The smallest or the greater? The last or the first?
“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (cf. Mt 11:11)
This compilation is not about comparing, a kind of ranking of spiritual greatness. It is about expressing the total difference of the kingdom of heaven from the natural world as we know it. John the Baptist, whom the Lord Jesus considers to be the greatest of "born of woman", does not grow up to the smallest of those born of "water and the Spirit", as the Lord calls it in his conversation with Nicodemus. Earthly life, even in its noblest dimension, is nothing compared to what we receive from the Father. This truth can be expressed in the words of St. Paul: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,” (cf. 1Cor 2:9)
It seems that in this spirit we should understood the prophet Isaiah when he talked about the transformation of " desert into a marshland " and " the dry ground into springs of water ". What we experience here is a desert compared to the oasis of life the Lord is preparing for us.
Our thinking about eternal life cannot be reduced to an eternal life in happiness as we try to imagine. If we carefully think about it, any eternity of life, even in its most perfect earthly shape, would in fact be hell. It is worth being well aware of this! Eternal life, first of all, is different, completely new, the essence of which we are unable to understand. Pictures from the prophet Isaiah only try to present this truth to us symbolically. However, our imagination cannot reach it, so we should not even try to do it. It is important to believe that God Himself gives us a new life, so we have to believe Him and surrender to His transforming power.
One more thought:
The smallest or the greater? The last or the first? Human or God's measure? We can get lost in this list and in these dependencies. There is only one thought of Jesus: it happened! Accept that what the Father has prepared for centuries (painstakingly impressing his reflection and will in human biographies) has become flesh and fact. The wisdom of the Church suggests: the Bible is not to read, but to listened. So, hear not about the history, but about the present. Jesus also tells you: do not wait! Everything that God has prepared for man happens before your eyes. See it and live it! Here and now.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george