The scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church | USCCB
In our gospel for today we hear of John getting the
“third degree” from the priests and Levites. They see and hear that John is
attracting large crowds. These people that John is attracting are turning from
their sins and turning their lives over to God. Great crowds went to John
because he helped them to realize God’s love for them and their need to repent
and to turn back to Him, seeking forgiveness through baptism. They were seeing
in John something they didn’t see in the priests and Levites: they were seeing
someone who was open and honest about God’s love for them. Being humble about
who he was, he was openly admitting that he wasn’t the Messiah, the Christ.
John’s whole life and ministry was to bring people away from sin and point
towards Jesus Christ as Savior. He said in today’s gospel, “…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.” (John 1:23) A few verses after what we hear in today’s
gospel, John says of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29)
Each one of us, in our vocation as Catholic
Christians, are, like John, called to bring others to Christ. We are called to
live a life of love of God and of love of neighbor, and to point out Jesus to
those in our lives that may not be in relationship with God. We are called to
help others see that God, through Jesus Christ, loves each one of us. We are
called to help everyone we know that we are sinners and need God’s love and
forgiveness through the saving power of Jesus Christ through the sacraments of
baptism and confession.
John’s life was big and dramatic, attracting the
attention of the priests, Levites and all the religious leaders. He even caught
the attention of King Herod, who would eventually kill John for speaking the
truth about Herod’s sinful relationship with his brother’s wife. As a result of
speaking the truth to King Herod, John died. We may not be in a position of
facing death for speaking the truth about Jesus Christ being Lord and Savior,
but we are called to be open and honest with everyone in our lives about the
fact that Jesus is indeed Savior, and that we all need to turn to Him seeking
His love and forgiveness. There will be challenges in sharing this Good News
about Jesus Christ with those in our circle of family and friends, but that’s
what we are called to do.
One way of bringing others to Christ is to invite those
in we know to come to Mass and to experience the presence of Christ through the
proclamation of the Word of God in Scripture, and His presence in the Blessed
Sacrament. Let Jesus do the rest. Then we, along with those we bring to mass,
can say the words of John the Baptist: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who
takes away the sins of the world. Amen.
Deacon Tom, you have done a good job in relating the purpose of St. John the Baptist, as the precursor of our Lord, by his public announcements of the identity and meaning of the Lord’s presence in the lives of sinners, and their need to repent and be baptized, during the times of Jesus’ existence on Earth.
ReplyDeleteYou have pointed out that it’s our duty, as well, to follow in the footsteps of St. John the Baptist, by becoming the new evangelizers of today’s times, and inviting new souls to Church where Christ is waiting for them to become Lord and Savior of their lives.
I, wholeheartedly, agree with your reflection and explanation of today’s gospel reading. Well done!
Yours in Christ, Nilda V., OCDS
Yes,we are called to be like St. John the Baptist within the very different context of our everyday lives.
ReplyDeleteHis father foretold the mission of St. John the Baptist & our own mission at his naming, in the CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH, found in the Gospel of St. Luke & in Morning Prayer: "You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the LORD to prepare His way, to give His people knowledge of salvation and the forgiveness of their sins.."
St. John the Baptist went before the LORD historically, as His precursor. But we are called to "go before the LORD to prepare His way" in the lives of everyone we meet by the witness of our lives, by reaching out to help people (during my time of working in the corporate world of music publishing I was the "go to" person for band aids, aspirin/Tylenol/Advil, plastic plates & gift wrap), by our words, our willingness to listen to others, & by inviting them to Mass and/or a prayer group or Bible study.
A number of years ago I wrote an article about the application of the CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH to our own lives that was published in NEW COVENANT MAGAZINE. It was called A PRAYER FOR THE WORKPLACE.