This week’s account of John in Matthew 11:2-11 is quite a
contrast to John's first fiery appearance. What happened to the outspoken firebrand, the
radical Messianic prophet? He attracted large crowds as he fearlessly rebuked
religious leaders with his preaching. While his arrogant, self-assured
confidence made us a little uncomfortable, we were eager to hear what he had to
say about the Advent of the One. But this week, we see a different John, pacing
his small prison cell, wondering if his ministry was all in vain. He was having his
doubts about whether Jesus truly was the long awaited Messiah. By all accounts,
Jesus was not measuring up to John's expectations. Desperate for some validation,
he manages to send a messenger to put the question directly to Jesus: “Are you
the one?”
Rather than answer John’s question directly, Jesus cites all that he has done
and dispatches the messenger:
Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the
lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the
poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense
at me.
Matthew gives us reason to suggest that John was aware of Jesus ministry and
his works. But was he looking for something more spectacular? Were Jesus’ works
a little too mundane for a Messiah? What was it that he wanted to hear from
Jesus? Maybe John’s sights were set on a different kind of Messiah, one based
on his concept of what a Messiah is, because he hadn’t prepared himself to see
God at work. To say the least John and Jesus' styles were as different as their personal behaviors and lifestyles.
As a child I sang in a boys’ choir at a "High Mass" every Sunday and on Holy Days. I remember
singing the beautiful Magnificat, the Canticle of Mary in May and at Christmas
time. We sang the hymn in Latin. However, I was confused by our director, Sister Henrietta’s
translation. The haunting melody and cadence and its sweet sounding words in Latin, betrayed the theme of the humble virgin’s Hymn of praise. It sounded more like a revolutionary battle cry:
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.
Was
this the powerful Messiah John was expecting? Perhaps Jesus’ answer to John
says it best: What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft
robes? And yet, John was right, the Messiah was all about dethroning the mighty
but Jesus was all about exalting the lowly, or filling the hungry. Jesus was
interested in deeds and not words, Go and tell John what you hear and see.
Jesus was all about repentance, a metanoia…turning the mind around. His
revolution was about social change…the fruits worthy of repentance.
And so I wonder, are we any different from John? What limits have we placed on
our imagination, on our expectations? Sure the beautiful Church services, with
its inspirational sermons, hymns and fellowship at Christmas all serve to
create a sense of God, but do we continue to carry that sense of God with us
when we leave the Church and tend to our day-to-day activities in the other 167
hours of the week? Have we prepared ourselves to look for God in the ordinary
people, places and things of our lives, in the ordinary nickels and dimes of
our lives?
We do not come to know God just by contemplating Him in secure spiritual isolation
or by our scripture discussions every Wednesday night. No, God comes to us when
we provide shelter for the homeless or offer a cup of water to the thirsty, in
either a fancy Waterford glass or plain Dixie cup. It's a Quiet Thing.
When it
all come true
Just the
way you planned
It's funny
but the bells don't ring
It's a
quiet thing
When you
hold the world
In your
trembling hand
You think
you'd hear a choir singing
But it's a
quiet thing
There are
no exploding fire works
Where's the
roaring of the crowd
Maybe it's
the strange new atmosphere
Way up here
among the clouds
Happiness
comes in on tiptoe
Well, what
do you know
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