End To Wrath

Our Gospel omits the earlier text describing Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain where he saw the Prophet Elijah and Moses.  Instead we hear what happened afterwards: “As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, ‘Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’ He said in reply, ‘Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.  So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.”

Recall that John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod Antipas.  He was the forerunner of Jesus in death as well as life.  Jesus had his suffering and death on his mind before he went up the mountain where he was transfigured, and his suffering and death were still on his mind as he came down the mountain, so says Matthew.

This reading is accompanied by the one from the Old Testament describing Elijah being taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses, “destined in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD, to turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to re- establish the tribes of Jacob.”

This Advent many of us are suffering and perhaps facing death.  We face mountains of pain and fear, and we feel like we’re in whirlwinds of fire.  But Advent is a season of hope, so we place our sufferings on Jesus’ chariot we call the cross taking him and us up to the heavens.

The lighting of the first two Advent wreath candles symbolizes hope and love.   We’re about to light the rose candle for joy.   It’s up to all of us to make it joyful for ourselves and for those in need of meaningful cheer.  It's time to put an end to wrath within families, between friends, and even our adversaries.

Deacon David Pierce