Readings for Third Sunday of Advent: IS 35: 1-6A, 10; PS 146: 6-10; JAS 5: 7-10; MT 11: 2-11
If Trump cabinet nominations are any indication, the president-elect will continue pursuing what have long been the GOP's two main domestic goals. They are eliminating labor unions and cutting social services such as Food Stamps and Medicaid. Even Trump Republicans (led by their groper-in-chief) will do so while at the same time invoking values they call "Christian."
Today's liturgy of the word shows that the GOP position flies in the face of the entire Judeo-Christian tradition expressing (as it does) God's special concern for the poor and oppressed.
More specifically, the readings demonstrate that the anti-poor policies of the Christian right are actually a slap in the face to Jesus himself. That's because (once again) in today's selections, the recipients of God's special concern turn out to be (in Jesus' words in our gospel reading) not just "the least." Rather, in their collectivity, they are identified with the very person whom our sisters and brothers on the right aspire to accept as their personal Lord and Savior.
The vehicle for today's version emphasizing Jesus' identification with the poor is a riddle. It's found at the very end of that reading from Matthew. Matthew has Jesus posing it by saying:
- John the Baptist is the greatest person ever born.
- Yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than John.
That leaves us with the question: How can this be? How can "the least" be greater than the one identified by Jesus himself not only as the foremost prophet of the Jewish Testament, but the greatest human being who ever lived?
In the context of Matthew's gospel, the answer is the following:
1. Jesus is the one far greater than John. (As the Baptist admitted in last week's reading from Matthew, John was not even worthy to loosen the straps on Jesus' sandals.)
2. But Jesus identified himself with "the least." Recall that in his parable of the last judgment (Matthew 25), Jesus says, "Whatever you did to the least of my brethren, you did to me."
3. Therefore the "least" as identified with "the greatest" (Jesus) is greater than John and should be treated that way -- as Jesus himself.
Riddle solved. The rest of today's liturgy adds the details as it develops the theme: recognize the least as God's favorites -- as Jesus himself -- and treat them as the most important people in the world.
And who are these "least?" According to Isaiah in today's first reading, they are the blind, deaf, lame, and mute. They are ex-pats living in exile. The psalmist in today's responsorial, widens the list by adding the oppressed, hungry, imprisoned, and immigrants. He includes single moms (widows) and their children.
In today's gospel selection, Jesus recapitulates the list. For him "the least" (who are greater than John) include the imprisoned (like John himself sitting on Herod's death row). They are (once again) the lame, the deaf, the mute, and lepers. They even include the dead who are raised to life by Jesus.
Do we need any more evidence to support the biblical authenticity of what Pope Francis continually references as God's "preferential option for the poor?"
Does the Christian Right believe the teaching contained in Jesus' riddle?
Well, maybe not. I mean, here's another riddle for you: How can Christians oppose labor unions and eliminate Food Stamps and Medicaid, while still calling themselves followers of Jesus?
Sorry: I can't help you with that one.
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