Come, Let Us Walk in The Light
He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD! Isaiah 2:4-5
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven." Matthew 8:10-11
Piety
As Advent begins, come again to reign over your people from the centurion in ancient Palestine to the government workers in modern Fairfax. Enlighten us with your teaching, heal us with your touch and forgive us for our sins with your endless mercy. Bring forth the day when your justice and love will be revealed for the good of all creation. Amen. (By Gordon Giles in “Oh Come Emmanuel,” 2006, Paraclete Press)
Study
Jesus amazed some of the Jews with his reaction to the Centurion. The Centurion also amazed some of the Jews with his approach to Jesus. After all, the Roman Army occupied ancient Palestine just like American soldiers and marines occupied Germany and Japan after World War Two. Can you imagine an American GI heading to a Zen Buddhist temple to ask for aid when there was a chaplain in his own military unit? Words like collusion and fraternization might be invoked.
The Jews knew from the prophets that they are the chosen people but perhaps they forgot the details of the prophecy of Isaiah. Once the Lord’s house is established, the nation’s – including Rome – and many peoples – including the Centurion – shall stream toward it. Jesus fulfilled that prophecy.
The mountain of the LORD's house
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
That he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
shall be established as the highest mountain
and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it;
many peoples shall come and say:
"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
That he may instruct us in his ways,
and we may walk in his paths."
When the Centurion turns to Jesus to get aid for his servant, Jesus in his abundant mercy cannot and does not turn him away. Instead, Jesus holds him up as another model for us to follow as we move out of the darkness into the light.
When we accept the invitation to come to the house of the Lord, we expect to reap the benefits of being a member of God’s household including healing, teaching, and forgiveness. Jesus fulfills the promises of the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah emphasizes the effect of the “day of the Lord,” among its outcomes is the humbling of human pride. We see how that plays out in the humbling of the powerful position that the centurion occupies in the Army.
Action
Come! Let us beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. As we begin a new liturgical year and season, Jesus asks us to examine our relationships with each other. Let us base these relationships on love, not violence.
Imagine how you would feel if you were the Centurion AFTER this loving encounter with Jesus. And at that very hour, Jesus healed the servant. Out of his humility, the Centurion experiences a new gratitude. I expect that he now also exercises a new compassion for those whom he commands.
Can you bring this sense of new gratitude and compassion into your first week of Advent?
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