Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

St. John Francis Regis Chapel, Regis University, Denver, Colorado

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew  17:9, 10-13

As they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples asked Jesus, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.  So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."  Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

When we were studying the historical books of the Old Testament, one of the homework questions was "Is John the Baptist Elijah?"  I actually thought that was a silly question until I tried to find the answer to that question based on scripture.  There are so many passages that seem to say that the Baptist is Elijah.  But in John 1:21, John the Baptist himself says he is not Elijah.

Please understand that I do not think I have any of these answers that great scholars have pondered over the millenia.  I am just beginning to ponder them too.  I love the Bible, and writing this every morning is a wonderful way to start my day.  I have my study Bible by my computer.  By my prayer chair are two other Bibles, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and a bunch of other books.  When you have summoned up the nerve (the gall!) to write about Scripture for all the world to see (as if!), I think you better at least try to get your facts straight.   It makes me take a look at this from a different perspective.  I guess the perspective of a regular student.  One who might be asked questions.

And that is good.

And now I shall get ready to go meet my running club for our regular Saturday morning run.  It is 30º outside, which is downright steamy for a December Colorado morning.  But it is still 2º below freezing and it is cold!  I will be glad after I am done.  I am supposed to run 8 miles this morning, but I am not sure I can.  I have run very few miles since my one and only marathon in October.  It will be good to join with my friends this morning though.  One of them is a Catholic and we spend a lot of miles talking about things Catholics talk about.  She is not big on going to church, but I think I am working on her.

And I have another non-practicing Catholic friend who called last night and asked me to go to mass with her tomorrow.  Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I would be happy to!  We will attend the church where I was welcomed so warmly and cared for when I was called back to the church over 20 years ago now.  And it is a church I haven't photographed before, so I will get there early to snap photos.  Something that makes me feel somewhat sacrilegious, but I love the beauty in our churches.

I am rather verbose this morning.  I guess that's what happens when I am not rushing around trying to get to work.

God bless you all.