31/01/2010 - 04 ORDINARY SEASON - C
Ist. Reading Jer 1,4-5.17-19 Psalm 70 2nd. Reading 1Cor 12,31 - 13,13 Gospel Lk
4,21-30
"I have glorified you on earth, doing the work you have given me". Jesus
turns to the Father in prayer and after he remembers all the Father did, remembers
also his work. He is on earth already thirty years, and what has he done? Jesus
does not want to remember a particular fact, but speaks of the real motivation of
his behavior, of his every word, or his breath. "I have glorified you on earth":
this is the on going desire and will of Jesus in every action. His attitude was
to give way to the Father to act, to offer him an on going thanksgiving and his
own life, and to men the light of the Father, the fruit of his love, the signs of
his tenderness and his power. Here on earth, Jesus didn't looked to draw attention
to himself or to value himself, neither he desired to parade himself. He use to
make it possible for everyone to believe, yes, in him, but only to be able to get
hold of the revelation of the Father that he was showing by his own life. The aim
Jesus was giving to his life is the most true and most beautiful. It is the only
aim that when we make it our own, make of our life a true, free and freeing gift.
The life of the priest in the Church has also this aim, and that is how he is to
be of an example to all the baptized. The priest, who proclaims the Word of the
Lord and performs the Sacraments, lives to make Jesus known: he makes him know by
living he himself the life of the Master, careful not to give space to emotions
and attitudes that could not be his. Also the gift of celibacy helps him, it frees
him from those preoccupations that keep him committed to material interests and
somehow egocentric. Along the centuries, this tradition in the Church matured, precisely
because the only aim of the life of the priests is to be the glory of God. "I
have glorified you on earth, doing the work you have given me": Jesus was obedient
to the Father to glorify him. Already at twelve years old he had this in mind, something
he continued to grow into: he was aware of this especially when the crowds wanted
to get hold of him, but to make him perform miracles. Therefore he use to retire
to listen to the Father and to renew his obedience to him. In this exercise he received
that hope that then sustained him in the garden of olives and on the cross to continue
doing the will of the Father.
"The will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, because I am with
you to save you". These are the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, whose life is
all a prophecy of the life of Jesus and that of his disciples. The prophet is not
to accept a warm welcome or honors: he speaks the Word of God, of that God who is
easily put aside by his people: hence his word is often a call, a warning, an invitation
to change one's choices. The prophet is neither loved nor given an ear by those
to whom he proclaims the Word. Jesus knows it, and therefore is surprised by the
wonder that his people express for his words. It does not look true that they believe
in him after they heard his teaching, and tried them. He revealed there selfish
desires, that made them wait for signs and miracles by which he made them remember
their behavior with the great prophets, Elijah and Elisha. These had to suffer because
of the people of God, up to the point that they had to prove their faith and manifest
the power of God towards strangers, the pagans. Elijah had to multiply the flour
of the widow of Sareptha, in the pagan territory of Sidon, and his prayer resurrected
the son of the same widow; Elisha healed a leper who was the commander of the army
of the Aram people, but could not heal the lepers of his own people, who didn't
had faith in the power of God who was at work in him. The same could happen in Nazareth
if from wonder one does not pass to obedient faith.
The Nazarenes cannot listen to Jesus as one listens to a prophet. They don't accept
his observations regarding their faith, and don't want to welcome him and the one
sent by God. They reject him and threw him out, trying even to kill him. Jesus is
neither surprised nor scared: he knows the fate of the prophets and knows that it
cannot be different neither for him. The prophets were not prophets only for the
words they proclaimed, but also for their lives offered to God.
Today's proclamation of God's Word is completed by the Reading from St. Paul, chapter
13 of his First Letter to the Corinthians. We listen to him as one listens to the
Word of God, with a strong desire to live it in every moment. The apostle invites
the Corinthians, who appreciated the many extraordinary charismas of the community
members, to fix their desire on that charisma, God's gift, which is bigger than
all the others. The greatest gift by which God can enrich the life of the believer
is not the capacity to heal, performing miracles, speaking in tongues, to reveal
spirits, but to reveal to all the intimate being of God! God is love, therefore
there is nothing better than being able to live his love: the one who lives it makes
God present, shares in his life and make others share in it too. The love of God
in us is his same attitude to be good, patient, meek, humble, joyful, because of
being able to see God everywhere. If one is not humble, it's useless to speak all
the languages and the mysteries of faith! It's useless to do heroic acts if then
one criticizes or sow sadness. We have prayed for unity among the Christians of
all churches: let us pray that we are all enriched by the charisma of love! This
charisma shall take us to reach a full and perfect unity.