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2022-12-11 3rd Advent ● Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 ● ● Psalm 146 ●● James 5:7-10 ● ● + Matthew 11:2-11 ● ●
Title: Whistleblower
[__01__] The reason that John the Baptist is in prison that he's in jail is due to his commitment to faith in God.
J-T-B
landed himself in trouble with the authorities for being a whistle blower.
Have you ever noticed that companies
and organizations have a whistleblower policy to protect those who might speak
out?
But in the land and world of King Herod,
there was no protection for whistleblowers. John the Baptist was a
whistleblower in terms of stating that King Herod's had an unlawful marriage to
his sister-in-law in which he had simultaneously betrayed his own brother.
As a result, John the Baptist, the
whistleblower, was indicted, arrested, thrown in jail, he will ultimately be
martyred by the king on whom he had blown the whistle. (e.g., the World Cup, the
referees blows a whistle for a yellow card or red card. That's what happens
ultimately, in the end to John the Baptist)
[__02__] This 3rd Sunday Advent, is also
known as Gaudete Sunday (Gaudete = “rejoice”). It seems that the “convict” and “public enemy” J-T-B doesn't have a lot
to be happy about.
It also seems that J-T-B, who so
enthusiastically identified Jesus of Nazareth, as the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sins of the world … that John is now doubting his earlier statement.
J-T-B sends Jesus a text … or not quite a
test message … but sends out his disciples as though they are DoorDash drivers with
this question: Are you the one who has to come? Or should we look for another? Is
J-T-B in doubt Jesus’ messianic identity?
Some Catholic commentators, including St.
Jerome, interpret John’s statement in terms of John trying to “discern” something about Christ
rather than to “dismiss” Christ. J-T-B is not “done” with Jesus.
In his questions, John was simply prompting,
or asking Jesus if he was going to do something overtly revolutionary, to
overthrow the government to overthrow the Roman Empire?
John himself asked this question, because
John was pretty zealous in that regard. John has this question on his mind. But
it didn't necessarily mean he had lost all of his faith or fidelity to God, or
stopped believing.
Similarly, you and I might ask questions to
prompt God to “discern” what is going on, Lord, are you going to
·
heal my loved one?
·
heal me of an illness?
·
provide remedy for my financial uncertainty
or my job uncertainty,
·
restore a lost friendship?
Just a reminder, these are some things that
might be on your mind or on anyone's mind. So John's question is not really an
ultimatum or a threat, but really a petition, a hope, a hope, just like we make
petitions at the prayer of the faithful.
What placed on the altar at Mass is not just
the bread and wine, but also your petitions are placed on the altar.
And ultimately, even though John the Baptist is the strong willed and loud whistle blower, louder than any referee at the World Cup, he allows God to work in his life and recognize that the plan of salvation is not about him, but about Christ, and that, as John famously says, "I must decrease, he must decrease." (John 3:30)
John the Baptist is saying this of himself. “I, John must decrease and he, Jesus must increase.”
[__03__] Recently,.
I had an encounter reminding me that I must decrease and he must increase.
I was at a hospital in NYC just this year –
in November 2022 – visiting a family member recovering in this hospital.
While there, I was talking with one of the
nurses who had come into the room several times and was very helpful. She was
also a whistleblower.
I was the target of the whistle!
This nurse,
paused, stopped me in the corridor asked if I was a Catholic priest,
recognizing my attire. We talked a bit
about her parish in NYC and then proceeded to share with me the difficult
challenge of working in a NYC hospital 2 years ago in the height of COVID
pandemic of 2020.
To this nurse and countless other nurses and
doctors and health care workers, we are deeply indebted.
She was warning me in a nice way as only a
nurse can do. She was like John the Baptist blowing the whistle, but she was
also a responsible, competent medical professional who was taking care of
someone in my family.
Reflecting on the months of March, April, May
June of 2020, she reminded me that for 6
weeks, not a single priest visited anyone in the hospital to do the Anointing
of the Sick or Last Rites.
I tried to defend myself by saying, Well, you
know, that was the law and massive prohibition at the time. But you can't
defend the indefensible!
Lots of people were barred from hospitals.
Perhaps I could have tried to break into St. Barnabas or Overlook Hospital with
like a Navy SEAL helicopter dropped in like maybe like Tom Cruise on Mission
Impossible. I liked that move when He suspends himself in the museum. That's
cool. But I could not walk through the front door of the hospital.
I do recall anointing and confessing someone
in full hospital gown in the height of COVID at a nursing home near here.
So the church decreased, anxiety increased
and we hope and pray we don't have to endure another pandemic.
That nurse was blowing the whistle. And
prompting me to consider maybe I could do maybe I should be doing something
revolutionary once in a while.
Is it not vital to patients -- to you as a
hospital patient you as a sick person – to have in person outreach not just virtual
visits on tablets. One friend of mine who is a doctor had to pick up his mother
at a nursing home --- not around here --
who was left standing at the curb for
her for him to pick her up. But I'm not blaming any one nurse or any one
hospital but just saying that what happened violated not only our religious
beliefs and our constitutional belief, but also violated medical ethics.
[__04__] I read
this from a doctor who wrote the following.
“At the
height of the pandemic, as the reproductive rate of SARS-CoV-2 reached its
peak, and with many hospitals reaching capacity, healthcare facilities changed
their policies regarding visitors; their presence was considered both a risk to
others and to themselves. There was also a concern that visitors would increase
the spread of covid-19 into the community.
In fact, if we see family visits as a form of
treatment ―it is well documented that emotional wellbeing affects physical
health―as clinicians, we might insist on this treatment, regardless of policy
makers’ intentions. [1,2] I, and many of my colleagues, have watched as the
most vital thing to a patient―their relative―is denied to them. ” (https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/10/26/michael-blank-visitors-are-vital-to-patients-mental-and-physical-health/)
I'm sure the nurse of this New York City
hospital would agree. She also told me that in the midst of the pandemic, not
being able to go to church in New York City either she drove to Connecticut, to
see a priest, who saw her met her on the rectory front steps or on the front
lawn of the rectory, gave her communion.
The body of Christ. Amen.
I'm glad she blew the whistle on me that's
beholding the Lamb of God.
I must decrease He must increase
[__END__]
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