Thursday of Second Week of Advent
Is 41:13-20; Mt 11: 11-15
Deacon Larry Brockman
So, the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist!
But, you see, it was Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that opened the kingdom of Heaven to mankind. So, all the great Old Testament Saints- the Patriarch’s, Prophets, and the other figures of the Old Testament had to wait until Christ paved the way to the Kingdom of God in order for them to enter it. Clearly, all those who have entered the Kingdom of God are better off.
And so Jesus is continuing the theme of Advent that something new is about to happen. The days of Old Covenant are over; the waiting is over. The message of expectation of the Messiah is at an end; and with the coming of the Messiah, a better place will become available for all of us. John the Baptist symbolically fulfills the return of Elijah to announce the Lord’s coming and the day of the Lord. This prophecy came from the last lines in the very last book of the Old Testament, the book of Malachi.
And yet, elsewhere in the Gospel, Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is already amongst us! How can this be?
Well, Jesus the Messiah was amongst the people of his day. Jesus had eternal life living within him, and his death, Resurrection, and Ascension opened the Kingdom of God to all of us who follow in faith by doing God’s will. That opening was symbolized by the tearing of the veil from top to bottom in the Temple at the moment of Jesus Death. You see, the veil was used to keep everyone out of the holy sanctuary in the Temple except for one day a year when only the High Priest entered to offer a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people of Israel. But the veil was permanently torn at Jesus death. This symbolized the fact that all are now able to enter the Holy Sanctuary, the dwelling place of the most High God, by following after Jesus footsteps. We do that by believing in Jesus and by taking up our crosses and following his example of doing God’s will. Anyone who does this will be greater than all those who have not entered the Kingdom of God.
Notice that God has also told us that he will help us. Recall Isaiah’s words in the first reading. Twice he says: “I will help you, says the Lord.” He will give us the tools to break down mountains and crush them. Yes, Jesus gave is the Holy Spirit and the treasures of his graces in the Sacraments to help us combat whatever mountains get in our way.
Today we are being called to take heart, to listen to the prophecy of the coming of the Lord from Malachi, Elijah, and John the Baptist. We are called to take advantage of the spiritual help the Lord has made available to us because something new is about to happen- the Christ Child is coming, and the Gospel, the good news of Jesus life is about to be played out. In it can be found the way, the truth, and the light. And all those who follow it are guaranteed a place in the Kingdom of God. All those who follow have the potential to be greater than the Prophets, for our salvation is amongst us. Alleluiah
