Br. John R. Barker, OFM

Jan 24 2025

Scripture Study for

In the time of David, it was customary for a king to honor his patron god by building a temple, thus David’s resolve to build a “house” for the God who gave him his throne. But the God of Israel does not want things done the usual way and instead promises to build for David an everlasting “house,” or dynasty. This passage, then, is the founding story of the Davidic dynasty, the chosen monarchy of the God of Israel. Although the monarchy came to an end four hundred years later at the time of the Exile, this promise remained “on the books,” and was revived many years later in conjunction with the rise of Jewish messianic expectations under the Greeks and Romans.

Paul ends his Letter to the Romans with a doxology to the faithful, righteous God who has made possible justification and salvation for all in Christ. Throughout the letter Paul has proclaimed and explained “his” gospel, which is the proclamation of Jesus Christ himself. In Christ has been revealed the “mystery kept secret for long ages,” namely that the promises made to Israel long ago would also be made available to “all nations” through the “obedience of faith,” that is, belief and trust in God’s justifying action in Christ. It is for this reason that this eternally faithful and wise God should be given praise through that same Christ.

Gabriel has come to Mary to announce that a long-standing, slowly unfolding divine plan for the whole world is reaching its climax. References to David point toward the divine election of the Davidic monarchy and God’s promise to uphold it “forever,” a promise on pause since the Exile, but now revealed to come to pass in the Son to be born to Mary. Naturally enough she is bewildered, unable to fathom how this is possible. Gabriel’s explanation, along with his announcement that the aged and barren Elizabeth will also give birth, drives home a key point of all the scriptures, which is that “nothing will be impossible for God.”

Jan 24 2025

Scripture Study for

Despite the promises of glorious restoration given through earlier prophets, decades after the Exile, Jerusalem and Judah remained small and poor. Isaiah’s answer to the question “Why isn’t God doing anything?” has two aspects. The first answer is to be patient and trust, with a hopeful confidence that what God has promised will be done. The second aspect is captured by the phrase “wrapped me in a mantle of justice.” The people must also take responsibility for the problems that led to the Exile in the first place, especially widespread injustice, which seems to have continued after the Exile. Trust in God’s fidelity had to be combined with resolve to mend their ways and live within God’s will.

Saint Paul concludes his First Letter to the Thessalonians by encouraging a people that has struggled to make sense of the apparent delay in the return of Christ. It is difficult to maintain religious fervor and faith under such circumstances, and the tendency was to grow doubtful or negligent. But the Thessalonians should rejoice and keep up their prayer, especially thanksgiving. Attend to the gifts that God has given, Paul says, but do not be naïve: everything must be tested for its goodness. The letter ends with a prayer that God will preserve the Thessalonians during this difficult time, keeping them holy and blameless. God is faithful. The promises given in Christ will come to pass.

As in last week’s Gospel, John the Baptist announces that he is preparing the way for one greater than himself. In response to a challenge from the priests and Levites, who want to know what role John believes he plays in the expected coming of the Messiah, he assures them that he is not the Messiah, nor Elijah (see Malachi 3:23–24), nor “the Prophet” promised by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15), understood by some Jews in the first century to be a messianic figure. By what authority, then, does he baptize, if he has no messianic pretensions? John affirms that he has no authority; his role is simply “to testify to the light” coming into the world.

Jan 23 2025

Scripture Study for

The story of Adam and Eve and the serpent suggests that the inevitable result of human sin is alienation from God and from one another. Instead of trust and confidence, the divine presence now evokes in the humans fear and a desire to hide from the divine gaze. Personal responsibility gives way to finger pointing and excuse making. Ultimately, though, God recognizes the role of the serpent, who has acted malevolently, taking advantage of human weakness and naïveté to sow discord and distrust between God and humans. God’s response is to sow discord between the humans and the serpent. Whereas they had earlier trusted the serpent, now humans will look upon the instigator of their ruin with fear and hatred.

The reading from Ephesians focuses on divine gifts of election and blessing. Divine election means that God has “chosen” the human family to receive “blessing” in Christ, if they will accept it in faith and hope. The election and blessing are a call to become “holy and without blemish,” and also the power to become so. Election and blessing also mean adoption into God’s household, an unearned gift, “in accord with the favor of his will.” This re-creation of human beings in Christ, being a pure gift of God, redounds to the glory of God, whose benevolent, gracious will is always accomplished.

When Mary is confronted with the divine presence through Gabriel, her response is at first puzzlement and then acceptance. Explicitly told she has nothing to fear from Gabriel (or from God), the Virgin believes that she has found favor with God and that what God intends to do, God will be able to do. The child to be born to her is the culmination of a longstanding divine plan. Jesus, as the son of David, will inherit the throne God promised to establish firmly and forever (2 Samuel 7:13). Mary receives this announcement of the divine will, puzzling as it may be, with trust and acceptance, allowing the divine plan for the human race to go forward.

Jan 23 2025

Scripture Study for

The beginning of this passage from Isaiah combines fierce language of the Divine Warrior with pastoral images of the Divine Shepherd. Together the two metaphors evoke confidence in God’s power and desire to save, which is motivated by care for God’s “flock.” The highway in the wilderness is the path of the Divine Warrior, who marches into Babylon to retrieve Israel. The language of “reward” and “recompense” refers to plunder that a warrior could expect to gain from pillaging conquered lands. Here the “war booty” is God’s own people. God gently scoops them up and brings them home. The overall image is of a fiercely loyal Warrior on a rescue mission, marching into enemy territory to retrieve (redeem) the Chosen People.

The community to which Peter in his Second Letter writes has struggled to be faithful in the face of persecution, and has doubts about the delay in the Lord’s return or the coming of the day of the Lord. The apparent delay also challenges fervor and perseverance in discipleship. Peter first assures them that the “delay” is only from their limited human perspective; in fact, it is for their benefit that the Lord does not return right away, as it gives time for repentance. But be assured, he says, that the day of the Lord will come and when it comes, the Lord will want to find this people faithful, holy, devoted, “without spot or blemish.”

Last week’s Gospel reading featured Jesus warning his listeners not to put off repentance. At the beginning of today’s Gospel, we have John the Baptist also warning his listeners to be prepared for the (first) coming of the Son of God. The baptism John preaches is one of both repentance and forgiveness. His message is not simply “repent,” but also “allow yourselves to be forgiven.” Both repentance and forgiveness prepare the crowds for the One who is coming, the One who will complete the work by making it possible for the people to receive the Holy Spirit, the divine agent of sanctification, ensuring that repentance and forgiveness bear lasting fruit.

Jan 23 2025

Scripture Study for

The Isaiah reading comes from the post-Exilic period, when Israel’s hopes for restoration remained unfulfilled. Years after their return to the ancestral land, God’s people remained under foreign rule and suffered agricultural, economic, and social difficulties, which many took as a sign that Israel remained under divine judgment. Thus the lament and communal confession in the reading, which features reminders of the deliverance from Egypt. God is Israel’s father (Exodus 4:22) and redeemer, an enduring reality that is the basis for the present hope in God’s fidelity. As in the past, Israel’s heart is hardened, but confession opens up the possibility of God’s saving return. As in the past God came to Israel as redeemer, so now Israel hopes to receive mercy again.

Paul begins his First Letter to the Corinthians by reminding them that they have been “sanctified in Christ Jesus” and are called to be holy (1:2). Paul gives thanks that they do indeed show signs of having received God’s grace in the form of spiritual knowledge and gifts. These manifestations of God’s grace are also confirmation of the truth of the gospel that Paul had preached to them (the “testimony to Christ”). These divine gifts also reveal God’s fidelity and desire to keep the Corinthians faithful as they persevere during this time of waiting. It is God who has called them to fellowship with Christ and it is God who will give them what they need to be faithful.

Jesus’ warning to his disciples is essentially an exhortation to avoid spiritual procrastination, putting off ultimate concerns because one perceives there is plenty of time to “take care of things” like repentance or growth in virtue. Just previous to this reading, Jesus had informed his disciples that only the Father knows when the end will come (13:32), which means it is pointless and dangerous to hope there will be time to get one’s house in order. When the Lord decides to come, those who have persuaded themselves they can delay their repentance or ignore their obligations to God and neighbor will be found “asleep.” Jesus leaves it to his audience to imagine the fate of those found asleep by the “man traveling abroad” when he returns.