Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas



Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.

Scripture scholars tell us Saint Luke was eager to reassure Roman authorities about the Christian movement. Romans looked askance at new religions; they could only mean trouble. A religion that spoke openly of deposing the lofty and raising the lowly was especially suspect. So Saint Luke grounds his narrative of Jesus’ life in the common practices of the Jewish people: he was presented in the temple like any other first born male child; he went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem with his parents, he spoke openly in Jewish synagogues.
Within a very short time, however, the Christian and Jewish religions would be irrevocably split apart to travel their separate paths until the end of time; and the Roman persecutions of Christians began.
In the meanwhile, we saw very clearly from Saint Luke’s account that Jesus has given us “no new commandment ... but an old commandment that (we) had from the beginning. If the new insight of Jesus seemed to sweep away the Jewish past, as the Second Vatican Council seemed to sweep away the old traditions of Catholicism, the Evangelist had to firmly anchor this new covenant (often called a testament) in the old covenant (testament).

But that thought only introduces today’s reflections. The gospel ushers us into the ecstatic joy of God’s entrance to the temple:
Lift up your heads, O gates;
be lifted, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in war.

Lift up your heads, O gates;
rise up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may enter.
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts, he is the king of glory. (Psalm 24:7)

After the appalling gloom of yesterday’s Feast of the Holy Innocents, we thank God for the welcome Jesus received from the Jews: Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the magi, Zechariah, Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna and all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

1 comment:

  1. "...for the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining."

    How long until the darkness is gone? Do we really want to see what the true light reveals?

    ReplyDelete

I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.

Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.

I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.

You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.