2023/02/20

79. Collaborator

In Japan, which traditionally has not adopted the eunuch system, the term "eunuch" in the following words of Jesus is translated as "one who does not marry" or "one who has become a bachelor": "There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it" (Matthew 19:12). But that is not the case. Indeed, Jesus is saying, "eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs." These words must have sounded poignant for his male disciples at the time because "eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven" meant Jesus himself (cf. blog, № 29). 

The advice above shifts the vocation of men from being collaborators of women, the bearers of human life, to being collaborators of the Holy Spirit, the bearer of God's presence, giving God and the Church a parent-child relationship. At the same time, men's vocation to be collaborators of the Holy Spirit gave women two new vocations (cf. blog № 70) in the special way of being called near the cross of Jesus as "Beloved Disciples" and gave birth to Jesus' "my church" (Matthew 16:18). 

The "Beloved Disciple" is the disciple who, like Jesus, lives his whole life as "eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven." Jesus bound his mother, who had become a collaborator for Jesus' birth filled with the Holy Spirit, and the disciple in a parent-child bond. This bond became a sign that the disciple would succeed Jesus' mother and become a collaborator of the Holy Spirit for the birth of the Eucharist. The Eucharist represents the risen Jesus because the bread and wine are the wheat and the grapes that once died and arose. 

The following passage is found in the Gospel of John's description of the risen Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene for the first time: "Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned and said to him in Hebrew, 'Rab-bo'ni!' (which means Teacher)" (John 20:16). From these words we can understand that when Jesus said, "But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren" (Matthew 23:8), in the Gospel of Matthew, the "teacher" refers to the risen Jesus. Now it is the Eucharist. 

Jesus continues, "And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven" (Matthew 23:9), and commands us first to see our earthly father as Jesus' brother so that we, gathering around the Eucharist, may become "all brethren." The true meaning of these words is expressed in the words of Jesus when his parents, having lost sight of the boy Jesus, found him in the temple in Jerusalem: "How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). 

Jesus further continued, "Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ" (Matthew 23:10). The word "master" in these words signifies the Holy Spirit, who, sent in the name of Jesus, guides the faithful and makes them like Christ. Thus, the words of God promising David, "I will be his father, and he shall be my son" (2 Samuel 7:14), are fulfilled between God and the Church.

Maria K. M.