Tuesday of Week 3 of Advent – First Reading

Commentary on Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13

Zephaniah reflects a time early in the reign of King Josiah (640-609 BC), before his reforms were fully developed. Zephaniah is very aware of the corruption and injustice prevalent in the Judah of his day. There is a harsh message of judgement, but it is not without a promise and hope, which is reflected in today’s reading. This promise seems to have rested with a just remnant of Israel, who were among the humble, and not including the corrupt and disobedient leaders with whom Zephaniah must have been closely familiar, coming as he did from the ruling class.

The reading begins on an ominous note of warning to an unnamed city. It is generally agreed that it is Jerusalem, seen as representing the whole of Israel. Officials, judges, prophets and priests are all seen as corrupt and continuing to ignore the warnings they have received from God.

But change is on the way when the Lord:

…will change the speech of the peoples
to a pure speech…

They will begin to serve the Lord faithfully. The promise of “pure speech” is a symbol of forgiveness. It also points to a reversal of the curse of Babel, and anticipates Pentecost, when all will speak with the same voice and proclaim the same message (see Is 6:5-7; Gen 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-11). The nations will be converted and there will be a faithful remnant left in Israel. All will obey the same Lord and God.

On that day, the Lord:

…will leave in the midst of you
a people humble and lowly.

This image of a simple and modest people, devoid of all arrogance and pride, has been described as one of the most perfect descriptions of the ‘spirit of poverty’ in the Old Testament. Earlier, the prophet had said:

Seek the Lord, all you humble [Hebrew, anawim] of the land
who do his commands;
seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you may be hidden
on the day of the Lord’s wrath. (Zeph 2:3)

The anawim, the lowly in this world, play a significant role in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments (see Matt 18:1-7). The prophets are aware that it is the poor who are usually the oppressed. They continually call for justice for the weak and lowly and for those in need. In short, the anawim are those Israelites who submit, not passively, but actively, to the will of God. Later, the word anaw or ani will come to represent those who opt to lead lives of material simplicity for the sake of others. We see God himself doing this in the person of the baby Jesus, born in the midst of poverty and deprivation. It is the ideal (not always lived out!) of religious communities through their ‘vow of poverty’.

It is not mainly a question of being economically poor, because where poverty indicates being deprived of what is needed for a life of dignity, it is something to be removed. It is rather the attitude of those who voluntarily have little, and are open to receive everything from God. The word ‘poverty’ formerly implied failure. But now, it will be the condition needed to seek God. After that time, the “people humble and lowly” will mean all those in Israel who hope to find God. The Gospels, especially the Gospel of Luke, will proclaim the happiness (“blessedness”) of the poor (see Luke 6:20). With this ‘poverty’, there necessarily goes a high level of integrity:

…they shall do no wrong
and utter no lies,
nor shall a deceitful tongue
be found in their mouths.

The overall message of both readings today is that it is never too late to start listening to God, and to follow Jesus in his life of simplicity and dedication to the well-being of others.

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Tuesday of Week 3 of Advent – Gospel

Commentary on Matthew 21:28-32

It helps to be aware that today’s Gospel reading follows immediately on yesterday’s when the authority of Jesus was called into question. Today, Jesus offers the religious leaders a parable. It is about two sons who were asked by their father to go and work in his vineyard. One refused to go, but later repented and went. The other son said he would go, but did not. The question Jesus asked was:

Which of the two did the will of his father?

The parable can be read on two levels. On a more general level, it is the common theme of the Gospel that doing is more important than mere words. Earlier, Jesus said:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven… (Matt 7:21)

The important thing is actually to carry out the will of God in our daily lives.

On a more particular level, the parable points to the situation which Jesus was facing. The religious leaders and many of the apparently religious people, who believed they were following God’s ways, refused to believe in John the Baptist and, after him, Jesus himself. On the other hand, people who were rated as deeply sinful and violators of the Law—tax collectors and prostitutes—responded to John’s call to repentance. They were deeply moved by John’s preaching, changed their ways, and were baptised by him in the Jordan. Even after that, the religious leaders still made no move. When Jesus came, again the religious leaders refused to see God’s hand in all he was doing, while huge crowds gathered round him.

The religious leaders are like the son who said ‘Yes’ to his father’s word, but did not follow it out in his life. They were experts in the wording and interpretation of the Law. The sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes, who had constantly violated the Law of God, repented and changed their ways. It is clear which group is finding its way into the Kingdom.

Of course, we are not reflecting on these readings just to know how proud and arrogant the chief priests and elders were. They are for us to reflect on our own lives. Do we think that because we are practising Christians, we are in a privileged and untouchable position? Do we spend a lot of time praying in church, but not doing much loving outside of it? Do we find ourselves speaking in a critical or condescending way of less devout Christians, or of people who do not seem to be very moral by our standards? We have said yes to God by our baptism and membership in the Church, but can we say that we always carry out what God is asking us to do?

Probably, after some honest reflection, we would have to admit that we are not really in a position to sit in judgment on others. Given the gifts and graces we have received as Christians, we may not be doing very well compared with those who have never enjoyed the support of a Christian faith and a Christian environment. As Christmas approaches, let us be followers of the Lord in deeds as well as words.

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