Baptism of the Lord (year A) [11 January 2026]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! Today marks the end of the Christmas season, as we give thanks to Providence for having been able to celebrate this Mystery of Light and Peace in an atmosphere of serenity.

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (42:1-4, 6-7)

The Servant of the Lord and his universal mission. This text from Isaiah is rich and complex, but it can be divided into two main parts. In both parts, it is God who speaks, but in two different ways: in the first part, he speaks of his Servant, and in the second, he addresses him directly. First part: God describes the Servant as the bearer of justice and universal law: 'He will bring justice to the nations... he will not fail or be discouraged until he has established justice on earth; he will not falter until he has established it on earth'. 'I have called you for justice': here judgement does not mean condemnation, but salvation and liberation. The Servant will act with gentleness and respect for the fragile, he will not crush the weak or extinguish those at risk. His mission concerns all humanity, because God desires that even the distant islands aspire to his justice, to his salvation. In all this, the Servant is sustained by the Spirit of God: 'Behold my Servant, whom I uphold... I have placed my Spirit upon him'. Part Two: God clarifies the Servant's mission: "to open the eyes of the blind and bring prisoners out of the dungeon... those who dwell in darkness." Here, judgement becomes total liberation, a passage from darkness to light. The mission is universal: the Servant is the light of the nations, and God continues to sustain him: "I, the Lord, have called you... and taken you by the hand." Who is this Servant? Isaiah does not specify, because it was clear to his contemporaries: the Servant is the people of Israel, called to be the privileged instrument of salvation. Messianism in Isaiah is not individual but collective: the small faithful nucleus becomes light and guidance for the whole world. Jesus, at his baptism in the Jordan, takes the lead of this servant-people and fulfils the mission announced by the prophets. The key message is this: God's judgement is not condemnation but liberation and universal salvation. God supports the Servant and entrusts him with the task of bringing light and justice to all nations. God's faithfulness and creative power are the guarantee of our hope, even in the most difficult moments.

*Important elements: +Text divided into two parts: God speaks about the Servant and directly to the Servant. +Judgement of the Servant = salvation and liberation, not condemnation and universal mission: light for the nations, opening the eyes of the blind, liberation of prisoners. +Gentleness and care for the fragile: 'he will not extinguish a dimly burning wick'. +Support of the Spirit of God on the Servant understood as the people of Israel, collective messianism. +Jesus at his baptism takes on the leadership of the servant-people. +Hope based on God's faithfulness and creative power.

 *Responsorial Psalm (28/29)

 To understand this psalm, one must imagine the force of a violent storm, shaking the country from Lebanon and Hermon to the desert of Qadesh. The psalm describes the voice of the Lord as powerful, thunderous, lightning-like, capable of breaking cedars and frightening the desert. This voice recalls the revelation at Sinai, when God made his voice heard to Moses amid fire and lightning, and every word of the Law appeared as flashes of fire. The name of God (YHWH, the Lord) is repeated several times, emphasising God's living presence and his saving action. The repetition of 'voice of the Lord' recalls the creative Word, as in the first chapter of the book of Genesis: the Word of God is effective, while idols are powerless. The psalm insists on God's sovereignty: God is the only legitimate king, worthy of glory and worship, and soon everyone – people and false powers – will recognise his dominion. God's powerful voice also evokes victory over the waters and chaos, as in the time of the flood or the liberation from Egypt, demonstrating his saving and liberating power. The central theme is the glory of God, repeated several times, and the anticipation of a time when all humanity will recognise his kingship. The psalm is linked to the feast of the Baptism of Christ, when the Kingdom of Heaven draws near through Jesus: God is finally recognised as king and his salvation is announced to all.

*Important elements: +Powerful image of the storm: voice of the Lord, lightning, broken cedars and Reference to Sinai: Word of God as fire, Law and covenant. +Repetition of God's name: YHWH, sign of presence and power. +Creative Word: as in Genesis, the Word is effective, idols are powerless. +Universal sovereignty of God: the only legitimate king, worthy of glory. +Victory over the waters and chaos: flood, exodus from Egypt. +Glory of God: central theme, anticipation of his universal recognition. +Connection to the baptism of Christ: manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven and universal salvation

*Second Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10:34-38)

In this account from Acts 10, we witness a truly revolutionary moment: Peter, guided by the Holy Spirit, breaks all the social and religious rules of his time and crosses the threshold of the house of a pagan, the Roman centurion Cornelius. Cornelius is a pious man who fears God, esteemed by the Jews for his almsgiving and justice, but he is not circumcised. He receives a vision: an angel invites him to send for Peter in Joppa, where he is staying with Simon the tanner. At the same time, Peter receives a vision from heaven: a large sheet filled with animals orders him to eat, but he refuses because, according to the Law, they are unclean. A voice answers him: What God has declared clean, you must not declare unclean. This prepares him to understand that no man is unclean in God's eyes and that faith is no longer limited by nationality or ritual laws. When Cornelius's messengers arrive, the Holy Spirit confirms to Peter: Follow them without hesitation, for it is I who send them. Peter goes down, welcomes them, and sets out for Caesarea with some Christians, aware of the importance of the meeting. The arrival at Cornelius' house is significant: Peter explains to everyone that God is impartial and welcomes anyone who fears him and does good, regardless of nationality. The Holy Spirit falls on all those present, even on the pagans, showing that the gift of the Spirit is no longer reserved for Jews alone. Peter concludes that these pagans must also be baptised, because they have received the Holy Spirit just like the Jewish believers. This episode fulfils what Jesus had promised: the apostles would be witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The election of Israel is not denied, but salvation in Christ is now open to all nations.

*Important elements: +Missionary revolution: Peter crosses the threshold of a pagan's house by the will of the Holy Spirit. Cornelius, a devout pagan who fears God, is an example of spiritual openness. +Peter's vision: nothing is unclean to God, universal openness of faith, and the Holy Spirit guides Peter, confirming the call of the pagans. +Reception and baptism: even pagans receive the Spirit and the sacrament of water. +Universality of the Gospel: fulfilment of the mission to the ends of the earth. +Balance: election of Israel confirmed, but salvation accessible to all.

*From the Gospel according to Matthew (3:13-17)

The baptism of Jesus marks his first public appearance: until then, for many, he was just Jesus of Nazareth. Matthew presents him simply as Jesus, who comes from Galilee and goes to John to be baptised in the Jordan. This gesture becomes the first revelation of his true role as Messiah in the eyes of all. The main images in this text are: The march to the Jordan: Jesus travels through Galilee to the banks of the river, as do the other Jews who go to John for the baptism of conversion. The gesture of John the Baptist: initially surprised and hesitant, John recognises in Jesus the one who is greater than himself and who will baptise in the Holy Spirit and fire. The heavens opening and the dove: the open heavens symbolise the fulfilment of Israel's expectations; the dove represents the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus, recalling the divine presence over Creation and the promised Messiah. The main words are: John expresses his amazement: ' I need to be baptised by you!' recognising the greatness of Jesus. Jesus replies: Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness, that is, to conform fully to God's plan. This shows Jesus' humility and his complete solidarity with humanity. The voice of the Father from heaven: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased' . With this phrase, Jesus is recognised as Messiah-King and Messiah-Servant, fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah and the Davidic promise: God declares his love and his saving mission upon him. And these are the theological and spiritual meanings: Jesus fully enters into the human condition, even though he is without sin, taking the place of sinners. Baptism represents a new creation: the waters of the Jordan symbolise purification and the journey towards the spiritual Promised Land, guided by the Spirit. The scene reveals the Trinity: the Father speaks, the Son is baptised, the Spirit descends like a dove. Baptism is the beginning of the building of the Body of Christ: all those who participate in baptism are integrated into this saving mission.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus writes: "Christ is baptised not to be purified, but to purify the waters" (Oratio 39, In Sancta Lumina).

*Important elements: +First public manifestation of Jesus: revelation of the Messiah. +Solidarity with humanity: Jesus places himself among sinners to fulfil God's justice. +Role of John the Baptist: recognises the Messiah and his baptism in the Spirit and fire. +Presence of the Holy Spirit: symbol of the dove, confirms the mission and the new creation and Voice of the Father: confirms the divine sonship and love for Jesus. +Messiah-King and Messiah-Servant: fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecies and the Davidic promise. +New creation and journey towards the spiritual Promised Land: baptism as entry into the Body of Christ. +Revelation of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit present in Baptism. +Universality of the message: Baptism opens the way to salvation for all humanity.

+ Giovanni D'Ercole

Epiphany of the Lord (year A)  [6 January 2026]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! Happy Epiphany!

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (60:1-6)

In these dark days, here is an announcement of light! This text from Isaiah is filled with insistent images of light: "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you... The Lord shines upon you... His glory appears upon you... Then you will see and be radiant." It is precisely this abundance of light that makes us understand that the real climate is anything but bright. The prophets do not cultivate paradox, but the art of hope: they speak of light because the people are immersed in the darkest night. The historical context is that of the post-exile period (525-520 BC). The return from Babylon did not bring the expected prosperity. Tensions are high: between those who remained in the country and those returning from exile; between different generations; between Jews and foreign populations settled in Jerusalem during the occupation. The most painful issue concerns the reconstruction of the Temple: the returnees refuse the help of groups considered religiously unfaithful; this gives rise to a conflict that blocks the work and dampens enthusiasm. As the years passed, discouragement set in. It was here that Isaiah, together with the prophet Haggai (cf. 1:2-8, 12-15; 2:3-9), provoked a spiritual awakening. Sadness is not worthy of the people of the promises. The prophet's one great argument is this: Jerusalem is the city chosen by God, the place where He has placed His Name. For this reason, Isaiah can dare to say: 'Arise, Jerusalem! Shine forth'. Even when everything seems dark, God's faithfulness remains the foundation of hope. The almost triumphal language does not describe a situation that has already been resolved, but anticipates the day that is coming. In the night, we look for the dawn: the prophet's task is to restore courage, to remember the promise. The message is clear: do not be discouraged; get to work, rebuild the Temple, because the light of the Lord will come. Three final points: Faith combines lucidity and hope: seeing reality does not extinguish trust. The promise is not a political triumph, but God's victory, his glory that illuminates humanity. Jerusalem already points to the people and, beyond the people, to all humanity called to communion: God's plan transcends every city and every border.

*Important elements: +Post-exilic context (525-520 BC) and climate of discouragement. +Internal conflicts and blockage of the reconstruction of the Temple. +Language of light as an announcement of hope in the night. +Vocation of Jerusalem: chosen city, place of Presence. +Prophetic call to action: rise up and rebuild. +Hope based on God's faithfulness, not on political successes. +Universal openness: the promise concerns all humanity

*Responsorial Psalm (71/72)

Men dream and God carries out his plan. Psalm 71 ideally brings us into the celebration of a king's coronation. The accompanying prayers express the deepest desires of the people: justice, peace, prosperity for all, to the ends of the earth. It is the great dream of humanity throughout the ages. Israel, however, has a unique certainty: this dream coincides with God's own plan. The last verse of the psalm, which blesses only the Lord and not the king, offers us the key to understanding. The psalm was composed after the exile, at a time when there was no longer a king in Israel. This means that the prayer is not addressed to an earthly sovereign, but to the king promised by God, the Messiah. And since it is a divine promise, it is certain. The whole Bible is permeated with this unshakeable hope: history has meaning and direction. The prophets call it 'the Day of the Lord', Matthew 'the Kingdom of Heaven', Paul 'the merciful plan'. It is always the same plan of love that God tirelessly proposes to humanity. The Messiah will be its fulfilment, and it is He whom Israel invokes in praying the psalms. This Psalm describes the ideal king, awaited for centuries, in continuity with the promise made to David through the prophet Nathan: a kingdom stable forever, a king called the son of God. Over the centuries, this promise has been deepened: if the king is the son of God, then his kingdom will be founded on justice and peace. Each new coronation rekindled this expectation. Yet the ideal kingdom has not yet been fully realised. It may seem like a utopia. But for the believer it is not: it is a promise from God, and therefore a certainty. Faith is the anchor of the soul: in the face of the failures of history, the believer does not give up hope, but waits patiently, certain of God's faithfulness. The psalm announces a decisive reversal: power and justice will finally coincide. In God, power is only love. For this reason, the messianic king will free the poor, defend the weak and bring endless peace. His kingdom will have no boundaries: it will extend to the whole earth and last forever. For Israel, this psalm remains a prayer of expectation for the Messiah. For Christians, it is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and the episode of the Wise Men is already a sign of the universality of his kingdom: the nations come to him, bringing gifts and adoration.

*Important elements: +Psalm 71 as a prayer for the universal desires for justice and peace. +Coincidence between man's dream and God's plan. +Post-exilic composition: waiting for the king-Messiah. +Promise made to David (2 Sam 7) as the foundation of expectation. +History has meaning and direction in God's plan. +The ideal king: justice, peace, defence of the poor. +God's power as love and service. +Universal and endless kingdom. +Messianic Jewish reading and Christian fulfilment in Jesus Christ. + The Wise Men as the first sign of the fulfilment of the universal promise

*Second Reading from St Paul's Letter to the Ephesians (3:2...6)

This passage is taken from the Letter to the Ephesians (chapter 3) and takes up a central theme already announced in chapter 1: the 'merciful plan/mystery of God'. Paul recalls that God has made known the mystery of his will: to bring history to its fulfilment, recapitulating in Christ all that is in heaven and on earth (Eph 1:9-10). For St Paul, the mystery is not a closely guarded secret, but God's intimacy offered to man. It is a plan that God reveals progressively, with patient pedagogy, just as a parent accompanies a child in the discovery of life. Thus God has guided his people throughout history, step by step, until the decisive revelation in Jesus Christ. With Christ, a new era begins: before and after him. The heart of the mystery is this: Christ is the centre of the world and of history. The whole universe is called to be reunited in Him, like a body around its head. Paul emphasises that this unity concerns all nations: all are associated in sharing the same inheritance, in forming the same body, in participating in the same promise through the Gospel. In other words: the inheritance is Christ, the promise is Christ, the body is Christ. When we say "Thy will be done" in the Lord's Prayer, we are asking for the fulfilment of this plan. God's plan is therefore universal: it concerns not only Israel, but all humanity. This openness was already present in the promise made to Abraham: "All the families of the earth shall be blessed in you" (Gen 12:3), and proclaimed by prophets such as Isaiah. However, this truth was slowly understood and often forgotten. At the time of Paul, it was not at all obvious to accept that pagans were fully participants in salvation. The early Christians of Jewish origin struggled to recognise them as full members. Paul intervenes decisively: pagans too are called to be witnesses and apostles of the Gospel. It is the same message that Matthew expresses in the story of the Wise Men: the nations come to the light of Christ. The text ends with an appeal: God's plan requires the cooperation of man. If there was a star for the Wise Men, for many today the star will be the witnesses of the Gospel. God continues to fulfil his benevolent plan through the proclamation and life of believers.

*Important elements: +The 'mystery' as a revelation of God's benevolent plan and progressive revelation culminating in Christ. +Christ as the centre of history and the universe and all humanity united in Christ: heritage, body and promise. Universality of salvation: Jews and pagans together in continuity with the promise to Abraham and the prophets. +Historical difficulties in accepting pagans. +Epiphany and Wise Men as a sign of universalism and Call to witness: collaborating in the proclamation of the Gospel

*From the Gospel according to Matthew (2:1-12)

At the time of Jesus, the expectation of the Messiah was very intense. People spoke of him everywhere and prayed to God to hasten his coming. Most Jews imagined the Messiah as a king descended from David: he would reign from Jerusalem, drive out the Romans and finally establish peace, justice and brotherhood in Israel; some even hoped that this renewal would extend to the whole world. This expectation was based on various prophecies in the Old Testament. First of all, that of Balaam in the Book of Numbers: called to curse Israel, he instead announced a promise of glory, speaking of a star rising from Jacob and a sceptre rising from Israel (Num 24:17). Over the centuries, this prophecy was interpreted in a messianic sense, to the point of suggesting that the coming of the Messiah would be marked by a star. This is why Herod takes the news brought by the Wise Men very seriously. Another decisive prophecy is that of Micah, who announces the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem, the small village from which the ruler of Israel will come (Micah 5:1), in continuity with the promise made to David of a dynasty destined to last. The Wise Men, probably pagan astrologers, do not have a deep knowledge of the Scriptures: they set out simply because they have seen a new star. When they arrive in Jerusalem, they inquire with the authorities. Here a first great contrast emerges: on the one hand, the Wise Men, who seek without prejudice and ultimately find the Messiah; on the other, those who know the Scriptures perfectly but do not move, do not even make the short journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and therefore do not encounter the Child. Herod's reaction is yet different. Jealous of his power and known for his violence, he sees the Messiah as a dangerous rival. Behind an apparent calm, he seeks precise information: the place of birth and the age of the child. His anguish and fear lead him to the cruel decision to kill all children under the age of two. In the story of the Wise Men, Matthew already offers us a summary of the entire life of Jesus: from the beginning, He encounters hostility and rejection from political and religious authorities. He will not be recognised as the Messiah, He will be accused and finally eliminated. Yet He is truly the promised Messiah: anyone who seeks Him with a sincere heart, like the Wise Men, can enter into God's salvation.

*St John Chrysostom on the episode of the Wise Men: "The Wise Men, though foreigners, rose, departed and came to the Child; so too must those who wish to encounter Christ move with a fervent heart, without waiting for comfort or security." (Homily VII on Matthew 2)

*Most important elements: +Strong messianic expectation at the time of Jesus and expectation of a Messiah-king, descendant of David. +Prophecy of the star (Balaam) and birth in Bethlehem (Micah). +The Wise Men: sincere seekers guided by the star. +Contrast between those who seek and those who know but do not move. +Herod's hostility, jealousy of power and violence. +Jesus rejected from the beginning of his life. + Universality of salvation: those who seek, find. + The Wise Men as a model of faith on the journey.

+ Giovanni D'Ercole

Second Sunday after Christmas (year A)  [4 January 2026]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us. In the Christmas season, the liturgy constantly leads us  to meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation.

*First Reading from the Book of Sirach (24:1-4, 12-16)

The Wisdom of God raises her voice in the assembly and recounts her origin and mission. She comes from the Most High, proceeds from his mouth as the creative Word, precedes time and traverses the entire cosmos: nothing is foreign to her, nothing exists without her order. Yet this universal Wisdom does not remain homeless. God entrusts her with a concrete destination:

"She sets up her tent in Jacob". Wisdom pitches its tent among the chosen people, takes up its inheritance in Israel and puts down roots in Jerusalem, the city of God's presence. Its dwelling place is the Torah: not a cold law, but a living Word, in which God speaks and man responds. Here Wisdom becomes nourishment, light, fruitfulness, like a tree that grows, blossoms and bears fruit for those who welcome it. In this hymn, we already glimpse the mystery that the Gospel of John will proclaim openly: Wisdom, who pitches her tent, anticipates the Word who becomes flesh and comes to dwell among us. What was dwelling in the Law and in the people of Israel finds its full fulfilment in Christ, the incarnate Wisdom of the Father. To welcome Wisdom, then, means to dwell in the Word, to let God dwell in us and to make our lives a tent open to his saving presence. 

*Most important elements: +Wisdom comes from God and proceeds from his mouth. +It has a cosmic dimension: it permeates and orders all creation. +God assigns it a concrete destination. Wisdom pitches her tent in Jacob. +Her homeland is Israel and her dwelling place is Jerusalem. She is identified with the Torah, the living Word of God. +The Torah is a place of encounter: God speaks, man responds. +Wisdom becomes fruitfulness and life for the people. +The text anticipates the Prologue of John. Biblical foundation of the mystery of the Incarnation

*Responsorial Psalm (147 vv. 12-15; 19-20)

Jerusalem is invited to praise the Lord, because God rebuilds the city, gathers the scattered and protects his people. His action is not only spiritual: he strengthens the gates, blesses the children, guarantees peace at the borders and nourishes with the best wheat. God's salvation touches concrete life, security, daily bread. His word is effective and sovereign: God sends it to earth and it runs swiftly, governing nature and history. The one who has power over the cosmos chooses to manifest himself as the defender of a fragile people who live under his protection. But the heart of the psalm is this: God revealed his Word to Jacob, his decrees and judgements to Israel. No other nation has received such a gift. The true greatness of Israel is not its strength, but its intimacy with God, who speaks, guides and instructs. This psalm thus becomes an invitation to grateful praise: a God who rules the universe has chosen to enter into covenant, to speak and to dwell in the history of his people. It is this received Word that builds peace and makes life stable.

*Most important elements: +Invitation to praise addressed to Jerusalem. +God rebuilds, protects and gathers his people. +Concrete blessing: peace, security, nourishment. +The Word of God is powerful and effective, and God rules the cosmos and history. +Unique revelation made to Israel: the Torah as a privilege and responsibility. +The true strength of the people is to listen to the Word of God.

*Second Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians (1:3-6, 15-18)

Paul opens the letter with a great blessing: all Christian life springs from a single movement that rises towards God, because grace first descended upon us. God is blessed because he has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing: not fragmentary gifts, but full and definitive salvation. The foundation of everything is God's free choice: even before creation, we were chosen in Christ to be holy and immaculate in love. Election is not an exclusive privilege, but a vocation to communion and new life. This election is expressed as filial adoption: God predestined us to be children in the Son, according to his plan of love. Salvation does not come from our merit, but from the benevolence of his will, and everything converges in the praise of the glory of his grace. In the second part, Paul moves from praise to intercessory prayer. Having heard of the faith and charity of the believers, he thanks God and asks for a decisive gift: the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that Christians may truly know God, not only with their minds but with their hearts. Paul prays that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened, so that they may understand: the hope of their calling, the riches of the glory of their inheritance, the greatness of the gift they have received in Christ. The Christian faith is therefore the memory of a grace received and a path of enlightened knowledge, which leads to living as children in freedom and praise.

*Most important elements. +Blessing to God for salvation in Christ. +Eternal election before creation. +Vocation to holiness in love and filial adoption in the Son. +Salvation as free grace. +Everything oriented towards the praise of God's glory and thanksgiving for faith and charity. +Prayer for the Spirit of wisdom. +Illumination of the heart. +Hope, inheritance and fullness of Christian life.

*From the Gospel according to John (1:1-18) Prologue

The Gospel of John opens by taking us back 'in the beginning', to where everything originated. Before all time was the Word (Logos): not just any word, but the eternal Word of God, in living relationship with the Father and of the same divine nature. In him everything was created; nothing exists without him. The Word is life, and this life is the light of men, a light that shines in the darkness and which the darkness cannot extinguish. A witness enters the story: John the Baptist. He is not the light, but he is sent to bear witness to the light, so that men may believe. The true light comes into the world that was made through it, but the world does not recognise it. Even his own people struggle to accept it. However, to those who accept it, the Word gives an unprecedented opportunity: to become children of God, not by human descent, but by free gift. The heart of the Prologue is the decisive announcement: 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.' God does not remain distant: he enters into human frailty, into concrete history, and makes his glory visible, a glory that has the face of faithful love, grace and truth. In Jesus, the Invisible One allows himself to be seen. John attests that the one who comes after him was before him. From this fullness we all receive grace upon grace: the Law, a holy gift, finds its fulfilment in the person of Christ, who not only speaks of God, but reveals him fully. No one has ever seen God, but the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made him known. The Prologue thus invites us to make a choice: to recognise in the flesh of Jesus the eternal Word, to welcome the light, to live as children and to allow ourselves to be transformed by the grace that dwells among us.

* St Augustine – Commentary on the Prologue of John 'The Word became flesh so that man might understand the Word.' (In Ioannis Evangelium Tractatus, 2,2). In a single sentence, Augustine summarises the meaning of John 1:14: God does not lower his truth, but makes himself accessible, entering into our condition so that man may know and welcome the divine light.

*Important elements: +In the beginning: continuity with creation. The eternal Word, with God and God. Everything created through the Word. +Word as life and light. Light and darkness: conflict and rejection. +Testimony of John the Baptist. +Acceptance of the Word = becoming children of God. +Incarnation: the Word becomes flesh. God dwells among men. +Glory, grace and truth in Christ. +Christ as the definitive revelation of the Father.

+Giovanni D’Ercole

(Mk 6:45-52)

Roman communities of the time of Mk [the year of the four Caesars] were on the high seas and the disciples seemed to be alone: the Master had now reached safe Land (vv.46-47).

In the dark, though they wanted to move forward, the tiny fraternities were confused by the ongoing civil war, marginalised by the ideology of power, battered by headwinds.

Using paraphrases from the book of Exodus and Isaiah [new Exodus], Mk seeks to help his communities understand the Mystery of the Person of Jesus.

In particular, the presence of the Father in Him, and that 'Someone within something': in the events of their life experience, also torn by internal polemics.

In such growth, there arises the essential awareness of the 'God-with-us'.

Only the Risen One overcomes the fear of upheavals, but does so without rushing in.

And He even wants to go beyond the storms in which the disciples seem to get wrapped up and lost (v.48).

He is devoid of established patterns that would frame Him forever: it would be like making Him evasive and making Him perish. Indeed - like the disciples of Emmaus - they do not recognise Him (vv.49-50).

But if we were all to welcome Him in the «little boat» (v.51), amazed within ourselves [cf. Greek text] we would realise that there is another Kingdom, where each element is in His power.

The invisible Friend guides and fulfils infallibly, and brings us to «shore» (v.53) - a ‘final condition’ that the force of the waves cannot affect, even when we have the feeling of being swept away by the floatings.

Precisely in the condition of tossed pilgrims, in approaching his Person we would experience a strange and 'different stability': the persistence against the current.

A crossing towards the freedom that 'comes'... from clinging to 'Jesus within' alone. In the chaos of securities, with no guarantees - because the Lord does not take us out of eddies and oscillating situations, to die in norms, or expected conformisms.

Ours is a discordant permanence, fluctuating; and actuating, but in reversals.

The fatigue of questioning ourselves and the suffering that the adventure of Faith hold, will also fade amidst the troubles of the rough seas.

It is enough to disengage oneself from fixed ideas of stability, even religious stability, and to listen to life as it is, embracing it, even in its throng of bumps, bitterness, dashed hopes of harmony, sorrows - engaging with this torrent of new emergencies, and encountering one's own profound nature.

The best vaccine against the anxieties of adventuring together with Christ on the changing waves of the unexpected will be precisely not to avoid worries upstream - rather, to go towards them and welcome them; to recognise oneself, to let them happen.

Even in the time of global crisis, the apprehensions that seem to want to devastate us again, come to us as preparatory energies for other joys that wish to break through - for new cosmic attunements; for amazement starting with ourselves. And guidance of the beyond.

Our little boat is in an upside down, inverted, unequal stability; uncertain, unseemly - yet energetic, prickly, capable of reinventing itself.

It may even be overstretched, but from disarray.

Weekday Liturgy, January 9

(Mk 6:45-52)

«Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni

"Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni" - with these and similar words the liturgy of the Church repeatedly prays [...].

These invocations were probably formulated in the period of the decline of the Roman Empire. The disintegration of the supporting orders of law and of the basic moral attitudes, which gave them strength, caused the breaking of the banks that had hitherto protected peaceful coexistence between men. A world was passing away. Frequent natural cataclysms further increased this experience of insecurity. No force could be seen to halt this decline. All the more insistent was the invocation of God's own power: that He would come and protect men from all these threats.

"Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni". Today, too, we have many reasons to associate ourselves with this prayer [...] The world with all its new hopes and possibilities is, at the same time, distressed by the impression that the moral consensus is dissolving, a consensus without which legal and political structures do not function; consequently, the forces mobilised to defend these structures seem doomed to failure.

Excita - the prayer is reminiscent of the cry addressed to the Lord, who was sleeping in the disciples' storm-tossed boat that was close to sinking. When His powerful word had calmed the storm, He rebuked the disciples for their little faith (cf. Mt 8:26 and par.). He wanted to say: in yourselves faith has slept. He also wants to say the same thing to us. Even in us so often faith sleeps. Let us therefore pray to Him to awaken us from the sleep of a faith that has become tired and to restore to faith the power to move mountains - that is, to give right order to the things of the world».

[Pope Benedict, to the Roman Curia 20 December 2010].

The Roman communities of the time of Mk (the year of the four Caesars) were on the high seas and the disciples seemed to be alone: the Master had by this time gained the dry land (vv.46-47).

In the dark, though they wanted to advance, the tiny fraternities were confused by the ongoing civil war, marginalised by the ideology of power, battered by headwinds.

And they were catching nothing. They were only exposing themselves to hostile forces and it seemed to them that they were sinking with no chance of escape or future.

Our life, too, proceeds as on a small boat tossed about by earthquakes. We go hopeful, and yet adversity threatens to drown us, and with us it seems to drag all of life down.

Critical episodes, but they make us realise how much Christ's friendship is worth to us and what it conveys. Of course, God is no substitute for human work.

Only the Risen One overcomes the fright of upheavals, but he does so without rushing in, and even wants to go beyond the storms in which the disciples seem to get wrapped up and lost (v.48).

He is devoid of established patterns that would frame him forever (it would be like making him evasive and making him perish). Indeed - like the disciples of Emmaus - they do not recognise him (vv.49-50).

But if we welcome him in a simple and straightforward way in our little boat (v.51), amazed within ourselves (cf. Greek text) we realise that there is another kingdom, that everything is in his power.

Unless we reduce the Lord to our own ideas or strengths and desires - everything will serve to revive us, even the headwind and the pitfalls of the sea (a figure of evil). And while frying, our Faith will be bold and combative, not warlike.

The unseen Friend guides and fulfils infallibly, and brings us to shore (v.53) - an ultimate condition that the force of the waves cannot affect, not even when we have the feeling of being swept away by the waves.

Using paraphrases from the book of Exodus and Isaiah (New Exodus), Mk seeks to help his communities understand the Mystery of the Person of Jesus: the presence of the Father in Him - and in the events of their life experience, also torn by internal controversies.

Up to the second generation of believers, not a few Jewish converts considered Christ to be a person in line with their mentality and tradition, in agreement with the prophecies and figures of the First Testament.

Conversely, some pagans who had accepted Jesus as Lord advocated rather an understanding with the worldly mentality - a kind of agreement between the Son of God and the Empire.

But could the alliance of the new Faith with the ideology and imagery of domination have calmed the storms?

The situation of the tiny fraternities at the centre of the Empire was still dark and unstable. Christ seemed not quite there (he never wants his own to be disengaged!) and the sea was rough, the wind at the bow. Could the Exodus be re-created?

Faith in the Delivering God was shaken; not distressed - but distressed. The disciples did not possess the same calm trust in the Master as they did in the Father.They maintained their own mentality, clouded and unmoving (vv.49-52).

In spite of everything, and precisely in the condition of stranded pilgrims, in approaching his Person they experienced a strange and different stability: the persevering against the tide and the proceeding - in overcoming alienations.

A crossing to freedom that came from clinging to Jesus alone inside, in the chaos of securities, without guarantees - because the Lord does not take us out of eddies and swinging situations, to die in norms (or expected conformisms).

Ours is a discordant permanence, fluctuating; and actuating, but in reversals.

Hence not feudal: not with a reassuring tradition alternative - not mediated by that 'power' of civitas christiana that would extinguish the strength to renew us (and exhaust us).

Even today, it is the path of non-habitual, critical growth that reveals Him capable of manifesting His quiet power, returning the disrupted elements to calm - and us to the power of human faculties.

Says the Tao Tê Ching (LX) that suggests we stand in regal dignity: "Ruling a great kingdom is like frying minute fish". Master Wang Pi specifies the reason: "(The ruler) does not turn them over. If he is restless he does harm, if he is quiet he keeps his genuineness intact'.

Master Ho-shang Kung comments: "When small fish are fried, one does not remove their innards and scales, nor dare one shake them, lest they fall apart. When the government of the state is harassed, the subjects are seditious; when the government of the person is harassed, the essence is dispersed'.

More than the opposing frictions and external events, anxiety, impression and anguish come from the very fear of facing the normal issues of existence.

This is perhaps out of personal or ecclesial mistrust: feeling in danger simply because we perceive ourselves to be intimately undeveloped, incapable of other dialogue and reworking, converting or reshaping.

The fatigue of questioning ourselves and the suffering that the adventure of Faith holds, will also fade amidst the discomfort of the rough seas.

It is enough to disengage oneself from fixed ideas of stability, even religious stability, and listen to life as it is, embracing it, even in its throng of bumps, bitterness, dashed hopes of harmony, sorrows - engaging with this flood of new emergencies, and encountering one's own deep nature.

The best vaccine against the anxieties of adventuring together with Christ on the changing waves of the unexpected will be precisely not to avoid worries upstream - rather, to go towards them and welcome them; to recognise them, to let them happen.

Even in the time of global crisis, the apprehensions that seem to want to devastate us, come to us as preparatory energies for other joys that wish to break through - for new cosmic attunements; for amazement from within ourselves, and guidance of the beyond.

Our little boat is in an inverted, inverted, unequal stability; uncertain, unbecoming - yet energetic, prickly, capable of reinventing itself. And it will even be overstretched, but with disruption.

To internalise and live the message:

On what occasions have you found easy what before seemed impossible?

God as hostage, or the different view of danger (Mk 4:35-41)

The whole Gospel of Mk is an articulate response to the question: who is Jesus (v.41)? His direction of travel seems to go against the grain, and he brazenly breaks the rules accepted by all.

While the disciples were fondling nationalist desires, the Master begins to make it clear that He is not the vulgarly expected Messiah, restorer of the defunct empire of David or the Caesars (fighting for succession under the eyes of the Roman community of Mk: Galba, Otone, Vitellius, Vespasian).

The Kingdom of God is open to all mankind, which in those turbulent times - torn apart by the swift but bloody civil war following Nero's follies - seeks security, welcome, points of reference. Everyone can find home and shelter there (Mk 4:32b).

But the apostles and church veterans seem averse to Christ's proposals; they remain insensitive to an overly broad idea of fraternity - which displaces them. This is a live and very serious problem.

The teaching and reminder imposed on the disciples is to go to the other shore (v.35), that is, not to keep for themselves, but to communicate the riches of the Father to the pagans, who are considered impure and infamous.

Yet his own people do not want to know about risky disproportions that would actually make the action of the Son of God stand out. They are calibrated to the customs of common religiosity and a circumscribed ideology of power.

Therefore, in order to exorcise the danger of the mission - and having to accommodate people, rework situations, welcome surprises that would shake them up (questioning them) - they try to take the Master hostage (v.36).

The resistance to the divine commission and the resulting lacerating internal debate unleashes a great storm in the assemblies of believers."And there came a great gale of wind. And the waves rolled in the boat, so that the boat was already full" (v.37).

The storm concerns the disciples alone, the only ones dismayed; not Jesus - at the stern, at the helm (v.36 - and on the "cushion": it is the Risen One).

What happens "inside" is not a mere reflection of what happens "outside"! This is the error to be corrected.

Such identification blocks and makes life chronic, starting with the handling of emotionally relevant situations - which have their own meaning. They carry a meaningful appeal, they introduce a different eye and dialogue.

Even from the peace of the divine condition that dominates chaos (v.39), the Lord calls attention to and rebukes the apostles, accusing them of not having faith, that is, an ounce of risk of love - like a grain of mustard seed (v.31) - to bring to humanity to renew it.

In short, we are confused, we create embarrassment, and the chaos of schemes and selfishness rages on? We are paradoxically going in the right direction, but we must not be overcome by fear.

In Him, we are imbued with a different view of danger.

Says the Tao Tê Ching (xxii): "The saint does not see by himself, therefore he is enlightened". Even in straits.

Indeed, it seems that Jesus expressly wanted the dark moments of confrontation and doubt for the apostles (v.35). Even for us, even if we were church leaders... because otherwise there will be no cleansing from repetitive convictions.

Textbook expectations (and the habit of setting up conformist harmonies) block the flowering of what we are and hope for.

Especially what is annoying or even 'against' has something decisive to tell us. Even in the church boat (v.36), discomfort must express itself.

It is to revive the essence of each person and of the community itself, to introduce change (hidden or repressed) and activate it in the most effective way... by contact with the hidden, primordial energies.

More than the opposing frictions and conflicting external events, anxiety, impression and anguish come from the very fear of facing the normal or decisive questions of existence.

This is out of mistrust: feeling in danger perhaps only because we perceive ourselves to be intimately undeveloped, incapable of other conversation, of discovering and reworking, converting, or remodelling.

The fatigue of questioning ourselves and the suffering that the adventure of Faith holds, will also fade amidst the discomfort of the rough sea - which precisely does not want us to return to 'those of before'.

It is enough to disengage oneself from the idea of stability, even religious stability, and listen to life as it is, embracing it, even in its throng of bumps, bitterness, dashed hopes of harmony, sorrows - engaging with this flood of new emergencies, and encountering one's own profound nature.

The best vaccine against the anxieties of adventuring together with Christ on the changing waves of the unexpected will be precisely not to avoid worries upstream - rather, to go towards them and welcome them; to recognise them, to let them happen.

Even in the time of global crisis, the apprehensions that seem to want to devastate us, come to us as preparatory energies of other joys that wish to break through - new cosmic attunements; for the amazement starting with ourselves, and the guidance of the beyond.

Our little boat is in an inverted, inverted, unequal stability; uncertain, unbecoming - yet energetic, prickly, capable of reinventing itself. And it may even be excessive, but it is disruptive.

For a proposal of Tenderness (not corresponding) that is not a relaxation zone, because it rhymes with terrible anxiety and... suburbs!

Some other providence, which you ignore

"It is good not to fall, or to fall and rise again. And if you do happen to fall, it is good not to despair and not to become estranged from the love the Sovereign has for man. For if he wills, he can do mercy to our weakness. Only let us not turn away from him, let us not be distressed if we are forced by the commandments, and let us not be disheartened if we come to nothing (...).

Let us neither hurry nor retreat, but always begin again (...).

Wait for him, and he will show you mercy, either by conversion or by trials, or by some other providence that you do not know."

[Peter Damascene, Second Book, Eighth Discourse, in La Filocalia, Turin 1982, I,94]

This is an episode from which the Fathers of the Church drew a great wealth of meaning. The sea symbolizes this life and the instability of the visible world; the storm points to every kind of trial or difficulty that oppresses human beings. The boat, instead, represents the Church, built by Christ and steered by the Apostles.

Jesus wanted to teach the disciples to bear life’s adversities courageously, trusting in God, in the One who revealed himself to the Prophet Elijah on Mount Horeb “in a still small voice” [the whispering of a gentle breeze] (1 Kings 19:12) [...]

Even before we seek the Lord or invoke him, it is he himself who comes to meet us, who lowers Heaven to stretch out his hand to us and raise us to his heights; all he expects of us is that we trust totally in him, that we really take hold of his hand. 

Let us call on the Virgin Mary, model of total entrustment to God, so that amidst the plethora of anxieties, problems and difficulties which churn up the sea of our life, may our hearts resonate with the reassuring words of Jesus who also says to us “Take heart, it is I; have no fear!”; and may our faith in him grow.

[Pope Benedict, Angelus 7 August 2011]

The storm calmed on the Lake of Genesaret can be reread as a "sign" of Christ's constant presence in the "boat" of the Church, which many times throughout history is exposed to the fury of the winds during stormy hours. Jesus, awakened by the disciples, commands the winds and the sea to be becalmed. Then he says to them, "Why are you so fearful? Have you no faith yet?" (Mk 4:40). In this, as in other episodes, one can see Jesus' desire to inculcate in the apostles and disciples faith in his operative and protective presence even in the most stormy hours of history, in which doubt about his divine assistance could infiltrate the spirit. In fact, in Christian homiletics and spirituality, the miracle has often been interpreted as a 'sign' of Jesus' presence and a guarantee of trust in him on the part of Christians and the Church.

[Pope John Paul II, General Audience 2 December 1987]

A hardened heart cannot comprehend even the greatest miracles. But "how does a heart harden?" Pope Francis asked this question during the Mass celebrated on Friday 9 January at Santa Marta.

The disciples, we read in the liturgical passage from Mark's Gospel (6:45-52), "had not understood the fact of the loaves: their hearts were hardened". Yet, Francis explained, 'they were the apostles, Jesus' closest ones. But they did not understand'. And although they had witnessed the miracle, although they had "seen that those people - more than five thousand - had eaten with five loaves" they had not understood. "Why? Because their hearts were hardened".

So many times Jesus "speaks of hardness of heart in the Gospel", rebukes the "hard-necked people", weeps over Jerusalem "who did not understand who he is". The Lord confronts this hardness: "So much work has Jesus done," the Pope stressed, "to make this heart more docile, to make it without hardness, to make it loving. A 'work' that continues after the resurrection, with the disciples of Emmaus and so many others.

"But," the Pontiff wondered, "how does a heart harden? How is it possible that these people, who were with Jesus always, every day, who heard him, saw him... and their hearts were hardened. But how can a heart become like that?" And he related: "Yesterday I asked my secretary: Tell me, how does a heart become hardened? He helped me to think about this a little". Hence the indication of a series of circumstances with which everyone can compare their personal experience. 

First of all, Francis said, the heart "is hardened by painful experiences, by hard experiences". This is the situation of those who 'have had a very painful experience and do not want to enter into another adventure'. This is precisely what happened after the resurrection to the disciples of Emmaus, whose remarks the Pontiff imagined: "'There is too much, too much noise, but let's go away a little, because...'" -Why, what? - "Eh, we hoped that this was the Messiah, there was no Messiah, I don't want to delude myself again, I don't want to delude myself!". 

Here is the heart hardened by an "experience of sorrow". The same happens to Thomas: 'No, no, I don't believe it. If I don't put my finger there, I don't believe it!". The disciples' hearts were hardened 'because they had suffered'. And in this regard Francis recalled a popular Argentinean saying: 'If a person is burnt by milk, when he sees the cow he cries'. That is, he explained, 'it is that painful experience that keeps us from opening our hearts'.

Another reason that hardens the heart is then 'closure in oneself: making a world in oneself'. It happens when man is "closed in on himself, in his community or his parish". It is a closure that "can revolve around many things": around "pride, sufficiency, thinking that I am better than others" or even "vanity". The Pope specified: "There are the 'mirror' men and women, who are closed in on themselves to look at themselves, continuously": they could be called 'religious narcissists'. These "have hard hearts, because they are closed, they are not open. And they try to defend themselves with these walls they make around themselves'.

There is a further reason that hardens the heart: insecurity. This is what is experienced by the person who thinks: 'I don't feel secure and I look for somewhere to cling to in order to be safe'. This attitude is typical of people 'who are so attached to the letter of the law'. It happened, the Pontiff explained, "with the Pharisees, with the Sadducees, with the doctors of the law of Jesus' time". They would object: "But the law says this, but it says this up to here...", and so "they would make another commandment"; in the end, "poor things, they would take on 300-400 commandments and feel secure". 

In reality, Francis pointed out, all these 'are safe people, but just as a man or a woman in a prison cell behind the grate is safe: it is a security without freedom'. Whereas it is precisely freedom that 'Jesus came to bring us'. St Paul, for example, reproaches James and also Peter "because they do not accept the freedom that Jesus brought us".

Here then is the answer to the initial question: "How does a heart harden?". For the heart, "when it hardens, it is not free, and if it is not free, it is because it does not love". A concept expressed in the first reading of the day's liturgy (1 John 4:11-18), where the apostle speaks of "perfect love" that "casts out fear". For "in love there is no fear, because fear presupposes punishment, and he who fears is not perfect in love. He is not free. He always has the fear that something painful, sad will happen", that we will "go wrong in life or risk eternal salvation". In reality, these are only 'imaginations', because that heart simply 'does not love'. The disciples' hearts, the Pope explained, "were hardened because they had not yet learned to love".We can then ask: "Who teaches us to love? Who frees us from this hardness?" "Only the Holy Spirit can do it," Francis clarified, pointing out, "You can do a thousand catechesis courses, a thousand spirituality courses, a thousand yoga courses, Zen and all these things. But all this will never be able to give you the freedom of a son". Only the Holy Spirit "moves your heart to say 'father'"; only he "is able to drive out, to break this hardness of heart" and make it "docile to the Lord. Docile to the freedom of love". It is no coincidence that the disciples' hearts remained "hardened until the day of the Ascension", when they said to the Lord: "Now the revolution will take place and the kingdom will come!" In reality "they understood nothing". And "only when the Holy Spirit came did things change".

Therefore, the Pontiff concluded, "let us ask the Lord for the grace to have a docile heart: may he save us from the slavery of a hardened heart" and "bring us forward into that beautiful freedom of perfect love, the freedom of the children of God, that which only the Holy Spirit can give".

[Pope Francis, S. Marta homily, in L'Osservatore Romano 10/01/2015]