Reflection - Sin?

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/062419-day.cfm
Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalms/139:1
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80

The words of Isaiah in our current reading have long been associated with John the Baptist. John was called by the Lord from birth. John’s name was assigned him by God even before he was born. John was the sharp edged sword and the polished arrow of the Lord in his preaching to Israel. And it’s easy to believe that John, sealed up in Herod’s prison, felt he had “toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent [his] strength.”

Luke makes clear, through the teaching of Paul, that John “heralded his [Jesus’] coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.” In fact, John had both the humility and inspired insight to recognize that “I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.” In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus himself told the crowd: “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11) And it was Jesus who gave John his rightful title:

“Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man dressed in soft robes? Behold, those who wear soft robes are in kings' houses.

Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.’” (Matthew 11:7-9)

John was not a celebrity who took his cue for his religious positions from the mood of the crowd or the trends among the people; neither was he a noted man of wealth seeking the admiration of the hoi polloi. John was a prophet straight out of the pages of the Jewish Scriptures.

The evangelists refer to him with the words of the prophet Isaiah. He comes in from the desert dressed similarly to the prophet Eli’jah. (II Kings 1:8) He baptizes in the Jordan, in the same area where Eli’jah was taken up to heaven in fiery chariot. But most important, John’s words echo so many of the prophets before him: Repent! Follow the law which the Lord has given! Turn back to the Lord!

But, as Jesus said, John was more than a prophet. He was the one whose job was to prepare the way for the Messiah. He was the voice crying in the wilderness. He was the herald of glad tidings who would say to the people: “Behold your God.”

When John was arrested and Jesus began his ministry, the message was no longer the same; ‘Repent’ was no longer the cry of the day. Rather, Jesus brought a new message: The Kingdom of God is at hand; The Kingdom has come upon you; The Kingdom of God has come near to you; The Kingdom of God is in your midst. An overwhelming number of parables were about the Kingdom. A large part of Jesus’ direct teaching was about living in the Kingdom.

We live today in the time of the Kingdom. It is still at hand and yet is already here. It is in our midst but has yet to be firmly established. It is as near to us as the presence of God and as far from us as our immersion in holiness. So, what are we missing?

Even though the message appropriately shifted as the torch was passed from John to Jesus, the call for repentance today merits far more attention than it currently gets. Those who responded to John’s call asked him “What shall we do?” John responded with specific items: share your clothing with those in need, share your food with those who hunger, don’t take advantage of the authority that comes with your job. When the young man asked Jesus: “What must I do?” the answer didn’t involve a list. It was far more personal. “Come, follow me!”

For those living under the Covenant which God established at the time of Moses, obedience to the Law was essential to abiding by the Covenant. For those who would live in the Kingdom, the requirements for living in the Kingdom, living under the New Covenant, have changed. Correspondingly, the meaning of sin has also changed to more accurately reflect its essence and signification. Whereas the measure of a man’s sinfulness was then determined by how closely his life followed the Law, so now the measure of a man’s sinfulness is determined by how close he is to Jesus. Our sinfulness is determined by the degree of our separation.

Modern society has given us all kinds of measurements for determining our personal state of being. There are social measures, economic measures, career measures, popularity measures, and who knows what else. The one thing society does not offer is a spiritual measure. Presumably, that’s a good thing since the spiritual status of society doesn’t appear to be exemplary. But what spiritual measure do we use? Rules appear to be a thing of the past. The commandments are judged no longer relevant. In that environment, the very notion of sin could well appear to be an antique. Yet, an awareness of our sinfulness is critical for those who would live in the Kingdom. John’s summons to repentance is not something to be ignored just because the Messiah has come.

I am a sinner!

I see how far I am from the holiness of God.

I seek to grow spiritually, not by reflecting on those actions which tell me how much I have failed to follow the law, but by reflecting on how distant I am from the perfection to which I am called.