people to trust in God and to use this moment of crisis to convert and grow closer to Him.  At different times, we too can feel as though everything is about to be taken away from us.  Those faced with health troubles, financial insecurities or tensions in their marriage often feel like they are living under the weight of a looming threat.

Chapters 40-48 were originally spoken to a devastated people in the 2nd half of the 6th century BC.  At this time, the Jews were living in exile in Babylon.  The temple, Jerusalem and the surrounding cities lay in ruins.  All seemed lost and many felt abandoned by God.  To this people, the author of Isaiah spoke a message of hope in the darkness: God is still with you and He will make something new rise from the ashes.  When I think of people today who are experiencing something similar, my mind turns to those in Syria.  There are, however, many circumstances that provoke us to lose hope and feel that all in our life has been destroyed, for example, the death of someone we love, the loss of a job or a family break-up.

Chapters 49-66 were initially addressed to people trying to start anew.  After the Persian King Cyrus defeated Babylon in 539 BCE, Jews began returning to Jerusalem.  Once there, they faced the challenge of rebuilding.  There were setbacks.  Divisions arose regarding the best way to proceed.  The author of Isaiah called this fractioned people to be united and focus on what is most important, namely, the love of God and neighbour.  This is the only foundation on which anything can be built.  Often we need to be challenged to return to basics when we are trying to accomplish something individually or as part of a group.  Divisions can too easily arise in families, Church groups, schools and other communities over inessentials.

The Book of Isaiah illustrates a principle we find throughout Scripture.  Words addressed to people living more that 2000 years ago who had a culture alien to our own are heard today as though they were spoken personally to us.  The message comforts and challenges us.  The words God uttered to His people long ago have not lost their power.