when he would join himself to the LORD,
"The LORD will surely exclude me from his people."
The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
ministering to him,
Loving the name of the LORD,
and becoming his servants?
All who keep the sabbath free from profanation
and hold to my covenant,
Them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
We hear a clear reference to this passage from Isaiah in the Gospels, as Jesus cries out at the money-changers in the temple: "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."
The Jewish religion of Jesus' day invited non-Jews to come worship the Lord, as they do today. Their tradition is not nearly as aggressive as Christianity with its mission to "make disciples of all the nations." But they are well aware of the precious gift God has given them and willing to share it with anyone who feels called to join them.
In the above passage, Isaiah expresses this hospitality in a negative way: let no one think he should not even inquire about becoming a Jew. Or, in other words, let no one think the Jews are so snobbish they will not permit non-Jews to join them. Historians tell us, with ample evidence in the New Testament, that Jews did welcome others to worship the One God with them. When Christians did the same thing they were not reinventing the wheel.
So when Jesus flies into a rage upon entering the temple, he is not only appalled by the irreverence of the scene; he is shocked at the scandal they must be giving to foreigners. People have come from all over the world to see the beautiful temple and to worship with the Holy People of God. Arriving there at last, what do they find but a cacophonous din of money-changers and live stock merchants.
As of today we finish the first part of Advent and enter the more intense season of eager expectation. We will begin tomorrow to hear the "infancy narratives" of Saint Matthew and Saint Luke. We have confessed our sins; we have done penance; we have prayed and given alms to the poor. Now we are ready to enter the sacred silence where we hear the sonorous words of Matthew:
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers....Let us give no scandal to those who expect God's holy people to disregard the consumerism of Christmas with it's venality and anxiety and inevitable disappointment. Rather, let us lead them to the Light that shines in darkness.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.