Sunday reflections

In my office there is a wall hanging with the letters C+M+B. which I was given when I visited Innsbruck in Austria in 1997. As I walked from the railway station to our Redemptorist house, I noticed these letters written in chalk above the entrance doors to a number of houses in the following fashion 19*C+M+B+97.

Many would have seen the 2016 movie, “Hidden Figures,” which focused on the roles of three African American women mathematicians – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – who worked at NASA during the Mercury program. Few would have known how these three women played crucial roles in the success of John Glenn’s historic spaceflight.

For centuries, the Jewish people had treasured the words of prophets like Isaiah. They would have had the promises we see in today’s gospel and first reading inscribed on their minds and hearts.

I recall a scripture scholar describing John the Baptist as an extremely eccentric character with an odd wardrobe and an unusual diet. However, you imagine him, certainly John must have had a captivating personality, attracting large followings in less than comfortable surroundings, and this surely suggests that his message carried real conviction.

When travelling, especially overseas, many people spend a good amount of time in preparation. There may be a trip to the doctor, dentist, pharmacy, the supermarket and even the hairdresser. Calls to insurance companies regarding travel and medical cover, requests to neighbours and family members to keep an eye on the house, the dog, the cat … the list goes on.

What sort of king is revealed to us in today’s readings? It seems he’s not like other kings. In the first reading God is spoken of as ‘a true shepherd’, one who doesn’t abandon his flock, but cares for them.

Different people have different abilities. A person gifted with imagination or creativity may not be good at administration or finance. Someone with a flair for ‘do it yourself ‘around the house may not be musical. A cook who is ‘at home’ in the kitchen may be completely lost when it comes to anything mechanical. Someone with sporting prowess may find computers and electronics out of their league.

In biblical times, people wed at a young age with marriages arranged by the fathers of the couple. The betrothal took place in early youth and was a legal marriage, although the woman remained in her father’s house.