Violence

Second Week of Advent - Thursday

Isaiah 41:13-20 / Psalm 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab / Matthew 11:11-15

Violence

What is the violence the Kingdom of heaven suffers? 

Violence connects John the Baptist and Jesus. John had been arrested and would soon be beheaded for his opposition to Herod and as the consequence of a tragically whimsical birthday wish. The violence the kingdom of heaven suffers might not differ much from the violence suffered by all the prophets, by the Baptist and by the Messiah himself. 

The violence against the Kingdom might be expressed in the opposition of the Pharisees and Sadducees who argue with, ridicule and plot against Jesus and his gospel. The violence might be seen in the clubs, swords and spears brought by the Temple Guard to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, and in the torturous whipping, mock crowning and exhausting crucifixion he underwent.

Matthew might have been writing about the violence suffered by members of his own community as they were thrown out of the synagogue, and risked martyrdom for the name of Jesus.

More germane to you and me, does the Kingdom of heaven still suffer violence today? I answer, yes: in the mocking of the proclamation of the dignity of all persons across class, culture, race, age, gender, orientation, disability, diagnosis, etc. the kingdom suffers violence, for the Kingdom of God is synonymous with human dignity.

• In what way have you witnessed violence against the Kingdom of heaven?
• What have you suffered for the kingdom? 
• What are you willing to suffer for? 
• What does it mean to say you are willing to suffer?