Today's first reading from the Book of Zechariah is short. It is powerful if some understanding of the historical facts that are referenced in the recording of words from Yahweh to the prophet. Amazing to me is this: the prophet was recording the words of Yahweh foretelling a future for the Jewish people while at the same time recording God's words for us and so many others in our contemporary world.
The words of Yahweh are a calling to mind the sins of the people of Jerusalem, especially the leaders. At the same time these words recall that God promised power and victory over enemies who sought to destroy Jerusalem.
Again the words foretell to people then about a messiah and his suffering and death. We are reminded centuries later of the price that had to be paid for the forgiveness of sins. That price was and continues to be the death of God's only Son.
In this short selection from Zechariah, we today are reminded that following the exploits of Jesus is a intense lifestyle. Exploits are bold and daring feats. So many of the events in Jesus' life are both bold and daring. From the moment of the Annunciation and Mary's "fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra,"[Let your will be done in heaven and on earth], to Jesus' death on a cross his exploits were designed to fulfill the Father's will for humankind.
Today we might consider some of these exploits of Jesus: Speaking so often about the sanctity of human life; the price that we might be required to pay to live live as Jesus and the Holy Spirit call us to live; accepting those who might be different; the teachings of our Church that are difficult and that distinguish us from other faiths; the challenge of contemporary culture to our vocation as sons and daughters of a Creator God.
In this short reading, we are reminded that God is the power that attracts us away from powers contrary to his will.
