Neh 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10; Cor 12:12-30; Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
The reading, hearing and explaining of God’s Word became an essential aspect of Jewish community life. The first reading, for instance, describes how the prophet Ezra brought the Book of the Law and read it before the assembly of men, women and children. In his sharing and explanation of the Word, Ezra tried to encourage the people to remain joyful and hopeful despite their trials and afflictions of the exile (Neh 8:9-10). It was the proclamation of God’s Word that sustained the life and identity of Israel.
When Jesus went into the synagogue on a Sabbath day, he was being faithful to the tradition of his people. The gospel recounts how Jesus stood up, took the scroll and read a part of the Book of Isaiah which says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord ” (Lk 4:18-19; cf. Is 61:1-2). Some Bible commentators would suggest that this was Jesus’ most favorite passage in all of Scriptures. The passage would shed light on his true identity and mission as the anointed one of God.
Isaiah’s prophecy was a vision of a world that God has long desired for humankind – a world of equality, freedom, wholeness and peace. When Jesus said, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Lk 4:21), he was simply saying that God’s dream for humanity is being fulfilled in him. He is the anointed one referred to by the prophet Isaiah who would bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, sight to the blind, and freedom to the oppressed.
The readings, first of all, inspire us to make the proclamation of the Word of God central in our daily lives. The Word should be our main source of nourishment and strength. This challenge is particularly important today when we hear a lot of attractive yet deceiving messages from people in the media and in consumerist and materialist society. The Psalmist reminds us that the Word of God provides spirit and life: “The law of the Lord is perfect; it revives the soul. The rule of the Lord is to be trusted; it gives wisdom to the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right; they gladden the heart. The command of the Lord is clear; it gives light to the eyes” (Ps 18:7-9).
Moreover, the readings challenge us to participate in bringing God’s vision to fulfillment by serving the poor, the oppressed and others who are in need. By sharing the life, joys, hopes and sorrows of the less privileged members of society, we are working to lessen the gap between the rich and the poor, to set people free from all sorts of slavery, to enlighten people from any form of blindness and to help them in their struggle for justice and equality.
Saint Paul’s metaphor of the “Body of Christ” inspires us to mutually minister to one another. Since all parts are important, there shall be no division but equal concern for one another. Interdependence among us is essential for the “Body of Christ” to grow and bear fruit. Affection, love or esteem must be given to all, and yet, we need to extend special preference to the inferior members of our community. As Paul says, “The members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we cloth with greater honor. . . . God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another” (1 Cor. 12:22-25).
The Body of Christ, therefore, is a community of co-responsibility. What Paul envisions is a community that lives together and that shares everything together. “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (1 Cor. 12:25-26).
Once in a carpenter’s workshop, there was this conversation going on. Everyone was accusing Brother Hammer because he makes a lot of noise. So Brother Hammer was in the chair, and he was the target of conversation. They said that Brother Hammer had to leave the workshop because he is always hitting Brother Nail on the head and he is always making noises.
And Brother Hammer said, “Okay, I will leave, provided that Brother Pencil leaves also, he always makes little impressions in the workshop, just a line, what use is Brother Pencil?”
Brother Pencil said, “I will leave the workshop, provided that Brother Plane also leaves because he always works on the surface.”
Brother Plane said, “I will leave, provided that Brother Screw leaves. Because Brother Screw, in order to make him do something, you have to turn him round and round, and round, and it takes time to make him do anything.”
Brother Screw said, “I will leave, provided brother Ruler leaves, because Brother Ruler always measures the others with his own measurements, as if he is the only one right here. He is the one who always measures everything.”
Brother Ruler said, “I will leave, provided that Brother Sandpaper leaves because he is always rough with others.”
Brother Sandpaper said, “I will leave, provided that Brother Saw leaves, because Brother Saw always cuts deep with his teeth. When he speaks, he is sharp, no mercy on anyone, as soon as the teeth hit, he cuts deep.”
In the meantime, during this conversation, while Brother Hammer was still in the seat, the carpenter of Nazareth entered the workshop. He put on his apron, and he had a job to do. He was going to make a table. So, he picked up the pencil, he picked up the saw, he picked up the planer, he used some screws, he used the hammer, he used some nails, he used the sandpaper, and by the end of the day, he had used all of the tools, and the table was finished.
Then brother saw said “I perceive brothers that all of us have a part to play in this workshop. There was not a tool that Jesus Christ used, that another tool could have done the job. There was not a single accusation that was not absolutely true. All the accusations were true, and yet, the carpenter of Nazareth, Jesus Christ used every one of those tools.
In the community we each have different characters, and like this carpenter’s workshop, each one of us has a unique part to play.”
(The story is from an unknown author)
No comments:
Post a Comment