Samedi de la deuxième semaine de l’Avent – Année B

La venue d’Élie

# Selon la tradition de l’Église catholique, la montagne du lieu de la Transfiguration fait référence au mont Horeb et au mont Sinaï, deux lieux hautement symboliques dans l’Ancien Testament. La nuée d’où sortit la voix du Père fit écho à la nuée qui enveloppa les Hébreux lors de l’Exode et de leur traversée du désert. La proposition de Pierre de dresser trois tentes fit référence à la tente de la rencontre dans l’Ancien Testament. Cette fête peut être rapprochée de celle du baptême du Christ où se retrouvent dans les deux la nuée qui enveloppa Jésus, la voix du Père.

Pour l’Église, le but de la Transfiguration fut de préparer le cœur des disciples à surmonter le scandale de la croix. Cette transfiguration fut l’annonce de l’adoption qui fera les croyants des fils de Dieu. Selon le cardinal Hans Urs von Balthasar, quand les disciples, à la fin, virent de nouveau Jésus seul, ils surent quelle plénitude de mystère se cacha dans sa figure, car sa relation à toute l’ancienne Alliance, sa relation permanente au Père et à l’Esprit qui, comme nuée, couvrit de son ombre les disciples représentant l’Église à venir, tout cela se trouve inclus en lui. Sa Transfiguration ne fut pas une anticipation de la Résurrection.

De l’Évangile de Jésus Christ selon Matthieu

Descendant de la montagne, les disciples interrogèrent Jésus : « Pourquoi donc les scribes disent ils que le prophète Élie doit venir d’abord ? » Jésus leur répondit : « Élie va venir pour remettre toute chose à sa place. Mais, je vous le déclare : Élie est déjà venu ; au lieu de le reconnaître, ils lui ont fait tout ce qu’ils ont voulu. Et de même, le Fils de l’homme va souffrir par eux. » Alors les disciples comprirent qu’il leur parlait de Jean le Baptiste. (Mt 17, 10-13)

La venue d’Élie

Les disciples interrogèrent Jésus : «Pourquoi donc les scribes disent-ils qu’il faut qu’Élie vienne premièrement ?» Qu’est-ce qui occasionna cette question des disciples ? La prophétie : «Voici, je vous enverrai Élie, le prophète, Avant que le jour de l’Éternel arrive, Ce jour grand et redoutable. Il ramènera le cœur des pères à leurs enfants, Et le cœur des enfants à leurs pères, De peur que je ne vienne frapper le pays d’interdit » (Malachie 4.5-6)qui annonça une seconde mission d’Élie avant l’apparition du Messie fut, à cette époque, l’objet de l’attention universelle ; les scribes fondèrent sur elle leurs descriptions de l’avènement du Messie, ainsi que le rappelèrent les disciples.

 Jésus lui-même l’avait citée au peuple en montrant l’accomplissement dans la personne de Jean-Baptiste : «Si vous voulez le comprendre, c’est lui qui est l’Élie qui devait venir» (Mt 11, 14) ce que les disciples ne parurent pas avoir compris. Sur la montagne de la transfiguration, cet Élie fut un moment apparu à leurs yeux, et, non seulement il eut disparu, au lieu de rester pour remplir sa mission, mais Jésus leur défendit même de dire qu’ils le virent !

Comment concilier cette apparition fugitive et surtout la défense de Jésus avec la prophétie ? Tels semblent être l’origine et le sens de cette question. Les disciples reconnurent en Jésus le Messie ; ils constatèrent avec étonnement que l’apparition d’Élie eut lieu après et non avant la venue du Messie. L’une et l’autre objection purent avoir provoqué la question des disciples. D’après l’Écriture, Élie vint. Mais il fut revenu en Jean-Baptiste, et, au lieu de le reconnaître, ils le traitèrent selon leur mauvais vouloir. Que signifient ces mots  : «Il rétablira toutes choses» Ce rétablissement, qui aux yeux des scribes fut la restauration de leur théocratie, et qui en réalité dut être une création spirituelle, fut l’œuvre de Jésus lui-même et non du précurseur.

Toutefois Jésus put bien avoir en vue les effets de la prédication de Jean-Baptiste, la repentance, le changement des dispositions du peuple, dans le sens où l’ange avait dit de Jean : «Il ramènera les cœurs des pères vers les enfants et les rebelles à la sagesse des justes.» (Lc 1, 17). Le sort de Jean-Baptiste présagea le sort qui fut réservé à Jésus. Mais, ils ne reconnurent pas Jean et que celui-ci ne put remplir sa mission auprès d’eux, Jésus dut souffrir de leur part. Ce fut l’épreuve à laquelle les disciples eurent à se préparer après avoir joui du repos et de la gloire sur la montagne.

Diacre Michel Houyoux

Compléments

◊ Diacre Michel Houyoux : cliquez ici pour lire l’article →Élie doit revenir (Si 48, 1-4.9-11)

◊ Diacre Michel Houyoux : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Je veux que, tout de suite, tu me donnes sur un plat la tête de Jean le Baptiste

Liens avec d’autres sites web chrétiens

◊ Hozana : cliquez ici pour lire l’article →Élie est déjà venu et ils ne l’ont pas reconnu
◊ Le Carmel au Québec (Canada) : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Élie et Marie aux origines du Carmel

Vidéo Lectio Divina : cliquez ici pour voir la vidéo→ https://youtu.be/n78WzIJJqjw

Third Sunday of Advent – Year B

# Compassion in Christianity evokes a feeling of human brotherhood, which encourages us to perform acts of charity and thus help our neighbour. In the Gospels, Jesus is often described showing compassion and exhorting his disciples to show compassion. We act out of compassion by performing every act of sharing.

Examination of conscience and spiritual exercises help us to dissuade us from hating someone, without which it would be impossible to feel compassion for them; when the need arises, we will use all necessary means with the aim of helping or handing over the person, even if they are not of the clan (parable of the Good Samaritan), simply because they are near. The Gospel insists on this notion of proximity, which allows us to understand whether we are acting effectively or not. The choice of a Samaritan shows that it is really a question of proximity at that moment and not the more usual cultural proximity, where compassion is more easily manifested. On several occasions, Bernard of Clairvaux warned against the temptation to withdraw into oneself in order to avoid meeting one’s neighbour, insisting on the seriousness of this fault.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all might believe through him. This man was not the Light, but he was there to bear witness to the Light. This was John’s testimony when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask: « Who are you ?  » He did not refuse to answer, but declared openly : « I am not the Christ ». They asked him : « Then what are you ? Are you the prophet Elijah ? » He replied : « I am not. »

« Are you the prophet Elijah ? » Then they said to him : « Who are you ? We must give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say of yourself ? » He answered : « I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness : make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said ». Now they had been sent to the Pharisees. They asked him another question: « Why do you baptise, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? John answered them: « I baptise in water. But there is one among you whom you do not know; it is he who comes after me, and I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal ». It happened in Bethany, on the other side of the Jordan, in the place where John was baptising (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28).

The Word in its relationship with God and the world

After describing the divine Word, creator, life and light of men, and how it was not accepted because of the darkness that reigned in the world, John continues his narrative by taking us to the most tragic moment of this struggle between light and darkness: preceded and announced by the solemn testimony of John the Baptist. The Word came to the people who were ready to receive it; it was rejected by them, but it formed a new people, composed of those who received from it by faith the power to become children of God.

The fact of this testimony was so important to John that he first mentioned it without indicating what it was about; then he added: to bear witness to the light. John was to proclaim what he had received by divine revelation (Lk 3, 2) and what he had personally witnessed. The purpose of John’s witness was for all to believe in the light through him, through John the Baptist. This was God’s merciful intention and John’s testimony was clear and powerful enough for this intention to be fulfilled in all, if most of them had not been held back from faith by the hardening of their hearts.

Nevertheless, many believed and John’s most eminent disciples became followers of Jesus. Although John the Baptist was the greatest of the prophets and Jesus himself had called him the lamp that burns and shines (John 5:35), he was not the light; his role was limited to bearing witness to the light. Even the greatest prophets draw their light only from Him who is the light of the world; it is He whom they must glorify, leading everything back to Him as to the source ; they themselves can only testify to the truth that has been revealed to them and that they have experienced in their hearts. John the Baptist fulfilled this role with admirable humility (Jn 1, 33-34 ; Jn 3, 28-30).

The Son of God

The next day, when Jesus came to him, John called him the Lamb of God. He said that Jesus had gone before him, that he had seen the Spirit descend and rest upon him, and that God had made him known in this way. By virtue of this sign, he testified that Jesus was the Son of God. John, wanting to emphasise a thought, expresses it both negatively and positively. It was to say that the Forerunner declared without hesitation and with clarity that he was not the Christ. In this rapid dialogue, the questions are dictated by the then general expectation of a messenger from God. This expectation, which had been aroused by the appearance of John the Baptist, would later be transferred to Jesus himself (Mt 16, 14).

What then ? they wondered ? There is a certain impatience in this question. John the Baptist denied that he was Elijah. He represented him spiritually (Mt 1:4, 5 ; Lk 1:17 ; Mt 11:14 ; Mt 17:1-12) ; but because the Sanhedrin delegates, in their carnal vision, thought of a personal return of Elijah, he answered negatively, because he was not Elijah. He answered in the negative, because he was not Elijah in the sense they gave to that word. The last question : « Are you the prophet ? » (Dt 18, 15) Some considered this prophet promised by God through the mouth of Moses as Christ himself (Jn 1, 46 ; Jn 6, 14 ; Ac 3, 22 ; Ac 7, 37) ; others considered him only one of his precursors.

The latter opinion was held by the members of the Sanhedrin. John the Baptist answered no, because, in his humility, he did not want to proclaim himself a prophet like Moses.  « He turns away all homage from himself, that he may confess Christ and lead those who question him to Christ ». (Bengel) John only noted the fact that the delegates were Pharisees, because their attitude was hostile. he Pharisees were not satisfied with John’s answer, which they considered too vague to give him a title to his mission.

Strict observers of the law and accepted traditions, they were indignant that John would allow himself such an innovation as baptism, since he himself had declared that he was neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet.  « Why do you baptise ? » With this question, they thought to convince him of a usurpation of power. With these words, « I baptise with water », John contrasts himself with the Messiah who is about to appear; he hastens to direct the attention of his interlocutors to the One who was already in their midst, and whom they did not recognise.

He would replace the baptism of water, practised by John and which only had a preparatory character, with the true baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Thus John the Baptist placed himself under the authority of Christ, whose presence justified and made his water baptism necessary ; for this baptism, as a baptism of repentance, was to prepare souls for the faith. After clarifying his mission, John the Baptist humbled himself profoundly before Him whom he announced; he was not worthy even to render him the service of a slave by untying the strap of his sock. (Mk 1, ; Lk 3, 16).

Origen relates that he found a place called Bethabara, which tradition indicated as the place where John baptised.But he recognised that almost all manuscripts of his time reported the name Bethany. It is likely that, under the influence of this Father, Bethabara was substituted for the original Bethany. At the time of John the Baptist, there was a town called Bethany in this region, which was destroyed, like so many other towns and villages, during the Roman war. Some critics have disputed the historical nature of this account.

They see in it nothing more than an amplification of Luke’s account. The precise indication of the place and the members of the Sanhedrin leads one to distinguish the two scenes.  John the Baptist announced, in vague terms, the imminent coming of the Messiah. This declaration was made before the baptism of Jesus (Lk 3, 21). John’s account, in which the Forerunner personally refers to Jesus, concerns a moment after his baptism, the forty days of temptation in the desert (Mk 1, 12).

Deacon Michel Houyoux

Video Father Fernando Armellini : click here to see the video → https://youtu.be/sj-rzy-8Rgw