Gospel Now

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DECEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014

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GOSPEL MAGAZINE is published bi-monthly (except April andMay) by the Communication Foundation for Asia.

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UNPREPARED

IS THIS THE CAVE OFJOHN THEBAPTIST?

Hard Sayings of the

Bible: NO ONE ISGREATER THAN JOHN?

Customs and Manners in Bible Times: HOWTHEY GOT MARRIED IN THOSE DAYS

STANDING BY MYRA

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE THREEWISE MEN?

WHY DID JESUS NEED TO BE BAPTIZED?

A PRIMER ON ANGELS

Customs and Manners in Bible Times: THEWAYS OF A FISHERMAN

Bonus Christmas Story: THE POINT MAN

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10

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25

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FINALIST

2012 CMMABEST YOUTH

MAGAZINE

FINALIST

2011 CMMABEST YOUTH

MAGAZINE

READDISCUSS

gospelbreak.wordpress.com

YouTube WATCH

the Gospel andthe short commentaries

in this issue! theGospel with your friends!Finally, visit

. Youll findlinks to connect you to

to Fr.Ben Alforque, MSC, explainthe Gospel in easy-to-understand language.

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It was called .Among the Boy Scouts who joined,

four came from the same school and .

CAMPOREE WEEKEND

RICHIE, BONG, DANTE ALAN

As soon as the Scoutmaster left...

The river was tempting, all right...enoughto make one lose track of time.

OK, here's what's goingto happen You'll form teams

of two. Dante and Alan, you're team-mates. Richie and Bong,

you're together.

We'll have a competition.We expect you to put up a tent,

build a campfire, and cooka meal for two.

Welcome to!CAMPOREE 2010

The best team will getmedals and join the Camp

Director's table on closing day.

Is he kidding? We'vedone this many times before.We can do this in our sleep!

Dante! Alan!Where are you going?

There's a temptingriver nearby. We're

going for a swim.

What aboutthe work?

Aww!We'll be back with plenty

of time to do it.

Piece of cake!

ME TARZAN!AH-AH-AHHH!!!

HA-HA-HA!!!THE

SUNDAYOF

ADVENT

1st

Related tothe Gospel for


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As promised, Richie and Bong werehonored by the Camp Director at the endof the Camporee.

Guess who got assigned to the trash detail?

Those twochicken nerds

don't know howto enjoy life.

Attention!

The competitionhas been moved for-

ward. Judging willstart in half

an hour.

A solid tent, a goodfire, cooked rice and

veggie stew. I'mimpressed!

Richie and Bong,good work!

Thankyou, Sir!

Ah! Dante and Alan!I was wondering what

happened to you.

Uh-oh.

It was your ideato go swimming.

Shut upandkeep picking.


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the Gospel SayWhat Does

Stay Awake!

The Lord is Coming!

December 1, 2013First Sunday of AdventMatthew 24:37-44

Jesus said to his disciples: As it was in the daysof Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son ofMan. In those days before the flood, they wereeating and drinking, marrying and giving inmarriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.They did not know until the flood came andcarried them all away.So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.

Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken,and one will be left. Two women will be grinding atthe mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know onwhich day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: ifthe master of the house had known the hour ofnight when the thief was coming, he would havestayed awake and not let his house be brokeninto.So too, you also must be prepared, for at an houryou do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

he story is what we just read: Jesus' advice onconstant watchful waiting for the hour of the

coming of the Son of Man, according to Matthew.Here Jesus is recalling to his disciples the events ofthe past and comparing it with what will happen inthe future. The past is the days of Noah. The futureis the coming of the Son of Man. The conclusionfollows, with two parts: the advice of staying awakeand watchful waiting for the coming of the Son ofMan, on the one hand; and the parable of the masterof the house who did not know at what hour in the

night the thief was coming. He did not stay awakeand so was robbed!

Do you remember that time past?Jesus divided the past around the flood in the

time of Noah into three parts. First: what went onamong the people before the flood. Second, theflood event itself. And third, what happened to thepeople in the time of the flood. Before Noah, peopleacted according to their nature as human beings:eating, drinking, marrying and giving into marriage.Maybe they also cultivated the fields and plantedgrain and vegetables for food. But what isremarkable in the retelling is the people's

forgetfulness of God, of prayer or of the things thatare beyond the needs of the body and of humandesires. It was just pure human existence.

The Story

T

Then the time of the flood itself came. HereJesus recalled Noah's entry into the ark. He wassilent about what Noah did in the process of hisentering the ark. Instead, Jesus described the thirdpart of that past: because the people then wereunaware of the coming of the flood, so they wereswept away.

There is another thread in the story provoked bythe word coming, a translation from the technical

Greek word: . In the story, it is used todescribe the abrupt, sudden, quick and stealthycoming of the thief in the night, in the darkness,when everyone else is sleeping and unaware! It is amalicious and intentional coming that is ready tograb and take away that which it must get!Shrouded with evil, it is a coming that victimizes thesleeping master of the house and his very ownhouse!

That sets up the comparison of the past and thefuture: when the Son of Man comes, two will bedivided: one taken, the other left. This opens up tothe possibility for the present: therefore, today:, you

too must be prepared for you do not expect at whathour the Son of Man will come.

he flood in the time of Noah (Gen 6-8) wasalways considered as the image of the primordial

judgment of all peoples and creation. It was acleansing of creation that separated the unfaithfuland liberated the faithful (Is 54,9; I Enoch 54,7-10;66; 67). But Noah did something more: he placedinto the ark two of each species, male and female,so that they could continue to multiply in a purified

world! A new creation was taking place after theflood. It was a new creation oriented towards thegood and the just: towards fidelity to Yahweh.

What is intriguing in this story is its contrast to

parousia

Behind Story

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the future coming of the Son of Man. Who is the Sonof Man? What image does he evoke? In the OldTestament text, for the most part the title is used todescribe being human, in contrast to being divine. Inthe book of Daniel, the Son of Man is associatedwith the last times or the end times. Thus, a trend inChristian interpretation of the text in Daniel gives to

this title a Messianic character: the judge whocomes to save in the end times. In the inter-testamental period, the title Son of Man has thesense of being the supernatural Messiah and Judgeof the world (cf. Book of Enoch). In the Gospels,passages exist where Jesus would refer to himselfas the Son of Man.

Then the contrast between these two earlierstories: In the flood-story, creation entered the ark intwos. But in the coming of the Son, the two of thesame gender will be divided: one taken, one left! Itwill not be a new creation, but judgment in the finaldays!

Another story behind the Story is that of theComing. In Greek, the word coming is .In the time of the Roman Empire, was usedto describe the coming or arrival of the emperorwhen he visited a city or a portion of the conqueredpeoples. It was also used for the entry of atriumphant military official from battle. The comingwas preceded by pomp and pageantry: trumpetblasts announcing the coming, people going out intothe streets with banners depicting the glorious deedsof the one who was to come. With abandonedrevelry, everything was prepared for the coming ofthe ruler and victor!

But the parousia of the Son of Man would bedifferent. It would be hidden, without glorious pompand pageantry and revelry. It would be like a thief inthe night: stealthy and ready to grab what it couldget. It would not subject people to a conquest ofsubjugated unity, but to a judgment of separation:one would be liberated and free; the other,sentenced to condemnation and punishment.

Therefore, behind the story is Matthew's adviceto his Christian community: do not live like anyordinary natural human beings who eat, drink andmarry and are given to marriage! Rather, you mustlive that new identity of being children of God: take

moral responsibility now in watchful waiting forjudgment day, because it comes without our knowingit!

t the heart of the story is a lesson of awarenessof the coming of the Son of God and the

cultivation of watchful waiting among the people.The lesson of abrupt judgment in the past (flood inthe time of Noah) is projected into the future (thecoming judgment by the Son of Man), provoking anattitude for the present (watchful waiting). Thepresent sees the end of the past in the future; thepresent ushers in the newness of the future!

This is the paradox of human existence: the end

parousiaparousia

The Heart of the Story

A

is also the beginning. The end of the old world andof the old time is sure to come. And the beginning ofthe new life, of the fullness of human existence willalso begin. This radically new world and new time,the fullness of the Kingdom of God, will come withthe coming of our Savior. But no one knows theexact day of the coming of the Lord, of the fullness of

God's Kingdom. Our Christian and Catholic attitudein this time of waiting is vigilance: be watchful! Andhow do we cultivate this attitude of vigilant waiting, ofwatchful expectation? We do not follow the ways offellow human beings who maltreat, oppress and dealunjustly with another. For before God, we all areservants. Our equality as servants is achieved in ouracts of justice: we elevate the small and the tall won'tbe an obstruction. Judgment and punishment aresolely in the hands of God on that final day. But Heproclaims His judgment and punishment through thepoor and victims of cruelty and hypocrisy, today.

n this first Sunday of Advent, the Churchreminds us that, more than just celebrating the

birth of Jesus, we must remember his promise tocome again: that today is the period of our eagerwaiting for his final and glorious coming. Advent,which comes from two Latin words Ad veniremeans . Indeed, He will come to us againand judge us, the living and the dead. Withcompassion and justice.

By our baptism, our old life should have ended:an old life governed by desires of egoism, of lack of

appreciation for creation and of lack of knowledge ofand love for God. Indeed, to die to our old self isvery difficult to do because we like the ways of self-centeredness and comfort. We like the luxurious lifeprotected and maintained by our power. And yet weknow we dream of a better life, without the insecurityof losing, without the fear of being unprotected! Thatis a vision of heaven! To get there, we need to waitvigilantly for Jesus today by constantly rising up tobe truly NEW every time we feel we are still part ofthe old. Let us live out the divine in us, the holy inus: the fullness of human dignity that shares in thedivinity of God through Jesus.

How do we do that? With joy and courage, letus dare to be the children who obey our parents andrespect our elders because we love them. BecauseGod loves them. As young people, let us dare toentertain our doubts and ask questions why thingsare the way they are. Because we want to be true toourselves and to our ideals! Let us not allow thesystem of conformism and corruption to destroy ourdreams. As parents let us dare to be simple yetprofound, to detach ourselves from possessions thatwe did not bring into the world from birth, and we willnever carry with us in death. Let us try to rise againeach time we fall, and be found blameless whenJesus comes again, every moment in our life!

And then we can truly feel the joy and serenityof heaven on earth and truly celebrate Christmas!

Our Gospel Story Now

O

to come to


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ARCHAEOLOGISTS think theyve found a cavewhere John the Baptist baptized many of hisfollowers basing their theory on thousands ofbroken pieces from ritual jugs, a stone used for footcleansing, and wall carvings that tell the story of the

Biblical preacher, that they found on the site.Only a few artifacts linked to New Testament

figures have ever been found in the Holy Land, andthe cave is potentially a major discovery in Biblicalarchaeology.

John the Baptist, who was just a figure from theGospels, now comes to life, British archaeologistShimon Gibson said.

But some scholars saidGibsons finds arent enough tosupport his theory, and onecolleague said that short of aninscription with Johns name in the

cave, there could never beconclusive proof of his presencethere.

John, a distant relative ofJesus (their mothers were cousins,according to the Bible) was a fierypreacher with a message of repentance and aconsiderable following.

British archaeologist Shimon Gibson, left, gestures with a wave of his hand, and a fellow explorer places his foot in aceremonial stone as they stand in a large cistern, in the cave where the excavation team believes John the Baptist

anointed many of his disciples. Titians painting of John the Baptist.(Inset)

IS THIS THE CAVE OFS THIS THE C VE OF

JOHNTHE BAPTIST?JOHNTHE B PTISTTHE

SUNDAYOF

ADVENT

2nd



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Tradition says he was born in the village of EinKerem, which today is part of modern Jerusalem.

Gospel NowJust 4 kilometers away, on the

land of Kibbutz Tzuba, a communal farm, the cavelies hidden in a limestone hill 22 meters long, 3.6

m deep and 3.6 m wide.It was carved by the Israelites in the Iron Age,

sometime between 800 BC and 500 BC, thescientists said. It apparently was used from the startas a ritual immersion pool, preceding the Jewishtradition of the ritual bath.

Over the centuries, the cave filled with mud andsediment, leaving only a tiny opening that washidden by trees and bushes. Yet in recent years, ithad occasional visitors Reuven Kalifon, an

American immigrant who teaches Hebrew at thenearby community, took his students exploring there.

They would crawl through the narrow slit at the

mouth of the cave, all the way to the back wall,though they saw nothing but dirt and walls. InDecember 1999, Kalifon asked Gibson, a friend, totake a closer look.

Gibson, who has excavated in the Holy Land formore than 30 years, moved a few boulders near thewalls and laid bare a crude carving of a head.Excited, he organized a full-fledged excavation.

Over the next five years, Gibson and his team,including volunteers from the University of NorthCarolina at Charlotte, cleared out layers of soil,picking up about 250,000 shards from small jugsapparently used in purification rituals.

The explorers uncovered 28 steps leading to thebottom of the cave. On the right, a niche is carvedinto the wall typical of those used in Jewish ritualbaths for discarding the clothes before immersion.Near the end of the stairs, the team found an ovalstone with a foot-shaped indentation about a shoesize 11. Just above, a soapdish-like niche apparentlyheld ritual oil that would flow through a small channelonto the believers right foot.

On the water-covered floor of the cave, stonesand boulders were moved aside by the worshippers,and a middle path was filled with gravel.

Crude images were carved on the walls, near

the ceiling, and Gibson said they tell the story ofJohns life.

One is the figure of the man Gibson spotted onhis first visit to the cave. The man appears to havean unruly head of hair and wears a tunic with dots,apparently meant to suggest an animal hide. Hegrasps a staff and holds up his other hand in agesture of proclamation.

James Tabor, a Bible scholar from the Universityof North Carolina, said there is little doubt this isJohn himself. The Gospels say that John was amember of the Nazirites, a sect whose followersdidnt cut their hair, and that he adopted the dress of

the ancient prophets, including a garment woven ofcamels hair.

On the opposite wall is a carving of a face that

[ See also In Ein Kerem, Israel: ABonding Between Two Mothers-to-Be, ,Dec 2009-Jan 2010.]

Editors note:

To watch a video clip about thisarchaeological find, visit

.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/5673394#5673394

could be meant to symbolize Johns severed head.The preacher had his head cut off by Herod Antipasafter he dared take the ruler to task over an illicitaffair.

But the images are from the Byzantine era,apparently carved by monks who associated the sitewith John, following local folklore, Gibson and Taborsaid.

Unfortunately, we didnt find any inscriptionsthat would conclusively link the cave to John, Taborsaid.

Still, Gibson, who heads the JerusalemArchaeological Field Unit, a private research group,

argues that the finds and the proximity of Johnshometown are strong evidence the cave was usedby the preacher.

All these elements are coming together and fillin the picture of the life and times of John theBaptist, said Gibson.

Stephen Pfann, a Bible scholar and president ofthe University of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, saidGibson has provided a plausible explanation for theunusual finds, but further study is needed. It isinviting more scholars to come in and givealternative explanations, if they can, he said.

Gibson said he has left about a third of the cave

untouched for other archaeologists to explore.Tabor said no one could ever say for certain thatJohn the Baptist used the cave. However, he said,the cave could help bring to life an important part ofthe New Testament.

We actually have a geographical location nearEin Kerem now, at which water purification rites wereconducted that go back to the first century andconnects them to the traditions of John the Baptist,he said.

An Israeli archaeological places his foot on a stone that theexcavation team believes was used for ceremonial footwashing, during a tour of the Kibbutz Tzuba site.


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The Point Man

December 8, 2013Second Sunday of AdventMatthew 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in thedesert of Judea and saying, Repent, for thekingdom of heaven is at hand!It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spokenwhen he said: A voice of one crying out in thedesert, Prepare the way of the Lord, makestraight his paths.John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had

a leather belt around his waist. His food waslocusts and wild honey.

At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the wholeregion around the Jordan were going out to himand were being baptized by him in the JordanRiver as they acknowledged their sins.When he saw many of the Pharisees andSadducees coming to his baptism, he said tothem, You brood of vipers! Who warned you toflee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruitas evidence of your repentance. And do notpresume to say to yourselves, 'We have

Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can

raise up children to Abraham from these stones.Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.Therefore every tree that does not bear goodfruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,but the one who is coming after me is mightierthan I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. Hewill baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Hiswinnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear histhreshing floor and gather his wheat into hisbarn, but the chaff he will burn withunquenchable fire.

he story at first glance seems to focus on theperson of John the Baptist and the kind of

baptism he has brought and preached about. His isa baptism of repentance, because the kingdom ofheaven is at hand. In Matthew's inspired mind, Johnthe Baptist fulfils an Old Testament prophecy. But acloser reading shows that the focus on John theBaptist and his baptism serves only to introduce amore important person and a more meaningfulbaptism: Jesus and his baptism with the Holy Spirit

and fire, of harvest and judgment!The movement from John the Baptist and the

Old Testament times to Jesus and the New Time

The Story

T

sandwiches the account of the reactions of thepeople. All the peoples of that little known world,representing the simple people and the poor, havecome to him at the Jordan to be baptized with thebaptism of repentance. The learned and the wisetoo are represented by the Pharisees and theSadducees. Apparently they have not come torepent, believing that being descendants of

Abraham, their insurance ticket to heaven is their

genes. John the Baptist belies this claim to geneticprivileged superiority. Instead, he asks them to beargood fruits: to be good by moral acts, rather thanclaim to be good by genetic inheritance.

By telling the Pharisees and the Sadducees thatthe criterion for judgment is to bear good fruit, Johnthe Baptist is able to introduce Jesus as the greaterone, whose baptism is far superior to his and inwhose hands lie the judgment of salvation and ofconviction.

atthew is leading us back to the old times.Jesus' ministry is in continuation with an old

one, foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Is 40,3). Thatold voice crying out in the desert in Isaiah is nowfulfilled in the person of John the Baptist, who mustnow give way to Jesus. In fact, faithful to the

Behind the Story

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tradition of the past, John the Baptist's ministry callsfor three things: (1) repentance for sins, (2) the ritualof purification, by the baptism of water, and (3) hisreference to the imminent judgment. And he pointsto Jesus as the fulfilment of all these three things.

Who was John the Baptist? Why was heclothed in camel's hair, and had a leather belt around

his waist? Why was he eating locusts and wildhoney? In 2 Kings 1,8, we find the same descriptionfor the clothing of the prophet Elijah. Is Matthewcreating a subliminal message that John the Baptistis the Elijah redivivus cited in Mal 3,23? Indeed, hairyclothing was normal for a prophet to wear (Zech13,4) and locusts were one of the few four-leggedinsects that Jews were allowed to eat. In this sense,the person of John the Baptist was consistent withtradition.

And who were the Pharisees and theSadducees? The Pharisees was a political partywho believed that conversion, or change of heart,

was achieved through obedience to the Law, bothwritten and oral, in its finest details. They believedthat by fulfilling the Law they would inherit thekingdom of the Messiah who would come from theline of David. Their preoccupation with the comingof this Davidic Messiah and their opposition to theforeign Roman rule made them popular among thepeople. On the other hand, the Sadduceesbelonged to a priestly political party. They wereelitist and politically influential. They were rigid andbelieved in the strict observance of priestly laws andrituals and convenient political accommodation. Theyfavoured the Roman occupation of Israel. Both the

Pharisees and the Sadducees were hated by theEssenes of Qumran. The Essenes composed thecelibate sacerdotal movement in Qumran. Theirmonastic community was intended to prepare for theestablishment of the coming Messiah and hiskingdom, in the spirit of Is 40,3. When John theBaptist called the Pharisees and the Sadduceesbrood of vipers, he echoed Is 59,5: he accusedthem of being the leaders of deception andcorruption!

And there is the imagery of the desert. What isthe significance of the desert in times past? It was inthe desert that God took the initiative to liberate and

educate His people to live a new life. It was in thedesert of Sinai where God gave the laws to thepeople, a new charter of a new way of life: liberatedand free from Egyptian oppression and for God andHis Justice and Peace. In Hos 2,16 there is abeautiful and romantic scene where God spoke tothe heart of Hosea's unfaithful wife in the desert!

And wasn't it in the desert that God proclaimed:behold, I will make all things new!? (Is 42,11; 43,19-20).

atthew introduces us to the more superiorbiblical message and messenger: the message

of the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven and its


M

definitive and decisive messenger, Jesus! John theBaptist and his message would now recede into thebackground. John the Baptist preached about thebaptism of repentance for sins, only as a preparationfor the actual arrival of a new world order that wouldbe inaugurated by Jesus. In contrast, Jesus wouldbaptize with the Holy Spirit and fire: Truth and Power.

In Him reside Love and Justice, Compassion andForgiveness, Judgment and Punishment! Truerepentance is known by good fruits of good deeds,not by claims of ethnic, racial and religious traditionand its ritualism. In this new time of the Kingdom ofHeaven inaugurated by Jesus, our repentance andconversion are known by our good deeds thattransform an old order and liberate us for the new!

n this second Sunday of Advent, the focus of ourreflection is Jesus with his gift of a new world

order, which he called at that time: the Kingdom ofGod.

Yes, we will continue to be sorry for our sins; butmore than that there is a new thrust that we need todiscover. In our weakness, we ask Jesus to gift uswith the Holy Spirit of Power and Strength. In ourexperience of lies and deception, we turn to Jesus togrant us the Holy Spirit of Truth. Against the sin ofcorruption and violence, we turn to Jesus to teach usthe terms of His Justice and Compassion. And thenour repentance would be really authentic and moreprofound, remorseful, transforming and liberating.Because we are now living, no matter how

provisionally and temporarily, in the Kingdom of God.Jesus is our ideal and accessible friend who has

given us the Kingdom of God. Every time we sharethe joy and dreams of the poor, their hopes, theirneeds, their experience of injustice and oppressionand their struggle for a better life, we are with Jesusand the alternative life he brings in his Kingdom.Every time we strive for freedom from the prison ofhunger, ignorance, sickness and diseases andexploitation, we are with Jesus in his pursuit of a newway of life with us in his Kingdom. Every time weopen the eyes of the blind so they can see the Truthof our blindness, of the dynamics of the good

interplaying with evil in our life and society, we arewith Jesus as he welcomes us to the Way, the Truthand the Life of his Kingdom.

Therefore, young children: have time to playwith the poor and share toys with them. Young menand women: take time to visit the sick, especiallythose who cannot afford hospitals, doctors andmedicines. Parents: teach your children to begenerous; support your teenage and young adults inthe pursuit of their ideals of love and service; getinvolved through prayer and action in the socialarena for change, transformation and liberation!

Let Jesus be our guide; let the Kingdom hebrings be our priority! For as Jesus says: Seek yefirst the kingdom of God and his righteousness, andall the things shall be added unto you!


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IN THIS SUNDAYS Gospel, Jesus is quoted assaying,

That somewhat makes you do a double-take, doesntit?

The saying is paradoxical: if John was notsurpassed in greatness by any human being, howcould anyone be greater than he? The paradox wascertainly deliberate: we may wonder if any of Jesushearers grasped the point more readily than we dotoday.

In Matthews Gospel (and a parallel version byLuke) the saying comes in sequel to the account ofthe deputation of disciples that John, who was then

imprisoned by Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee andPerea, sent to Jesus. In his preaching in the lowerJordan valley John had called on his hearers toamend their ways in preparation for the ComingOne, who would carry out a judgment symbolized bywind and fire (Lk 3:17; Mt 3:12). Judgment involvedthe separation of the good from the worthless, thewheat from the chaff. The chaff, blown away by thewind, would be swept up and thrown into the fire.

After the baptism of Jesus, John recognized himas the Coming One of whom he spoke, but now hewas not so sure. Jesus had begun his own ministry,but from the reports of it which reached John in

prison, it bore little resemblance to the ministry ofjudgment that John had foretold for the Coming One.Hence he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, Are youthe one who was to come, or should we expectsomeone else?

Jesus might have told the messengers to goback and say to John that the answer to his questionwas Yes, I am the one who was to come; there is noneed to look for anyone else. But that would nothave been very satisfactory. John might have said,Ah! but he might be mistaken himself. Instead,Jesus kept the messengers with him for some time,and they heard and saw what was actually

happening in his ministry. Then, when he judged thatthey had heard and seen enough for his purpose, hesent them back to tell John all about it how the

Among those born of women there has

been none greater than John the Baptist; yet theleast in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Hows that again?

blind had their sight restored, thelame were walking, the deaf were

enabled to hear and so forth, andhow the good news was beingproclaimed to the poor. Tell himthis too, he added, Blessed is theman who does not feel that I havelet him down (Mt 11:2; Lk 7:19-23).

Jesus knew what John wouldmake of his disciples report. Jesuswas doing the very things that, according to theprophets, would mark the inbreaking of the new age:Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and theears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap

like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy (Isa35:5-6). Above all, he was fulfilling, and indeedembodying, the prophetic word that said, The Spiritof the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lordhas anointed me to preach good news to the poor(Isa 61:1). This should convince John that Jesus wasindeed the Coming One: John had not beenmistaken about him and need not feel that Jesuswas letting him down by not doing the kind of thingJohn had said he would do.

When the messengers had departed, Jesusbegan to speak to the crowd about John in terms ofunqualified commendation. John was nobodys yes-

man, no flip-flopping indecisive person; he declaredthe message of God without fear or favor, to peasantand prince. And when Jesus asked them if they wentout to the wilderness to see a man dressed in fineclothes, they must have laughed, as theyremembered Johns rough coat of camels hair. No,said Jesus, for people who wear fine clothes and eatmore luxurious food than Johns diet of locusts andwild honey you have to go to royal courts andJohn was not at the royal court but in the royal jail.John was a prophet, as most people thought; yes,said Jesus, and more than a prophet; he was Godsspecial messenger sent to prepare his way, foretold

in Malachi 3:1; he was, in fact, unsurpassed by any

Hard Sayingsthe Bibleof

Hard Sayingsthe Bibleof

No One isGreater than John?

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11

the Gospel SayWhatDoes

The Forerunner Did

His Job Well

December 15, 2013Third Sunday of AdventMatthew 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of theworks of the Christ, he sent his disciples toJesus with this question, Are you the one whois to come, or should we look for another?Jesus said to them in reply, Go and tell Johnwhat you hear and see: the blind regain theirsight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, thedeaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor

have the good news proclaimed to them. Andblessed is the one who takes no offense at me.

As they were going off, Jesus began to speak tothe crowds about John, What did you go out tothe desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?Then what did you go out to see? Someonedressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fineclothing are in royal palaces. Then why did yougo out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, andmore than a prophet.This is the one about whom it is written: Behold,I am sending my messenger ahead of you; hewill prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to

you, among those born of women there hasbeen none greater than John the Baptist; yetthe least in the kingdom of heaven is greaterthan he.

his is a dramatic story of two adults who are bothconscious of their own respective calling. John

the Baptist is called to introduce Jesus; and Jesusthe Kingdom of God. Towards the end of hisministry, John the Baptist is put in prison. In hisprison cell, he learns of the deeds of Jesus and sohe sends his disciples to the latter to ask if he is theawaited messiah. Instead of answering yes or no,Jesus answers by pointing at his deeds.

And then, something remarkable happens.Jesus now will do his turn: introduce John theBaptist and the validity of his ministry. He presentsJohn the Baptist as more than a prophet. What canbe more than a prophet? A messenger whoprepares the way of Jesus. Jesus ranks John theBaptist among the angels of God! And yet, rightaway he establishes another greater rank in thehierarchy of the kingdom: the least in the kingdom isgreater than John the Baptist!

Who is the least in the Kingdom?

The Story

T

Behind the Story


T

T

his is the first time in Matthew's account that theword is applied to Jesus. This clearly

links and identifies Jesus with the Servant in Is 61,1.The question whether it was Jesus who was tocome, or should they wait for another links theexpectation of John the Baptist with the belief ofElijah's return in Mal 3,1-2.19-24, announcing

judgment. But instead, Jesus grounded his answerwith the subtle allusion to Is 42,18-20, the signs ofthe restoration of the kingdom in Is 26,19 and themission of the favoured anointed one in Is 61,1-3.

It is interesting to note that in describing Johnthe Baptist and his ministry, Matthew would haveJesus combine the quotes from Mal 3,1: Behold, Isend my messenger to prepare the way before me..with Ex 23,20: Behold, I send an angel before you,to guard you on the way and to bring you to theplace which I have prepared. Wouldn't this makethe person of John the Baptist and his ministry aninheritor of the Elijahn and Moses traditions? Elijahhas come back to prepare the way of the Lord;Moses has come back to lead the people to thePromised Land; it is Jesus' way that is beingprepared; it is to the Kingdom that humanity and allof creation is finally led to!

That makes John the Baptist great. Butsomeone else is actually greater than him: the poorand the little ones, who, in their powerlessness,believes in and are totally open to God's lovingintervention for liberation and salvation!

he gospel talks of the time of transition betweenJohn the Baptist and his ministry and Jesus and

his ministry. In the gradual unfolding drama of thearrival of God's kingdom, Jesus proclaims the role ofJohn the Baptist: the messenger who prepared theway for Jesus' own messianic arrival. But Matthewis addressing here the disciples of John the Baptistwho either hesitated to or did not join the Christiancommunity after the death of Jesus. For they werescandalized or could not believe that the Messiahwould identify himself with the poor and the littleones. They expected a messiah as the inheritor of

the royal, powerful and triumphant kingship of David!That is why Jesus' response to the question: are you

christos

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Customs Manners

in Bible Times

Customs Manners

in Bible Times

How They Got Marriedin Those DaysHow They Got Marriedin Those DaysHow They ot Married

in Those ays

IN BIBLE TIMES, youngpeople did not normallydecide for themselves whoto marry. Their parentsusually chose for them.

Once a wife had been

chosen for a son, there weremoney arrangements to bemade. The bride's motherand father had to be paid for

The bride's price

losing their daughter. Also,the bride's father gave hisdaughter a special gift ofmoney, called a dowry(Genesis 24:59-61).

Once all thearrangements had beenmade, the man and womanwere bound by vows, or

'betrothed', to be married(Matthew 1:18-20). The timeof betrothal lasted a year,

Betrothal

while everyone prepared forthe wedding itself. Thebride's family made herwedding clothes andarranged the wedding feast.

At the wedding, the brideand groom made a legalagreement and a blessingwas said over them. Then

came the wedding feast,when everyone dressed in

The wedding

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To Page 32


A Rare and Decent Man

December 22, 2013Fourth Sunday of AdventMatthew 1:18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ cameabout.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,but before they lived together, she was foundwith child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph herhusband, since he was a righteous man, yetunwilling to expose her to shame, decided todivorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when, behold, the angelof the Lord appeared to him in a dream andsaid, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid totake Mary your wife into your home. For it isthrough the Holy Spirit that this child has beenconceived in her. She will bear a son and youare to name him Jesus, because he will save hispeople from their sins.

All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had saidthrough the prophet: Behold, the virgin shallconceive and bear a son, and they shall namehim Emmanuel, which means God is with us.When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the

Lord had commanded him and took his wife intohis home.

t first glance, the center of the action seems tobe Joseph. Upon learning that Mary was with

child that was not his, he opted to divorce her quietlyso as not to put her to shame and danger. But theangel of the Lord intervened in his plan. Instead, theLord's plan was laid out before him. By God's actiondid Mary become pregnant. Joseph's task in God's

plan of action was to build a home for Mary and thechild. And more, it was Joseph's task too to namethe son Jesus, which means God saves!

In the dream-fulfilment formula, the obedience ofJoseph realized the will of God.

atthew's use of Genesis (v. 18: translated inEnglish: which he used in v. 1, links the

conception of Jesus with Joseph's ancestors. Jesusis now a true Israelite and a descendant of David.We note here, however, Matthew's presentation ofMary's motherhood of Jesus: betrothed to Joseph,she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.

According to this Eastern culture, betrothal serves to

The Story

Behind the Story

A

M birth)

tie a man and a woman into official and formalmatrimony which would take place a year or morelater. Only after that official and formal weddingcould the man take the woman into his house wherethe marriage was expected to be consummated.The marriage contract could be broken throughdivorce or death (Deut 20,7; 22,23-28).

The dream-fulfilment formula was an OldTestament literary device to communicate divine

revelation to the patriarchs and prophets (Gen 20,3;31,10-11; Num 12,6). Giving a name that has ameaning was in line with the authentic prophetictradition that a sign was going to come true (Hos 1,4-10; Is 7,3.14; 8,1-4.18).

The expression to save the people from theirsins was a unique Old Testament concept whichactually referred to the deliverance of the peoplefrom their enemies. During the exile, it meant theliberation of the people from exile. This wasunderstood as an act of God that was intended forthe restoration of His Kingdom (Is 35,4; 43,11-12;45,20-21). The exile was of course believed to be

the punishment for the sin of Israel. Israel's sin wasbreaking the alliance with God (Is 50,1; 59,2.12).The good news was that the time of the punishmenthas been completed, and God would not rememberIsrael's sins anymore (Is 40,2; 43,25; 44,22).

atthew's account on the birth of the Messiahconcludes his version of the genealogy of

Jesus: Jesus is the historical Messiah that the Jewshave been waiting for, according to the lineage ofDavid, going as far back as Abraham. But now, the

culmination of the generations focuses on Joseph,the last in the line leading to the Messiah, but with atwist: Jesus was born to a virgin to fulfill theprophecy from of old, following faithfully the Jewishtradition (Is 7,14). And Mary's conception of Jesuswas not the work of Joseph but an intervention of theHoly Spirit. Joseph responded initially to thissituation as a just man would: not expose Mary toshame by divorcing her quietly. But following theprophetic dream-fulfillment formula, he realized hisresponsibility as commanded by God: it is not hischild, yet he, the father, following Jewish tradition,would be the one to give the child's name. His name

articulated his mission: Jesus means God saves.


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When the new President ofthe Philippines took over,his first pick for DefenseSecretary was JOEESPOSO.

The day he was to appearbefore the Commission onAppointments of Congress,Joe's wife MYRA gave hima piece of advice...

Cooler than the coolest may not be enoughwhen facing senators and congressmen.They're so good at giving people a hard time.

STANDING BY

MYRA

STANDING BYT NDING Y

MYR

Those senators andcongressmen tend toshow off before the

cameras. Keep your cool.

Oh, Myra. I'm not the right manfor this job if I can't be cooler

than the coolest guy.

Mr. Esposo, as Defense Secretary, you'd beexpected to protect this country against

threats, wouldn't you?

Yes, Sen. Altanero,of course.

A leftist group called MAKA-BANSANG KABATAAN, or MK.

Are they a threat?

The MK was neutralized inthe early 1970s, if I

remember right.

Driven underground. Many of itsmembers are still around, perhaps

waiting to create trouble again.

Story byArt by

Color and graphics effectsby

SAL DE LA TIERRA

JUN LOFAMIA

ROSE INOCENCIO

THE FEASTOF THE

HOLYFAMILY


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The news was quicklypicked up by the media.

Joe was summoned bythe President'sExecutive Secretary.

That rally was prompted by a prior incident wherefemale students demonstrating peacefully wereattacked by the police. Out of indignation, my wifejoined the protest so did most of her school.

Joe called a pressconference.

This is an old photo of an MK rally. Youshould recognize the girl in the photo.

She's your wife Myra. How can wetrust a Defense Secretary whose

wife belongs to the left?

!!!

The President was caughtoff-guard there, Joe. To save

your nomination you must issuean apology disown your

wife's past association.

Mr. Secretary, if ever, I'd work withthe President for six years. I vowedto stand by my wife . Tell thePresident to withdraw my nomination.

forever

I'm no longer nominee forDefense Secretary. I owe

the people an explanationnot an apology.

My wife has been underattack because of this photo

shown by Sen. Altanero.

A person's entire selfcan't be summed up

in a split-second photo.

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The MK was only one of many groups that werein the rally. My wife was never an MK member.But she had no way of telling the photographernot to show the MK in the background.

My wife was not attacking the policemanin the photo. The cop clubbed her. Shewas the defender, not the aggressor.

It was the first and last rally my wife

attended left, right or middle. Sincethen, she has been silently but

actively supporting women's rights,without taking to the streets.

I didn't know Myra then. Wemet only years later. But even

if I did, I'd be proud ofwhat she did...and does.

You could have been Defense Secretary.And later, who knows, President?

Maybe. We can't live oncould-have-beens. If I

were so high up, we

couldn't go HHWW onBaywalk like this. Nor

bum around malls, with-out a security cordon.

I'd rather be youreveryday date thanDefense Secretary.

Why do you loveme so much?

No choice. I'm too old togo after Solenn Heusaff.

Oh, you. Alwaysteasing me.


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The Family:

United We Stand

December 29, 2013Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and JosephMatthew 2:13-15, 19-23

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel ofthe Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going tosearch for the child to destroy him. Joseph roseand took the child and his mother by night anddeparted for Egypt. He stayed there until thedeath of Herod, that what the Lord had said

through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out ofEgypt I called my son.When Herod had died, behold, the angel of theLord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt andsaid, Rise, take the child and his mother and goto the land of Israel, for those who sought thechild's life are dead. He rose, took the child andhis mother, and went to the land of Israel. Butwhen he heard that Archelaus was ruling overJudea in place of his father Herod, he was afraidto go back there. And because he had beenwarned in a dream, he departed for the region ofGalilee.

He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, sothat what had been spoken through the prophetsmight be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean.

he story tells us of the dangers that the family ofJesus, Mary and Joseph encountered early on in

their family life. But God communicates to Joseph ina dream. In his waking hours, Joseph implementsthe Will of God, in docile, firm and intentionalobedience. And from these events: hiding in Egypt

and in Nazareth, the prophecies concerning Jesusare fulfilled: From out of heaven, God calls out hisson from Egypt; from out of heaven, God allows hisson to be called a Nazorean.

he place-names of this chapter make Jesusrelive in his person the history of Israel.

Bethlehem calls to mind the expectation of amessiah; Egypt, Exodus; Rama, the exile; Galilee,the mission to the gentiles, and now Nazareth, thestrength of a Samson, the royal branch of Jesse, the

hidden headquarters of the resistance of the poor.Matthew combines history, legend and theology.Jesus' birth is as historical and legendary as Moses':

The Story

Behind the Story

T

T

being saved from the cruelty of rulers who killed thechildren to maintain themselves in power (Ex 1,15;2,15). Jesus is the new Moses; his coming backfrom Egypt the new Exodus (Hos 11,1; Is 43,1-3;48,20-21).

ut he is greater than Moses because the

salvation he brings is not just for Israel, but forall peoples! Jesus grows up in Galilee, the seat ofthe people's resistance against Roman domination.He will be called a Nazorean: can Jesus beassociated with the prowess of Samson; the royalbranch of Jesse and David; and with a God-forsakenplace of Nazareth? Where will the savior comefrom?

Joseph now continues his role in Matthew'sgospel: the quiet keeper and firm protector of themystery of salvation. He guards Mary with child: thewhole family is experiencing the mission ofliberation-salvation through suffering and the threats

of death!

t is so wonderful to realize that the Holy Family ofJesus, Mary and Joseph is a school of love, of

work and of silence. Joseph stood for his love forMary in accordance with God's will: he took Mary ineven if she was with child that he knew was not trulyhis, and that he would respect her virginity andchastity. Mary knew she was going to bear a sonwho would cause her pain according to God'sdesign, and she allowed herself to become a wife ofJoseph at great risks to her own life and to her baby.For wasn't it a sin in Jewish men's eyes to have achild outside of marriage? Jesus grew to be theirchild, obedient to them, but slowly coming out of thefamily to do his mission, his Father's will, even if itwould cause pain and suffering to his own parents!Family united in love; love tested extremely everystep of the way!

It was in this family situation that Jesusexperienced the New Exodus. It was in this familysituation that he realized he was not just a Jew forthe Jewish people, but a man for all peoples and forall of creation! It was in this family situation inGalilee that he was exposed early on to the struggle



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THE BIBLE is silent about what happened to theThree Wise Men after their visit to the Baby

Jesus. And having been warned in a dream not toreturn to Herod, they departed for their country byanother way, Matthews second chapter says. Andthen nothing is heard about them again.

Actually, we do have post-Bethlehem accountsof the Magi. Since they are traditional and notBiblical, many might dismiss them as fictitious, notfactual. Still, they are worth narrating, if only to putsome kind of closure (however unconfirmed) to theMagi story.

The first answer to the question Whateverhappened to the Magi? comes from the book

. Now, who on earth wasMarco Polo?

(1254-1324) was a Venetianexplorer who traveled extensively to East Asia,mostly China, during the reign of Kublai Khan. Whenhe returned to Europe, he was caught in the middleof a war between his home state and its rival,Genoa. He was captured and, while in prison,dictated (to his cellmate ) notes about

the countries he visited His book, translated todifferent languages, became the equivalent of abestseller in Europe at that time. It inspired laterexplorers, including Christopher Columbus andFerdinand Magellan.

The book described how Marco Polo came uponthe burial site of the Three Wise Men in Persia (nowIran). Here is how it was narrated:

In Persia is the city calledSaveh, from which the three Magiset out when they came to worshipJesus Christ. Here, too, they lieburied in three sepulchres of great

size and beauty. Above eachsepulchre is a square building witha domed roof of very fineworkmanship. The one is justbeside the other. Their bodies arestill whole, and they have hair andbeards. One was named Beltasar,the second Gaspar, and the thirdMelchior.

Messer Marco asked severalof the inhabitants who these Magiwere; but no one could tell himanything except that they were

three kings who were buried therein days gone by. But at last helearnt what I

Marco Polos tale

Marco Polo

Rustichello

.

TheTravels of Marco Polo

[Marco Polos

transcriber Rustichello is speakinghere]

Townof the fire-worshippers ..

will tell you.Three days farther on, he

found a town called KalaAtashparastan, that is to say

. Theinhabitants declare that in daysgone by three kings of this countrywent to worship a newborn prophetand took with them three offerings

gold, frankincense, and myrrhso as to discover whether this prophet was a god,

or an earthly king or a healer. For they said : 'If he

takes gold, he is an earthly king; if frankincense, agod; if myrrh, a healer.'

When they had come to the place where theprophet was born...they worshipped him and offeredhim the gold, the frankincense, and the myrrh. Thechild took all three offerings and then gave them aclosed casket. And the three kings set out to returnto their own country.

After they had ridden for some days, theyresolved to see what the child had given them. Theyopened the casket and found inside it a stone. Theywondered greatly what this could be. The child hadgiven it to them to signify that they should be firm as

stone in the faith that they had adopted. For, whenthe three kings saw that the child had taken all threeofferings, they concluded that he was at once a god,and an earthly king, and a healer. And, since thechild knew that the three kings believed this, he gavethem the stone to signify that they should be firm andconstant in their belief.

Whatever Happened to the Three Wise Men?

THESOLEMNITY

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The three kings, not knowing why the stonehad been given to them, took it and threw it into awell. No sooner had it fallen in than there descendedfrom heaven a burning fire, which came straight tothe well into which it had been thrown. When thethree kings saw this miracle, they were taken abackand repented of their throwing away the stone; for

they saw clearly that its significance was great andgood. They immediately took some of this fire andcarried it to their country and put it in one of theirchurches, a very fine and splendid building.

They keep it perpetually burning and worship itas a god. And every sacrifice and burnt offeringwhich they make is roasted with this fire. If it everhappens that the fire goes out, they go round toothers who hold the same faith and worship fire alsoand are given some of the fire that burns in theirchurch. This they bring back to rekindle their ownfire. They never rekindle it except with this fire ofwhich I have spoken. To procure this fire, they often

make a journey of ten days.That is how it comes about that the people of

this country are fire worshippers...All this was relatedto Messer Marco Polo by the inhabitants of thistown; and it is all perfectly true. Let me tell you finallythat one of the three Magi came from Saveh, onefrom Hawah, and the third from Kashan.

For those of you who dont know whowas, she was the mother of Emperor

Constantine. This was the same Constantine who

won a major battle and got to rule the RomanEmpire after he saw a heavenly vision, which hebelieved came from Christ. After he becameemperor, Constantine stopped the persecution ofChristians and helped secure the Christian Church inEurope.

Gospel K Magazine,

With her son on the throne, Queen Helena wenton a pilgrimage of the Holy Land in search of theTrue Cross (the cross on which Jesus died) andother relics. Among those she found were(reportedly) the relics of the Three Wise Men.

The Magis relics are now enshrined in theCathedral of Cologne in Germany. How they got toCologne is a story in itself. After she found them,Helena took the remains of the Magi to the church ofHagia Sophia in Constantinople. A version of thedetailed elaboration is laid out by the 14th centurycleric John of Hildesheim's("History of the Three Kings"). In accounting for thepresence in Cologne of their mummified relics, hebegins with the journey of Helena, mother ofConstantine I to Jerusalem, where she recoveredthe True Cross and other relics. Hildesheim wrote:Queen Helen began to think greatly of the bodies

of these three kings, and she arrayed herself, andaccompanied by many attendants, went into theLand of Ind After she had found the bodies of

Queen Helenas discovery

QueenHelena

[ See also Constantine and the Church, Oct-Nov 2010 issue.]

Historia Trium Regum

Editors note:

Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar, Queen Helen putthem into one chest and ornamented it with greatriches, and she brought them into Constantinople...

and laid them in a church that is called SaintSophia.

The relics were later moved to Milan, Italy (somesources say by the city's bishop, Eustorgius I),before being sent to their current resting place by theHoly Roman Emperor Frederick I in 1164 AD. Thepeople of Milan celebrate their part in the tradition byholding a medieval costume parade every January 6.

Are these anecdotes to be believed? MarcoPolos tale is, admittedly, a long shot. But Queen

Helenas account claims to be supported by materialevidence, albeit uncorroborated. The fact is, we maynever know the real ending of the Magi story. As allmatters of faith go, perhaps we should suspend ourquestions about the Wise Men, until that time ineternity when every question mark will find theirperiods.

Fact or fancy?

Marco Polo An icon of Queen Helena

This crypt in the Cathedral of Cologne in Germany is saidto contain the relics of the Three Wise Men.


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A Suspense Story

January 5, 2014Feast of the Epiphany of our Lord JesusMatthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, inthe days of King Herod, behold, magi from theeast arrived in Jerusalem, saying, Where is thenewborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at itsrising and have come to do him homage.When King Herod heard this, he was greatlytroubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assemblingall the chief priests and the scribes of the people,

He inquired of them where the Christ was to beborn. They said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea,for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by nomeans least among the rulers of Judah; sincefrom you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherdmy people Israel.Then Herod called the magi secretly andascertained from them the time of the star'sappearance. He sent them to Bethlehem andsaid, Go and search diligently for the child.When you have found him, bring me word, that Itoo may go and do him homage.

After their audience with the king they set out.And behold, the star that they had seen at itsrising preceded them, until it came and stoppedover the place where the child was. They wereoverjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering thehouse they saw the child with Mary his mother.They prostrated themselves and did him homage.Then they opened their treasures and offered himgifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to returnto Herod, they departed for their country byanother way.

his is a great story of the interplay of innocenceand deception: the innocent magi looking for the

star that would lead them to the child-king of theJews are met by a scheming Herod who deceivesthem by his seeming good will and support.

This is a remarkable story of truthful, scientificminds traveling the journey of faith to the discoveryof the simplicity of truth and the vulnerability of love:the magi who understand the movements of theheavenly bodies bow before a powerless new bornchild.

This is a dramatic story of shrewdness and firmresolve to avoid lies and deception: God reveals to

The Story

T

the magi through a dream not to return to Herod, totake another route on the way back home, resultingin the safety of the vulnerable helpless child!

he East Asia from where the sun rises hasalways been a place of mystery for the West,

where the sun goes down! This is an unknown

world for the westerners!Who were the magi? Tradition talks of them as

astrologers, who by studying the movements of thestars and other heavenly bodies, were able topredict the birth of Cyrus, God's non-believinginstrument who put an end to the exile of Israel(Herodotus, The History, 1, 107-204). The Magiwere probably of the priestly caste of theZoroastrian religion. They were famous asastrologers and interpreters of dreams in antiquity.The star that guided them reminds us of a star thatrises out of Jacob (Num 24,17).

Bethlehem of Judea was David's birthplace (1

Sam 17,12) and the place of his anointment as king(1 Sam 16,1-13).

Herod the Great died in 4 BCE. And so, it ispossible that Jesus birth took place around 6-5BCE.

The mention of Bethlehem of Judah combinedtwo Old Testament texts: Micah 5,2 and 2 Sam 5,2:the true shepherd of Israel would come from asmall poor city, while those who pretended to beshepherds from the city of Jerusalem werecorrupted with power, riches and prestige.

The gifts of gold symbolized riches; incensewere used in worship to sanctify the offerings (Ex

30,34; Lev 2,1-2; 24,7); and myrrh was oil forperfume (Ex 20,23; cf. also Songs 3,6).

istory, legend and theological reflection meettogether in the retelling of the events

surrounding the birth of Jesus. History: Jesus wasborn in Bethlehem of Judea in the time of KingHerod. Legend: the magi from the exotic eastguided by the stars wise men who were able tointerpret the movements of heavenly bodies. Thekilling of the innocents that saved the savior calls to

mind the story of the birth of Moses. Theology:

Behind the Story

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H


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IN THIS Sunday's Gospel, whenJesus came to John to bebaptized, John asked the samequestion. Why should he, a sinfulman, baptize the Messiah? Hetried to prevent Jesus from being

baptized saying I need to bebaptized by you and you arecoming to me? (Matthew 3:14).The baptisms that John performedsymbolized and hesaw this as inappropriate for theOne he knew to be the spotless Lamb of God. Jesusreplied that it should be done because it is fitting forus to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).

He willultimately bear their sins; his perfect righteousnesswill be imputed to them (2 Corinthians 5:21).Therefore, this act of baptism was a necessary part

repentance,

Christwas here identifying himself with sinners.

of the righteousness he secured for sinners. His wasa perfect righteousness in that he fulfilled all therequirements of the Law which we, for whose sin hewould exchange his righteousness, are not capableof fulfilling. He is our perfect substitute.

This baptism was a very public one and wasrecorded for all generations to know about and

understand, and it is important for several reasons.it pictures his death and resurrection.

it symbolizes the believer's identification with Christin his death, burial, and resurrection. it markshis first public identification with those whose sins hewould bear. the event was a publicaffirmation of his Messiahship by the testimony thatcame directly from heaven (Matthew 3:17).

Water baptism is used as a means ofidentification. In Jesus' day, when a Gentile wouldconvert to Judaism, he would have to be publiclybaptized to identify him as a convert. Obviously,Jesus was not converting to anything. Jesus'

baptism was an identification of Jesus with theFather and the Holy Spirit. Jesus was baptized topublicly announce himself as God's Son, and topronounce the beginning of hisministry with the Holy Spirit'spower. Jesus did not need theHoly Spirit (as ordinary men do).However, to set an example for us,Jesus emptied himself (Philippians2:7) and relied upon the HolySpirit's power. Jesus' baptism andreliance upon the Holy Spirit is anexample that we are to follow in

our own lives.

First, Second,

Third,

Fourth,

Why DidJesus Need

to beBaptized?

THEBAPTISMOF THE

LORD


(Left) Part of the Jordan River, site of Jesus baptism.


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The New and Final

Suffering Servant

January 12, 2014Feast of the Baptism of the Lord JesusMatthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan tobe baptized by him. John tried to prevent him,saying, I need to be baptized by you, and yet youare coming to me? Jesus said to him in reply,Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill allrighteousness.Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized,he came up from the water and behold, theheavens were opened for him, and he saw theSpirit of God descending like a dove and comingupon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying,This is my beloved Son, with whom I am wellpleased.

esus, like any other ordinary Jew attracted byJohn the Baptist's baptism of repentance, comes

forward now to be baptized by him. A conversationtakes place between the cousins, revolving aroundthe word to allow. John the Baptist has a reasonfor refusing Jesus baptism. Jesus has a reason tobe baptized by his cousin. Then both agreed toallow the baptism to take place.

Suddenly the heavens are opened, and anextraordinary event is taking place. Only Jesus seesand hears what is happening!

ehind this anecdotal recollection of Jesus'

baptism by John the Baptist lay a wholeconversation around the theme of justice/righteousness. Jesus and John probably had talkedearlier about the injustice suffered by the people andperpetrated by the leaders of Judah. The peopleexperienced oppression in their hands through legaland ritual means, taxes and tributes. Justice hasalways been a central concern in the life of Israel,and the hope of divine justice and deliverance fromtyrants their expectation (Is 41,21; 45,21-24).

Baptism which made one go in and out of thewater in the river Jordan reminds the people of theExodus experience. It has become a metaphor of

liberation (Josh 4,10; Is 43,16-21; 63,17-64,8).The opening of the heavens and the descent of

the Spirit of God brings to mind Is 44,3; 63,11 and

The Story

Behind the Story

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the creative spirit that appears like a dove (cf. Gen1,2; 8,8-12).

The declaration from heaven This is mybeloved son in whom I am well pleased is acombination of themes from Is 42,1; 41,8; 43,1-4and Hos 11,1.

n this very short narrative of Jesus' baptism,Matthew presents the identity of Jesus and his

mission. While John the Baptist's baptism was forthe forgiveness of sins, Jesus' baptism signifies thefullness of justice and righteousness. Indeed, hewill carry the sins of all. But the fullness of his

justice means he will take a special love for thepoor and the oppressed, in his word and action ofsolidarity. The moment of Jesus' baptism takes ona wisdom-apocalyptic color with the opening of theheavens, the descent of a dove and a voicespeaking. Here, three Trinitarian themes aredeveloped: the voice of the Father, the presence of

the Holy Spirit and the title of the Son. Thequotation from Is 42,1 identifies Jesus as the Son ofGod and His suffering servant, at the same time.His mission is to suffer for the cause of the Justiceof God, the liberation of the poor from oppressionand the forgiveness of the sins of the people.

he theme of the epiphany of the Lord continuesin this second event in Jesus' early life: his

baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan. We takenote that his baptism, which we associate with

giving of a name, is also the moment of sendinghim to a mission: the forgiveness of sins and thefullness of justice in a unique Jesus way! And thatunique Jesus way of forgiving and carrying out tothe fullest the cause of justice is through propheticproclamation and action in solidarity with the poor,the oppressed and those in need. And there is noother! The heavens and the Holy Trinity testify tothis: they claim Jesus as the New and FinalSuffering Servant of God who will suffer in theservice of the people for the cause of theirliberation-salvation!

Can we really believe this God and this Jesus?

On the surface, this is so outlandish, if not



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THAT EVERY individual soul has a guardian angelhas never been defined by the Church, and is,consequently, not an article of faith; but it is the"mind of the Church", as St. Jerome expressed it,"how great the dignity of the soul, since each onehas from his birth an angel commissioned to guardit."

In the Bible this doctrine is clearly discernibleand its development is well marked. In Genesis 28-29, angels not only act as the executors of God'swrath against the cities of the plain, but they deliver

Lot from danger. In Exodus 12-13, an angel is theappointed leader of the host of Israel, and in 32:34,God says to Moses, "My angel shall go before thee."

At a much later period we have the story ofTobias, which might serve for a commentary on thewords of Psalm 90:11: "For he hath given his angelscharge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways."(Psalm 33:8 and 34:5) Lastly, in Daniel 10 angels areentrusted with the care of particular districts; one iscalled "prince of the kingdom of the Persians", andMichael is termed "one of the chief princes"(Deuteronomy 32:8 [LXX] and Ecclesiasticus 17:17[LXX]).

It is clear that theOld Testamentconceived of God'sangels as his ministerswho carried out hisbehests, and who wereat times given specialcommissions, regardingmen and mundaneaffairs. There is nospecial teaching; thedoctrine is rather takenfor granted than

expressly laid down (2Maccabees 3:25;10:29; 11:6; 15:23).

But in the NewTestament the doctrineis stated with greaterprecision. Angels areeverywhere theintermediaries betweenGod and man; andChrist set a seal uponthe Old Testamentteaching, "See that you

despise not one ofthese little ones: for Isay to you, that their

angels in heaven always see theface of my Father who is inheaven." (Matthew 18:10). Atwofold aspect of the doctrine ishere put before us:

, and

.Without dwelling on the

various passages in the New

Testament where the doctrine of guardian angels issuggested, it may suffice to mention the angel whosuccored Christ in the garden, and the angel whodelivered St. Peter from prison. Hebrews 1:14 putsthe doctrine in its clearest light: "Are they not allministering spirits, sent to minister for them, whoshall receive the inheritance of salvation?" This is thefunction of the guardian angels;

.St. Thomas teaches us that only the lowest

orders of angels are sent to men, and consequentlythat they alone are our guardians, though otherChurch fathers would rather say that any of the

members of theangelic host may besent to execute theDivine commands. Notonly the baptized, butevery soul that comesinto the world receivesa guardian spirit. St.Basil, however, andpossibly St.Chrysostom wouldhold that onlyChristians were so

privileged. Ourguardian angels canact upon our sensesand upon ourimaginations not,however, upon ourwills, except byworking on ourintellect, and thus uponour will, through thesenses and theimagination. Finally,they are not separated

from us after death,but remain with us inheaven.

even littlechildren have guardian angelsthese same angels lose not thevision of God by the fact that theyhave a mission to fulfil on earth

they are to lead us,if we wish it, to the Kingdom of Heaven

A Primer on Angels

THEFEASTOF THE

STO. NIO



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At that time the disciples approached Jesus andsaid, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom ofheaven?" He called a child over, placed it intheir midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unlessyou turn and become like children, you will notenter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbleshimself like this child is the greatest in the

kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives onechild such as this in my name receives me. (vv.15).

HE DISCIPLES of Jesus were hearing every dayabout a kingdom to be established by God, and

yet were unable to detect any official preparation forits arrival. They had no idea how it could operate.The simple question, Who would do what?bothered them every day, and their question couldhave been legitimate.

Unless you turn and become like children, you

will not enter the kingdom of heaven (v. 3). Thedisciples had failed to differentiate between Godskingdom, established on love, and the empire ofCaesar, based on military power. Love, as such,hardly existed among the soldiers, where obediencewas demanded from every man. Disobedience led toreprimand, and repeated reprimands led toexecution. The citizens of Gods kingdom knew nocompelling force except love. They obeyed theirMaster, because they desired so to do.

The reference to the child, momentarily, musthave shocked the disciples. The suggestion that theyneeded to be converted, that is, turned around,

meant they had been traveling in the wrongdirection. Their hopes, longings, and aspirationswere ill-conceived. A small child never makesextensive plans for the future, and knows nothing ofdesires for personal gain. The chief characteristic oflittle children is implicit trust in a parent. They neverworry about supplying meals, for they expect theirparents to provide what is necessary. A child knowsnothing of the demands of life; of paying income tax;providing clothing and other necessities, for theseare the responsibilities of adults. Completelyconfident in the unfailing care of a devoted parent, achild walks calmly through the adolescent years.

Jesus was trying to teach his followers that suchwere the characteristics of all citizens of Godskingdom.

And whoever receives one child such as this in

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my name receives me (v. 5). It is impossible tooverestimate the importance of a child. Children oftoday are the adults of tomorrow. As a seedbecomes a strong tree, so the immature child hasthe potentiality of becoming the greatest of earthscitizens. God recognizes this fact, and it required thedisciples to remember it also. On one importantoccasion they tried to prevent mothers bringing

children to Jesus, and their action brought instantrebuke. The Lord was trying to teach that he couldalways be found where innocence and trust wereprevailing factors among men.

"See that you do not despise one of these littleones, for I say to you that their angels in heavenalways look upon the face of my heavenlyFather. (v. 10)

HE Jews firmly believed in the ministry of angels.

It was an accepted fact that angels wereappointed by God to superintend many functions inlife. Probably, the same thought was expressed inHebrews 1:14 where angels were said to beministering spirits, sent forth to minister for themwho shall be heirs of salvation. The Lord, knowingthe current belief of those he was addressing,indicated that according to their teaching, each childwas under the care of a guardian angel, whoseprivilege it was to have instant audience with the

Almighty. Jesus was trying to accentuate theimportance of any child whose angel had instantaccess to the throne of grace. This thought is even

more pronounced in John 14:16, And I will pray theFather, and he shall give you another Comforter, thathe may abide with you forever. The trusting child ofGod is in excellent company and in good hands! TheHoly Spirit abides with him here, and the risen Lordintercedes for him in heaven. It should therefore beunderstood that every soul is intensely precious toGod. It would be unwise and unsafe for an enemy tohinder or persecute one of Gods precious children.

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Being Like Children

January 19, 2013Feast of the Sto. NioMatthew 18:1-5, 10


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Customs Manners

in Bible Times

Customs Manners

in Bible Times

The Ways of A Fisherman

IN JESUS time, many fishermenworked on the big lake called the, and many fishing

villages surrounded the lake.Some of these fishermen used arod and line, like anglers today.

Some fishermen used a(Mark 1:16-17).

This was a circularnet, about

Sea of Galilee

castnet

Cast net

five meters (17 feet) across. It hadweights tied round the edge, and arope tied to the middle. When afisherman could see fish in shallowwater by the water's edge, hewould wade into the water anddrop the net over them. Theweights pulled the net down,trapping the fish.

If they were fishing from aboat, fishermen would often use a

(Luke 5:4). This was along net, about three meters (10

feet) wide, that was let out behindthe boat. It had corks fixed tothe top to make it float,

and stones tied to thebottom

Seine net

seine net

THE

SUNDAY INORDINARY

T I M E

3rd


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26


We Find Our GalileeHere and Now

January 26, 2014Third Sunday in Ordinary TimeMatthew 4:12-23

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth andwent to live in Capernaum by the sea, in theregion of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what hadbeen said through Isaiah the prophet might befulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of

the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness haveseen a great light, on those dwelling in a landovershadowed by death light has arisen.From that time on, Jesus began to preach andsay, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is athand.

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he sawtwo brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and hisbrother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; theywere fishermen. He said to them, Come afterme, and I will make you fishers of men. At oncethey left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other

brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and hisbrother John. They were in a boat, with theirfather Zebedee, mending their nets. He calledthem, and immediately they left their boat andtheir father and followed him.He went around all of Galilee, teaching in theirsynagogues, proclaiming the gospel of thekingdom, and curing every disease and illnessamong the people.

The Story

Behind the Story

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he incarceration of John the Baptist and hisinability to continue an itinerant proclamation of

the baptism of repentance marks the beginning ofJesus' ministry! He chose his own followers anddisciples to be with him as he preaches: Repent, for

the kingdom of heaven is at hand!And those whom he calls responded with

utmost urgency and total dedication.With them as a new community, Jesus teaches

around Galilee, in the Jewish synagogues, withauthority.

hree things may be said of Galilee: in Isa 8,23-9,1 at the crossroads of people's movements

and cultural exchanges, Galilee was a pagan country

that would see the great light; in the time of Jesus, itwas a village of the poor and an important place ofresistance against Roman rule; in Matthew's gospel,it will be the place where the universal mission ofpreaching the Gospel to all the world will commence.

It is instructive to note that in the original contextof Isaiah's prophecy, the inhabitants of Zabulun andNaphtali beyond the Jordan to the Galilee of thegentiles, were the first subjects of Assyriandeportation. In their place, foreigners were brought

in in order to support the empire (2Kings 15,29; 17,24-27). This is stillsuch a classic method of

colonization: replace the nativeswith foreigners who will vote for theinterests of the colonizers!

Is 9,2 which talked of people livingin darkness but are now seeing agreat light subtly points to Is 42,7:who were the people living indarkness but were about to be freedfrom it? The blind, the prisoners inthe dungeon, those who sit in thedarkness of prison All these in thecontext of Is 42,1: the mission of

justice for one whom God has

chosen, in whom God takes delight!In describing the imprisonment ofJohn the Baptist, the Greek wordused is derived from paradidomi,


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which is a technical term used to describe betrayal,treachery that leads to death and also a handingover of tradition. The circumstance of John theBaptist's imprisonment was an act of betrayal andtreachery. The same thing was going to happen toJesus. There would be many things that Jesuswould hand over to the disciples and to the Christian

community a handing over through suffering anddeath!

Why did Jesus withdraw in Galilee? Why did hestart his preaching there? Was it to hide in prudencethe beginning of his ministry? But the territory wasunder Herod Antipas? Did Matthew want us toremember the role of Galilee in the history of ancientIsrael and in the time of the Roman empire? Andmake Jesus emerged from that tradition of seekersof justice?

In the synagogues, where the Jews gathered faraway from the temple, Jesus proclaimed the radicalalternative of the Kingdom of Heaven.

he message of Jesus, in continuity anddiscontinuity from that of John the Baptist, is

Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.This also marks the separation of the Jesusmovement from other Baptist movements. While theBaptists presented a vengeful God against sinners,Jesus proclaimed a God of compassion and peace.Jesus' call for repentance for sin is in function of theKingdom of Heaven. While rabbis and teacherswere chosen by their followers, Jesus was the one

who chose his disciples to form a new alternativecommunity with him. His call was immediate andunconditional; the response needed was alsourgently immediate, a total commitment andunconditional. His relationship with his disciples wasintimate, permanent, a total sharing of life andmission. And he taught with authority and power,even in the places of worship of the Jews to whom


T

he offered an alternative view of life and salvation!

t is important for us to locate our Galilee in our owntime. In our time today, in our society and church,

where is that privileged place of encounter with the

poor, the struggle for justice and the discovery of thecall to participate in the mission of Jesus?

How do we teach this to our children, that theytoo may grow like Jesus and be oriented to theloving God and to his sense of justice? Children,where do you play with Jesus? In the privacy of yourroom, with your games and play stations? Or in yourprotected playgrounds, with your parents watchingover you? Or with children of the poor with whomyou can share your toys, and from whom you willlearn the lessons of human need, of humancompassion and real, not virtual, generosity?

Young people, the present and the future are

yours. Are you contented to be just yourself, textingyour friends while you are eating with your family,watching TV while studying your lessons, listening tomusic and communicating with your friends at thesame time? Or is there something more to virtual lifein real life: to discover other young people who aredifferent from yourselves; to share their experiencesof loneliness and deprivation, their adventures andmisfortunes, their dreams and aspirations? Can youbelieve in a Jesus and in the mission of love andservice to humanity and the world that heproclaimed?

And we, adults of this age: what community

have we built together? What is disinterested loveand unconditional commitment in our time? Sin andrepentance: do they still make sense in our worldthat believes that each one is entitled to his ownopinion, and if you like it, go for it? Who is Jesus foryou, and where do you find him? Do you wish tointimately follow him and form a community withhim?


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No One is Greater...From Page 10

other. Among those born of women there is no onegreater than John. John spoke of the Coming Oneas one more powerful than I (Lk 3:16), but here isthe Coming One, himself born of a woman, paying aremarkable tribute to John. Then why did he add yethe who is least in the kingdom of God is greater thanhe?

The least in the kingdom of God is the mostinsignificant person who enjoys the blessings of theage of salvation that Jesus was bringing in. Johnwas like Moses, who viewed the Promised Land from

the top of Mount Pisgah but did not enter it; he wasthe last of the heroes of Hebrews 11 who were allcommended for their faith, yet none of them received

what had been promised. It is not in moral statureor devotion or service, but in privilege, that those

who are least in the kingdom of God are greater thanJohn greater not for what they do for God (in thisJohn was unsurpassed) but for what God does forthem. On another occasion Jesus congratulated hisdisciples because they lived to see and hear whatmany prophets and kings had longed in vain to seeand hear (Lk 10:23-24). It was not because of anysuperior merit of theirs that the disciples enjoyedthese blessings; it was because they lived at thetime when Jesus came and were called by him toshare the life and service of the kingdom of God.Even to be his herald and forerunner, as John was,was not such a great privilege as to participate in the

ministry of the Coming One, to be heirs of thekingdom which John, as the last of the prophets ofold, foresaw and foretold.


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POINT MANOINT M NTH

Story byArt byColor and graphics effects

by R

PAUL N. DAMASCO

JUN LOFAMIA

OSE INOCENCIO

Story byArt byColor and graphics effects

by R

PAUL N. DAMASCO

JUN LOFAMIA

OSE INOCENCIO

Take the point.Thats slang fortake the lead,show the way. Whomakes a good pointman? Can you tellby somebody'sappearance?

Our story begins inZamboanga City.

Zulu 25, this is Zulu

Base. Could you delayyour takeoff, over? We have one paxrequesting to hitcha ride. He's on his

way to you now, over.

CAPT. JUNIE? I under-stand you're flying toSirawai mining camp?OK to ride with you?

This is 25.What's up, Base?

Sure! Hopaboard.

Hi. I'm JOKERMEDINA.

KIT CORDERO. Youwork at the mine?

Yep. I'm a mining engineer.Just been on a one-week

R&R in Zamboanga.

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