Terror

“ I have baptized you with water; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

First Reading Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.

Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God!

Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

Res. Psalm: Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

Second Reading Peter 3:8-14

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard "delay," but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.

Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought (you) to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth  in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.

Gospel: Mark:1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ (the Son of God). As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:  "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” John (the) Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Reflection
by Pietro S. Albano

If John the Baptist were a teacher, he would be labelled as ‘terror’. His lessons, though straightforward, would lack the antics often employed by his colleagues. Student may hate him or worse, lose heart of him for being ‘masungit’ (snappy) and ‘mahigpit’ (strict). Strangely, in the Gospel, we are told that people in droves come to him, to listen to his preaching, and be baptized. 

Indeed, we too could possess a similar prodding to listen attentively to our terror teachers/priests/counsellors in spite of their brutal frankness. In the long run, we develop some sort of ‘discipleship’ with them in spite of our differences. Why is this the case?

Perhaps it could be that, somehow and somewhere we come to realize how weak we are and would therefore need ‘someone’ to address those gaps in our life. Oftentimes, our failures shouldn’t be babied, but treated like adults. And this is where the likes of John come to fore: probing our inner selves, challenging our comfort zones and the status quo, rebuking us for our sins, ignorance, and slothfulness.

I suddenly recalled my driving examiner in the UK. Some people told me how grumpy and frank he was when administering the test. I have prayed hard that he won’t be my examiner, but when I took the test I was horrified to see him introducing himself as such. I told myself “Now’s not the right time to panic or be afraid. Concentrate!” He gave instructions quite fast. But I just kept focused and asked him for clarification every now and then. He would repeat the instructions, but he sounded irritable. Part of the test was to do a manoeuvre by reversing around the corner. It took me awhile to complete this as there were cars moving on both directions. He was growing impatient and was telling me “You’re not making any progress here” a few times. I took those remarks as challenges and finished the manoeuvre without hitting the kerb (whew!). When we returned to the test centre, he asked me to relax as he made some notes. And then he told me “I am pleased that you have passed.”

Indeed, not all ‘terror people’ will pull you down. The outside features may be cold or rugged (as in John’s case), but deep inside is that burning and authentic desire to whip us into shape.

Let’s take to heart the message these people would like to impart to us if we want to be better persons. Above all, let’s take heed of John’s exhortation as we get ready for the Lord’s Birth this Christmas.

Prayer:

Loving Father, You have sent us prophets, teachers, ministers, and leaders to form us into the people that is pleasing to You. In the fullness of time, You sent Your only Son to save us. Cleanse us from all that would hinder Him from coming into our lives. In His Name we pray. Amen.