“ He who is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. ”
First Reading: Isa. 61:1-2, 10-11
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn;
I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, Like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, So will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.
Second Reading: 1st Thess. 5:16-24
Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil.
May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.
A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites (to him) to ask him, "Who are you?" he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Messiah." So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?"
He said: "I am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert, "Make straight the way of the Lord,"' as Isaiah the prophet said. Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie." This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Reflection:
By Pietro Albano
If Facebook were around during John the Baptist’s time, his followers would probably have created a fan page for him. It may feature all his talks a la Archbishop Chito Tagle’s show, the number of likes per talk, and comments as well.
Yet, it is also possible for some people to create a page denouncing John’s preaching and way of life. King Herod, Herodias, the Pharisees, etc. would be at the forefront of such a page.
John, as we read in the Gospel, denied that he was the Christ, nor was he Elijah or any of the prophets. The first few lines of the Gospel tells us his role: the witness. Nowadays, a witness is such a high commodity because in that person rests the truth and from that truth justice and redemption are brought about. The witness per se is not the truth, but someone who has seen the truth.
As in the days of John, there are people who will be uneasy with the truth and would do everything for that truth to remain hidden by getting rid of the witness. John’s life did not have a happy ending – cunningly, Herodias managed to have him beheaded when her daughter danced before an elated and boastful Herod.
Like John, other witnesses to the truth have given their lives in order for that truth to prevail. The likes of Archbishop Oscar Romero and Fr. Fausto Tentorio ring a bell.
Pope Paul VI once said that the world doesn't need teachers, but witnesses. The same pontiff told that if people listen to teachers it is because they are witnesses.
We too are called to be witnesses in our own little way. It won't be an easy task. Others, though unable to kill us, would misunderstand us, ostracize us or stab us at the back. Let's pray that we'll be that new John the Baptist proclaiming through our lives that the Lord is coming and that "every heart [should] prepare Him room".
Prayer
Father, may we remain humble and take concerned people's words of encouragement and constructive criticism on board so we can be transformed into a people pleasing to You, a people whose lives would testify for You at all times. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
Tags: Advent, change, John the Baptist, witnessing
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