January 21, 2007: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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January 21, 2007: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 20, 2007

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The Saints of Old

	Isaiah, the Messianic Prophet

	Isaiah received his call to the prophetic office in the Temple of Jerusalem in the year that Uzziah, king of Judah, died (742). The vision of the Lord enthroned in glory stamps an indelible character on Isaiah's ministry and provides the key to the understanding of his message. The enormous abyss between God's sovereign holiness and man's sin overwhelmed the prophet. Only the purifying coal of the seraphim could cleanse his lips and prepare him for acceptance of the call: "Here I am, send me!" The ministry of Isaiah covered the reigns of Jotham (742-735), Ahaz (735-715), and Hezekiah (715-687). He was witness to one of the most turbulent periods in Jerusalem's history, from both the political and the religious standpoint. Isaiah witnessed the moral breakdown of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. Later he became the adviser to the king Ahaz when Isaiah made the majority of messianic oracles found in the section of Immanuel prophecies (Isa 6-12). In the reign of Hezekiah the king made "covenant with death" with the pro-Egyptian party. Isaiah denounced this and again summoned Judah to faith in Yahweh as her only hope. Assyria quickly attacked and, after ravaging Judah, laid siege to Jerusalem (701). But Yahweh delivered the city, as Isaiah had promised. Little is known of his last years. Christian tradition states that by order of the Jewish king Manasseh the Prophet Isaiah was sawn through by a wood-saw. The Messianic Prophecies of Isaiah A complete book of Isaiah, or the Isaiah Scroll was part of the major discovery called the Dead Sea Scrolls. The book itself was buried by the Essenes in A.D. 70 and remained unseen, and unedited for almost 2000 years until it was unearthed in 1947 at Qumron. The Isaiah Scroll was dated at 100 B.C., so it was already 170 years old when it was buried. Comparisons between this ancient document and our modern book of Isaiah show that after all the variations in spelling, dialectical differences, Aramaic environment, etc. are taken into account, the Isaiah Scroll is essentially the same text we read today in our English Bible. What makes Isaiah's prophesies so important is that these were the words of the major messianic prophet of the Old Testament, who lived some 500 years before the birth of Jesus. Isaiah predicted that He would be born of a virgin and named Immanuel, meaning, "God with us." (Isaiah 7:14) Isaiah predicted the "son" born of a virgin would be God in the flesh, both truly God and truly man. "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) "Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:7) Isaiah said that He will be born of the seed of David, but His kingdom will be perfect and will be eternal, attributes possessed only by God. He also said the Messiah will come as "a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of His roots." Even more amazing, considering Isaiah was a Jewish prophet, was the prediction that the Messiah would become "an ensign to the Gentiles" first, and that after that, God would "assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." (Isaiah 11:10-12) An Eyewitness Precision Isaiah described the purpose, method and manner of the death of Jesus with eyewitness precision (Isaiah 53). He described that, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) Isaiah predicted He would be spat upon, beaten and His face "marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men." (Isaiah 52:14) Isaiah said He was hated without cause. Jesus was guiltless of any sin. The gospels record that Jesus was beaten, slapped, punched, His beard was plucked from His face by the roots, and he was given 39 strokes with a cat o' nine-tails. Pilate himself could find no cause to pronounce judgment. Pilate ordered the crime for which He was condemned posted above His head in the four working languages of the day – "Jesus, King of the Jews." He was executed for the sins of His people, exactly as Isaiah prophesied. "He made His grave with the wicked" (He was executed between two thieves) "and with the rich in death." (Isaiah 53:9) His body was claimed by the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea and buried in a rich man's tomb.

The Sunday Readings

The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2007

The First Reading

From the Book of Nehemiah: Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.

Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
for he was standing higher up than any of the people;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.

Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
"Amen, amen!"
Then they bowed down
and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.

Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
"Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep"—
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"

Notes:

The biblical sources for Nehemiah's life and work are the autobiographical portions scattered through the book. They are called the "Memoirs of Nehemiah," and have been used more extensively and effectively by "the Chronicler" than the "Memoirs of Ezra."

No competent scholar questions the authenticity of Nehemiah's memoirs. From these and other sources, the picture emerges of a man dedicated to the single purpose of the welfare of his people. Despite temperamental shortcomings, Nehemiah was a man of good practical sense combined with deep faith in God.

In view of his selfless service to a community capable of severely testing any leader, we can be indulgent toward his numerous appeals to God to credit him with the work he had done. Nehemiah was a layman, and his generous dedication of talents to the service of God and of God's people remains an example of undiminished force for laymen today.

The Responsorial

From the Book of Psalms: Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The Second Reading

From the Letter to the Corinthians: 1 Cor 12:12-30 or 12:12-14, 27

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say,
“Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

But as it is, God placed the parts,
each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,”
nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary,
and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable
we surround with greater honor,
and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.

But God has so constructed the body
as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;
if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.

Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church
to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.
You are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.

Notes:

The image of a body is introduced to explain Christ's relationship with believers (1 Cor 12:12). 1 Cor 12:13 applies this model to the church: by baptism all, despite diversity of ethnic or social origins, are integrated into one organism. 1 Cor 12:14-26 then develop the need for diversity of function among the parts of a body without threat to its unity.

Paul now applies the image again to the church as a whole and its members (1 Cor 12:27). The lists in 1 Cor 12:28-30 spell out the parallelism by specifying the diversity of functions found in the church (cf Romans 12:6-8; Eph 4:11).

The Gospel

From the Gospel of Luke: Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Lk 1:1-4

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.

Lk 4:14-21

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Notes:

The Gospel according to Luke is the only one of the synoptic gospels to begin with a literary prologue. Making use of a formal, literary construction and vocabulary, the author writes the prologue in imitation of Hellenistic Greek writers and, in so doing, relates his story about Jesus to contemporaneous Greek and Roman literature.

Luke is not only interested in the words and deeds of Jesus, but also in the larger context of the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises of God in the Old Testament. As a second-or third-generation Christian, Luke acknowledges his debt to earlier eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, but claims that his contribution to this developing tradition is a complete and accurate account, told in an orderly manner, and intended to provide Theophilus ("friend of God," literally) and other readers with certainty about earlier teachings they have received.

Watch this space!

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