I am generally not a superstitious person. Walking under ladders. Tossing salt over my shoulder and certainly no concerns about black cats (I AM a veterinarian after all). But growing up Italian often means exposure to an amulet known as the Cornicello. Though most of the time I knew it as the “Overlook Symbol”. When one has a sense that bad luck, or the evil eye (“malocchio”), is upon you, the overlook is used to ward it off. And when you are the victim of the overlook, you are said to have been overlooked, or disregarded (“essere trascurato”). Not an enviable position for a person to be in.
JK Rolling spent much of her early life poor and on public assistance while teaching French in her native Britain. Early attempts at writing novels were rejected by publishers. However, she came up with an idea for a set of characters in a fantasy type novel. Her first published work in the series was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Within 5 years of her writing and having published the book, JK became one of the richest women in the world.
Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team but went on to become what many consider to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
The Italian “Overlook” hand symbol
Today’s Saint, St. John of the Cross, was ordained as a Carmelite priest and was mentored by St. Teresa of Avila. St. Teresa convinced John to work with her in reforming the Carmelite order, which had fallen away from its original “Primitive Rule” after its structure was relaxed under Pope Eugene IV. One of the reforms put in place was the requirement of not wearing covered shoes leading to the reformed version of the order to be called “discalced” or “barefoot” Carmelites. John and Teresa endured great pushback and tension in their attempts to return the Carmelite order to its original form. John was arrested and imprisoned by Carmelites opposed to his reform measures. After escaping, he convinced Pope Gregory XIII to sign an order to separate the Discalced Carmelites from the Carmelites. John ascended to oversee the new order and within a year there were 22 Discalced houses. He was canonized in 1726 and made a Doctor of the Church in 1926.
In today’s first reading we read of Elijah. Perhaps the most powerful prophet in the Old Testament. He brought down fire from God to humiliate pagan gods, rose a boy from the dead and ascended into the heavens in a fiery chariot. Sirach wrote of Elijah in order to encourage young Jews living under Greek rule to reject the Hellenistic culture they seemed to be adopting and instead look to the heroes of Judaism.
In the Gospel, Christ’s disciples are clearly confused. They have come to accept Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah but Jewish prophecy proclaims that Elijah must come before the Messiah to prepare the way. And in their view, Elijah has not made an appearance in foretelling Christ as this Messiah. This conversation occurred just after Moses and Elijah appeared, with Jesus, on Mt. Tabor to John, James, and Peter. So what was the deal? Why was Elijah not running interference for the new “King of the Jews”?
Ah, but Elijah had come. There wasone whose voice was crying out:
“A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God'” (Isaiah 40:3)
John the Baptist was that voice. But he was overlooked by many of the “learned” of the religious class. Even though he clearly called attention to Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Son of God. He proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. That he was unfit to untie his sandal straps. That he must increase while Jesus must increase. And, “He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me” (John 1:15), even though John was born several months before Jesus.
Jesus then reveals to his Apostles that John the Baptist was, in fact, Elijah announcing His coming into the world. And John’s mission is now our mission. We are called to be ones to tell the world of the Messiah. Especially during this Advent season. Fill every valley. Make the crooked roads straight. Proclaim Christ as the Messiah to make the path to, and with, Christ easier for those around us. But remember, it is very likely we will be overlooked, essere trascurato, in our efforts. And in that way, we will be in very good company indeed..
