The kingdom of heaven suffers violence

13 DECEMBER (Mt 11,11-15)

John the Baptist is the only man in the world that was filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb of the Mother. Only the Virgin Mary and Jesus are born full of grace and holiness. The ancient prophets were called by God from the womb of the mother, but never filled with the Holy Spirit as John. The way is also singular, unique. He was filled with the Holy Spirit through the Virgin Mary.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of (the) Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” (Lk 1,13-17).

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1,39-45).

For this reason, among those born of women there has not risen any one greater than John the Baptist. He is great in the Holy Spirit and mission, which is unique. However, in the kingdom of heaven, the smallest is greater than John for two reasons: because the smallest of all is Christ the Lord, and also because with the Christian baptism one receives the divine progeny, we become partakers of the divine nature, we are body of Christ and living temple of the Holy Spirit. We really enter into a new economy of salvation.

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. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.

With the proclamation of the kingdom of God which is among men, we enter the new covenant. This is infinitely superior to the old one. It requires the total gift of the self to God, in thought, heart and body. It requires almost the same virginity required of the Mother of God. Firmness of Holy Spirit is necessary to adhere and his strength to persevere. It is a violence directed entirely against the self. We must deny ourselves.

For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the Lord of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays; And you will gambol like calves out of the stall 1) and tread down the wicked; They will become ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day I take action, says the Lord of hosts. Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I enjoined him on Horeb, The statutes and ordinances for all Israel. Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day, To turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the land with doom. Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day.

With the coming of Elijah, that is, of John that comes with the power of his spirit, the Lord does not enter into history to make the final judgment of condemnation or of salvation. He comes to operate the call to conversion in the faith to the Gospel. Who welcomes the invitation, believes, he shall be saved. On the contrary, who close himself in his thoughts and in the false or incomplete worship of his God, for this person there is no salvation, but damnation.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints give us firmness for the kingdom.