Reflection - Two Cities

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082619.cfm
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10
Matthew 23:13-22

Thessalonica is a coastal city on the eastern side of Greece in the northern part of the country. Today, it is the second largest city of Greece, thriving on commerce and trade, just as it did in the era of Classical Rome. It was also one of Paul’s greater success stories. The reading from Paul’s first letter to the community suggests that many, if not most, of those who accepted the good news of Jesus Christ had been pagans (“You turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”). Nevertheless, in spite of their pagan background and their immersion in the human endeavors for which their city was known, their initial reception of Paul and the good news he brought was notably gracious; and, apparently, the joy that filled them because of his message overflowed to others in the region. A reading of the full text of Paul’s two brief letters to the Thessalonians strongly suggests a powerful spiritual bond between Paul and those people. The relationship brings to mind the words of Isaiah:

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’" (Isaiah 52:7)

Just so must the Thessalonians have felt about Paul.

Jerusalem, the great capitol city of David, was also a city with an ancient history. Today, it may not be Israel’s largest, but it certainly is the one whose name has worldwide recognition. Its notoriety in Jesus time was similar to its stature today. Jerusalem was and is a religious capitol, one like none other in the civilized world. Just as pilgrims continuously inundate the city today, so too did they in Jesus’ time. And, just as different groups dispute holy sites today, so too did different groups dispute the way to holiness then. One might have expected that Jesus would have been welcomed as a person with new or unique insight into such matters. It was not to be. Crucifixion, not conversion, was the ultimate ratification to his message.

These readings are a tale of two cities and their inhabitants. Two cities with two areas of concern that engage the entire human race: first — commerce and the necessity of exchanging goods and money, and second — the worship of god(s) and issues believed to be beyond this physical reality. It seems strange that those involved with the mundane matters of life should respond so favorably to the one “who brings good tidings . . . who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’" While those whose lives were devoted to seeking God should end up blind and deaf when God made himself present to their senses with teaching to correct their misguided errors.

Charles Dickens opened his own Tale of Two Cities with these words: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

It was only after beginning this reflection that the pertinence of the passage to the Scriptures began to whisper in my ear.

“It was the best of times,” for the Word was made flesh.

“It was the worst of times,” for His destiny was crucifixion.

“It was the age of wisdom,” for those who abandoned idols to receive the living God.

“It was the age of foolishness,” for some preferred slavery-to-their-rules over freedom.

“It was the epoch of belief,” for those who welcomed the feet of him who brought good tidings.

“It was the epoch of incredulity,” for those who insisted on a sign.

“It was the season of light,” for the true light had come into the world.

“It was the season of darkness,” for the blind guides who would lead the blind.

“It was the spring of hope,” for those open to eternal life.

“It was the winter of despair.” for those waiting who were oblivious to his coming.

How do we measure such a calamity? Only one answer comes to my mind: Being entrenched — being in a trench — is a perilous thing. One’s vision is truncated by the dirt before one’s face. One’s security is calculated by the enclosure itself; and the enclosure is of one’s own premeditated design. The alternate reality of God’s own shield, the one which would hide us under his wing, is too far fetched for the ‘realist’ to embrace. Only those sufficiently detached from gods of their own making can embrace the God who is God.

This has been a tale of two cities; but maybe we should say it is really a tale of three. We, ourselves, are the third, and it is not yet clear that our own gods have been abandoned as we respond favorably — or not — to the one “who brings good tidings . . . who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’"

SUMMARY

These readings are a tale of two cities and their inhabitants. Two cities with two areas of concern. It seems strange that those involved with the mundane matters of life should respond so favorably to the one “who brings good tidings . . . who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’" While those whose lives were devoted to seeking God should end up blind and deaf when God made himself present to their senses with teaching to correct their misguided errors.