Br. John R. Barker, OFM

Jan 08 2025

Scripture Study for

Peter’s speech occurs within the story of Cornelius (Acts 10). Summoned by the Romans, Peter gives all those gathered in his house the gospel “in a nutshell”: Jesus was anointed by God to preach and to heal, especially those “oppressed by the devil” (including those bound by the power of sin). Despite his good deeds, Jesus was crucified, but then was raised from the dead. Now he has sent others to carry on his mission of preaching and forgiving sin, freeing those in bondage to its power. As if to give divine confirmation to the mission to the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit comes upon Peter’s audience, who are baptized, the first Gentile converts to the Way.

Colossians reminds us that the resurrection of Christ, while a unique event, is not isolated, but in fact has brought about a new order in the cosmos, in which the baptized are called to participate in Christ. Like Christ, they have died to earthly things, those aspects of the world that are opposed to Christ. Now “raised,” believers actually live “above” with Christ, and must act accordingly. When Christ appears again, this new life, now “hidden” (accessible only by faith), will be revealed in all its glory. In the meantime, though hidden it offers the baptized a new perspective and new way of living that must be manifest in earthly conduct.

When Mary Magdalene sees the empty tomb, she thinks at first that perhaps Jesus’ body has been stolen. The Evangelist spends some time, however, describing the empty linens, something thieves would not take the time to leave behind. We remember that when Lazarus (who would die again) was raised, he came forward in his linens. Jesus, who will not die again, has left the linens, like death itself, behind. When the Beloved Disciple sees the empty tomb and the linens, he “believes” that Jesus has been raised from the dead and not stolen, but he does not yet fully comprehend the meaning of the Resurrection. Understanding only comes when one encounters the resurrected Lord.

Jan 08 2025

Scripture Study for

A major theme in Malachi is God’s apparent inattention to injustice. Immediately before the reading, God notes that the people have demanded, “Where is the just God?” (2:17). God responds that soon the messenger of the covenant will appear in advance of the one whom they seek. It is not clear from the biblical text who this messenger is or how the messenger relates to God. Understood eschatologically, it refers to the figure who will come to be known as the Messiah. In any case, the advent of this figure will bring about the justice the people seek, beginning with cleaning up corrupt priests (Levites) and their worship.

The focus of the reading from Hebrews is on the fact that Jesus shared our human nature (flesh and blood) precisely so he could deliver us from the fear of death. It is this fear, and not death itself, that holds us in bondage to the devil. In a time of persecution, it is fear of suffering and death that the author sees as potentially leading his audience into infidelity (3:1—4:14). Thus, the message: they have nothing to fear from death, because Jesus has endured it and come out the other side. Because he acts now as high priest, merciful and faithful, those who die have nothing to fear.

The Torah prescribes that a newborn son be circumcised, marking his acceptance into the covenant community, and that the mother should be ritually purified (Leviticus 12:1–5). This gesture of obeying the Torah indicates the larger Gospel theme that Jesus himself will perfectly fulfill the Law. More than that, with Jesus’ advent God is fulfilling covenant promises to Israel, and ultimately to all nations. Thus, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Simeon announces that in Jesus God has brought consolation and salvation—a gift that some will oppose (“contradict”). The widow Anna also recognizes Jesus, and likewise announces the good news of the redemption of God’s people.

Jan 08 2025

Scripture Study for

In Ezekiel’s time, Israel was in exile, estranged from God. Thus in his vision of the “dry bones” (37:1–14), he sees Israel as truly dead. This “death” easily led to despair of eventual reconciliation with God and a return to life. In response to doubts of God’s continued love of them, Israel receives divine assurance that although they are dead now, the time of alienation will come to an end. Israel will be restored to God and to the land. This spiritual rebirth is characterized as resurrection from the grave. God confirms that Israel remains “my people,” and will certainly bring them back to life: “I have promised, and I will do it.”

For Saint Paul, physical and spiritual death are inherently related. Bodily death is ultimately the result of sin—the body is dead because of sin. In Christ, the Spirit of God brings life first by attending to the condition of sin, conquering it and “replacing” it with righteousness, spiritual life. This same Spirit is also able to raise the physical body from the dead, as the Spirit did for Jesus. The Spirit of Christ, belonging to those who have turned away from “the flesh” (a metaphor for all that is in us opposed to the will of God), resurrects us from both spiritual and physical death.

When Jesus hears that his friend Lazarus is ill, he first says that the illness will not end in death. One gets the impression from this that he is not worried that Lazarus will actually die, which would explain his delay of two days before returning to Bethany. Yet Jesus knows in fact that Lazarus has died in that time, and we realize that he has allowed this to happen so that he can “awaken him.” In this final and most dramatic sign, Jesus allows the death of Lazarus so that he can publicly raise him from the dead. Such a feat is intended to provoke belief that he is who he has been claiming to be all along, the One sent by God, who alone has the power to give life.

Jan 08 2025

Scripture Study for

In the Bible, God typically chooses leaders who, while always flawed and sometimes sinful, nevertheless are fundamentally obedient and loyal to God. An exception to this rule was the first king chosen to lead Israel, Saul, who proved to be unwilling to listen to God’s spokesman, the prophet Samuel. Now God chooses another king, the youngest son of Jesse, who will turn out to be a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). God looks past David’s youth and sees a child who, with divine help, will be capable of following God “wholeheartedly.” And so immediately the newly chosen king receives God’s Spirit, equipping him to rule God’s people.

The New Testament letters make it clear that receiving new life in Christ entails personal transformation right now, not just forgiveness of past sins and future beatitude. To be reborn in Christ is to be rescued from the darkness of the world and to live in the light of the Lord. This light allows Christians to assess reality from the divine perspective, exposing “the fruitless works of darkness.” It also allows for transformation, producing in the individual “every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.” It is in this sense that Christians have already woken up from the death of darkness and now walk in the life of Christ’s light.

At the end of today’s Gospel, Jesus says he came so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind. The blind man received healing because he knew he could not see (i.e., was a sinner), and knowing it left him open to spiritual healing. The physically sighted leaders, who do see, paradoxically do not see their sinfulness. Their “sight” is illusory; they are just as “spiritually blind” as the blind man, but they don’t know it. Jesus forces a choice on them: will they recognize that they do not see, or will their hardheartedness lead them to reject the light of the world (John 1:9) and thus become truly blind.

Jan 08 2025

Scripture Study for

After their deliverance from Egypt, the work of forming Israel into God’s people continues. Although they have seen God’s power to save, they have not experienced God’s ability to provide. Until they come to trust that their God is capable of meeting all of their needs, they will not be able to be faithful to the covenant relationship. The cry for water, revealing doubts that God is “in their midst,” is thus a “test” of God’s trustworthiness. God’s quick provision is intended not only to provide life-giving water, but also to inspire trust in the God with whom they will shortly enter into covenant relationship.

In his letter to the Romans, Paul explains that, whereas sin alienates us from God, faith in Christ brings about peace with God. More than this, Christ makes it possible to share in the divine life, which gives hope of future glory. This hope is firm because the believer already experiences the “love of God,” which can mean God’s love for the believer, the believer’s love of God, or both. In the first case, the Spirit and the life of grace are from God, a gift of love and a firm promise for the future. In the second case, the believer is able to love God through the transforming power of grace.

Today’s Johannine reading dramatizes a central theme found in the Prologue. Just as the Word was in the world but the world did not know or accept him (1:10–11), so at first the woman resists Jesus, “knowing” only that he is a Jew, estranged from Samaritans. But Jesus persists, declaring that if she really knew who he was she would have asked for “living water” from him, a metaphor for divine life and grace (“to those who did accept him, he gave power to become children of God” [1:12]). Eventually the woman comes to believe that he might “possibly be the Christ.” As a result of her testimony, others encounter Jesus and come to “know that he is truly the savior of the world.”