“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35Where did we get the idea that being a Christian would be easy? This child, Jesus, will be a sign that will be contradicted. That was true 2,000 years ago and it is true today. People who live in darkness do not want light shone on them and their actions (getting ahead of myself a little bit since John uses this image a lot). There really is no middle ground with Jesus. He either is the Messiah, the son of the Living God or he is a fraud (crazy or lying). Our response to his life is either that we are all in or that we are all out. We cannot say, “Well he was a good man and I accept a lot of what he taught.” He was one of three things, a liar, a nut or God. I don’t listen to anything from the lips of liars and nuts, and I obey everything from God.
Simeon goes on in the above quoted prophecy to tell Mary that a sword (of sorrow) would pierce her heart, so that the hearts of many may be revealed. I cannot imagine the sorrow of Mary as she stood at the foot of the Cross. Her beloved son was dying. And not only was he her son, he was God, and she had such a pure and complete love for God.
As the new people of Israel, the new people of the promise made so long ago; we have to ask ourselves the question, “Is Jesus going to be our rise or our fall?”
 | About Pat Arensberg Patrick Arensberg is the Director of Religious Education for the Archdiocese of Mobile. Previously, he taught for 17 years at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, where he served as Chairman of the Theology Department. He attended the Gregorian University in Rome and holds an M.A. in Theology from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. He is married to Connie and they live in Mobile with their 5 children. |
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