Matthew 11:2–11
When John heard in prison what the
Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the
one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go
and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor
have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at
me.”As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds
about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken
by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes?
Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out
to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one
about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who
will prepare your way before you.’ Truly I tell you, among those born of women
no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he.”
Commentary
The Church brings John the Baptist, the
man who prepared the people for Christ’s public mission, before our minds
today, as an example that we should follow, even if only from afar.
John prepared himself for the task of
welcoming and introducing Christ to others, by a life of self-mortification and
penance. He told the people that the first essential for meeting Christ, and
profiting by his coming was that they should turn away from sin and give up any
evil ways, which hitherto they had followed. He himself practiced what he
preached and his preaching, therefore, bore fruit among many of his hearers.
Four of the twelve apostles became followers of Christ because of the Baptist’s
example and preaching.
John is calling on us too today, to
prepare ourselves for Christ’s coming this Christmas, by turning away from sin,
and by the mortification of ourselves in many ways. We are not expected to wear
the rough camel-hair dress he wore, and eat nothing but locusts and wild honey.
But each of us can restrain the excessive luxuries of the palate, in which we
often indulge, and use the money, thus saved, to help those who are short of
the necessities of life, in far too many parts of today’s world. Many of us,
too, could look through our wardrobes and find garments we can will do without.
These could help to keep the wintry blasts from our poor, shivering fellowmen
or women this Christmas.
Most of us feel touched, when we see the
baby Jesus lying, half-naked, on the rough straw in the stable. But to do
something for him, we need not wish we were there on that first Christmas. We
can do it for his suffering brothers and sisters this Christmas, and he himself
tells us if we do that we are doing it for him.
In repenting of our sins, the first
necessary step if we want to welcome Christ into a pure heart and into our
Christian homes, let our conversion and resolutions be firm, as was the
resolute stand of John the Baptist. He was not a reed that was shaken by every
wind, and we too must stand firm against the temptations of the world, the
flest and the devil, if we are to remain worthy of the name of Christian. John
the Baptist suffered martyrdom for his faith and convictions. Few, if any, of
us will be called on to lay down our lives for our faith, but we are all called
on to live for it, and with it, every day of our lives.
This may demand sacrifice nowadays, when
our permissive society derides and looks down on those still trying to live according
to the old-fashioned Ten Commandments. But we must not only be ready to accept
this derision; we must do all in our power, by word, prayer and example, to get
our erring neighbor to see that virtue does pay in the end.
We have much in this story of John the
Baptist which should help us to welcome Christ properly this Christmas. Think
of the Baptist today, and listen to the message he has for you. If you do your
best to put it into practice, the good, merciful Lord himself will do the rest
for you. He came to save sinners. He came to save you. If you cooperate and do
your part, you will hear, on your judgment day, the joyful words of Christ:
“You are more than a prophet, you are a citizen of heaven – a saint.” Amen,