See Him, Though Not Now; Behold Him, Though Not Near

See Him, Though Not Now; Behold Him, Though Not Near

Monday of the Third Week of Advent

I see him, though not now; I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel.  Number 24:17A

When Jesus had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?" Jesus said to them in reply, "I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John's baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?"  Matthew 21:23B-25A

Piety

Lord our God, in a world of injustice, war and exploitation, in which more and more people have the means to live but not many reasons to live for, you promise us a star to follow, Jesus, your Son. God, keep in us the hope alive that he will come today and that if we are willing to take the demands of the Gospel seriously, we can become a new people indeed completely renewed in Christ, our Savior forever and ever. (Opening Prayer from the Carmelite study for today’s liturgy.)

Study

Although we are approaching Christmas, the Gospel readings harken to Lent and the challenges that the Pharisees make to Jesus’ authority before his arrest, trial, and execution.  The chief priests attempt to can set an intellectual trap, but Jesus is there to spring the trap on his accusers.

These Pharisees are a curious bunch in how they act and in what they seek from Jesus. Because they thought that Jesus threatened their standing and authority, they tried to trap Jesus into making statements that would indict him. However, Jesus turned the tables on them through a simple rhetorical trick – answering a question with a question.

The Pharisees want to see Jesus.  But not now.  They wish to behold him.  But not near their place of authority.  In acting so, they fail to understand Jesus.  They may think he is just a great teacher or oracle.  That is why they want to see his credentials.  But Jesus has no resume.  No business card.  No diploma from Nazareth Theology School.  Yet, the learned Pharisees know that they had to jump through the academic and theological hoops to earn their position.  They did not want this “carpenter’s son” wandering off the streets, into their temple and stealing members of their flock.

They want to know where he gets his authority to speak with such eloquence.  Before Jesus falls into the trap, he agrees to answer the Pharisees if they will answer one question for him, setting up an opening trap in chess. The interaction leaves the Pharisees embarrassed and unsure of whether John’s baptism was of human origin or divine origin. 

This interaction brings to mind Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus. Although Nicodemus came under cover of darkness to meet with Jesus one-on-one, the Lord’s answers had little more concrete detail either about the “how” and “why” of Jesus’ ministry. After Jesus told Nicodemus about being born of the Spirit, the Pharisee did not understand this as a literal statement and asked: “How can this be?” Jesus answered and said to him, "You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. John 3:10-11

Jesus opts out of trying to convert the skeptics. Rather than discussing how and why he does what he does, Jesus gets back to work praying, teaching and performing signs of healing and love.

The stalemate continues and will not end until at the foot of Pilate’s courthouse steps. Not now. Not yet.

Action 

Teach us your ways, O Lord. So that when we see you, we shall know.  When we behold you, you remain near.

Guide us, as you did with Zechariah and so many others, into the path of light.

You, My child, shall be called
The prophet of the Most High,
For you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our Lord
The dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
And the shadow of death,
And to guide our feet into the way of peace.