Weekend Mass

Dear Beloved Family of St. Anselm,

The Gospel opens with John (who is in prison) sending his disciples to Jesus with a strange question: "Are you he who is to come, or should we look for another?" This odd question, coming from the one who pointed Jesus out and spoke so powerfully of Him, is indeed an invitation to make a journey from puzzlement, through purification, to perfection; a journey to understand that the perfect gift is not one of our own imaginings but of God's genuine offer. 

Puzzlement –With delight, John had pointed out Christ, saying, Behold, the Lamb of God (John 1:29). John worked hard calling people to repentance to get them ready for the day of the Lord. Hence, the puzzlement is thus understandable from him or his disciples; Jesus goes about healing and preaching, and instead of slaying the wicked, endures scorn and ridicule from those in power. The "perfect gift" for John or his followers would be to see all injustice rooted out, to see the wicked burned with fire and the righteous shine like the firmament. Of itself, this is a good and biblical vision that will one day be accomplished. But at this point, this is not the gift that Jesus wants to offer. 

Purification –Jesus gives an answer to John’s disciples that draws from a different tradition of Messiah texts than those John had emphasized. While some Old Testament texts spoke of His wrath toward the wicked and unjust, others spoke of His healing and mercy. The differences in the description of the Messiah had a lot to do with the context, the audience, and the possibility that the Messiah’s ministry might be accomplished in stages. Jesus thus gives the following answer to those sent by John: Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. Here, then, is the necessary purification in our thinking: God’s greatest gift is not the crushing of our enemies; it is His Son, Jesus. He is the Perfect Gift. Further, it is not Jesus’ wrath that is His greatest gift; it is His grace and mercy. Without Jesus and a whole lot of His grace and mercy, we don’t stand a chance.

Perfection – And thus we see that the perfect gift is not the destruction of our enemies nor a swift ushering in of justice before God's chosen time. The perfect gift is the grace and mercy of Jesus, which all of us, without exception, desperately need. Without these gifts of God, we don’t stand a chance. John the Baptist needed grace and mercy; Mother Teresa needed grace and mercy. Grace and mercy are perfect and necessary gifts. If you are looking for the ideal gift this Christmas, look to Jesus. If you want to give the perfect gift to others, bring them to Jesus; bring them to Mass. Find the perfect gift this Christmas; find Jesus. 

Amen.