Rise and Fall
And Simeon blessed them and said, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many, 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.”1
The great practical doctrine before us is this: wherever Jesus Christ comes, in whatever situation arises, to whomever He may come, he is never without influence.
There is about the Holy Child Jesus a power that is always in operation. Jesus never goes unobserved. He is never inactive, never passive, but always bringing truth and light to the world: a light which causes the rise of some and the fall of others.
And, never does a man hear the gospel but that he either rises or falls. There is never an encounter with Jesus Christ that leaves men precisely where they are. The gospel has an impact on all who hear it.
No one who hears the message of Christ regards it with indifference. They either hear the truth, as it is in Jesus, and accept it joyfully, as Simeon welcomed the Christ Child in his arms, or it becomes a challenge, a contradiction to their way of life, and a point of opposition.
The Gospel of Christ lays bare the hidden thoughts of every heart. Never does the Gospel return void: a reaction is always produced. And if we give our hearts to Christ, what a joy it is! But if we are left to ourselves, and exclude Christ from the darkness of our lives, it will certainly place a strain on our conscience, and do violence to everything that is good and true. Those who refuse to hear and heed the Gospel, stumble over that which delivers them, and they forfeit an eternity of unimaginable joy.
Today, in the Presentation of the Lord, and this Mass, God the Father presents His Son to us. The Presentation is another Epiphany. The Son of God became man for all men. He brings and offers salvation to all, but some will not receive it.
This is the great mystery of human freedom. God has made man intelligent and free. He offers him all the treasures of salvation and sanctity contained in the infinite merits of Jesus Christ. And, man is free to accept or refuse. This is the most crucial, and often the most dismissed, decision of our lives.
Jesus came to save us, to sanctify us, and to give Himself entirely to our souls. But, Jesus never forces Himself on us. He takes what we give Him, but does not give Himself to us wholly until He sees that we are giving ourselves wholly to Him.
So, the question is: do we fully allow the Gospel of Christ to work within us, to fully transform our hearts, to transform our behavior, and to bring light into the dark recesses of our souls. We always need to remember that the Gospel is a two edge sword, a sword which pierces our hearts. Either we grow fully in Christ, moment by moment, and day by day, or our faith will eventually grow cold. Either we rise with Christ or we fall into the darkness. There is no middle ground. Jesus said that you are either for me or against me. The power of the Gospel, the love of Christ, does not allow us, it does not permit us, to stand still.
Rabbi Parshas Vayechi often tells the story of a weary traveler who was returning home after a long journey. As he trudged along the road, he tried not to think of the blisters on his feet. Instead, he thought only about his younger brother’s wedding, which was to take place the following day. One more day’s march, and he would be home.
Suddenly, he heard the clatter of hooves, and he turned and saw a beautiful coach. “My good man,” he called out to the coachman. “Can I catch a ride with you? I’ll sit beside you on the bench, and I’ll tell you where I have to get off.”
“Today’s your lucky day,” said the coachman. “No one’s using the coach, so you can ride inside.”
The traveler couldn’t believe his good fortune as he sank into the plush upholstery and within moments, he was fast asleep. He slept for hours while the coach followed a bewildering course of highways and roads. Finally, the coach pulled to a halt, and the traveler awoke. The sun was sinking in the sky as he rubbed his eyes and looked about.
“Where are we?” he asked.
The coachman mentioned the name of the town.
“What!” the traveler cried out in anguish. “I’ll never get home in time. We’ve been riding in the opposite direction!”
“Well, look at the bright side,” said the coachman. “At least your ride was comfortable.”2
The moral of the story is this: a comfortable ride is not much consolation when you are going in the wrong direction. And if we devote our energy to comfort and complacency, we will lose sight of our true destination.
We are disciples. A disciple is devoted to active participation in the Kingdom of God. There is no place for complacency. Jesus said, “I must work … while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work"3
Let us pray that the Gospel of Christ will continually transforms our hearts, and transform the hearts of all those around us. Do not be afraid to proclaim the gospel. Remember the words of St. Paul, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully… God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.”4 So, trust in God. Trust in God completely! Trust in the power of the Gospel. Let the Living Word speak through you! After all, we never know when the Gospel of the Lord will pierce through the hardness of another heart.
Let us pray.
O God , create in me a clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit!
Through the Gospel, O Lord, do not let us fall,
but through the power of Your Holy Word, let us rise with You!
Amen.
Baruch Hashem!
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