Breaking the Word

3^rd Week of Advent, Thursday – 16^th December 2021 — Gospel:  Lk 7,24-30

Rejoicing or Rejection

Jesus asked the crowd what exactly they were looking for. They did not go to see John the Baptist because he was weak or uninspiring. They didn’t rush to see him because he was wealthy or handsome. They went out into the desert to see him because he spoke words of hope and salvation. The crowds, in fact, were hungry for meaning, purpose and salvation.  They followed John, and their searching led them to the Messiah. They rejoiced at what they had found. In stark contrast, the Pharisees and scholars rejected what they saw. Their narrow worldview and hard heartedness didn’t allow them to see the reality in front of them. Those who accepted John’s baptism moved onto a higher level of existence by embracing the righteousness of God.  About him, Jesus gave the highest possible praise to the Baptist: ‘a prophet and more than a prophet, the messenger.’

3^rd Week of Advent, Wednesday – 15^th December 2021 — Gospel:  Lk 7,18-23

Heartfelt Question

John the Baptist, while still in prison, raises a sincere question about Jesus’ identity to two of his disciples who were reporting about what Jesus was doing. There are number of explanations offered to explain why John asked this question about Jesus. One reason is that John, after hearing the report from his disciples, was troubled by uncertainty. Another reason is that John expected the Messiah to come with emitting fire and venom, but Jesus was reaching out to people with unconditional love. This surprised John, since Jesus was not the kind of Messiah neither he, nor the people, ever expected. Another reason is that John was hopeful that the Messiah would come in Jesus and would vindicate his own proclamation. Or, John thought that, by asking such a question to Jesus, he could encourage him to make a public announcement so that all would know that the Messianic age had arrived. However, Unlike, other people who sought to trick or entrap Jesus, John the Baptist’s question was a heartfelt question. He sought the truth and wanted to know if Jesus was indeed the “one who is to come.” We see that Jesus recognized the purity of John’s heart and the sincerity of his question by his awe-inspiring response. Jesus never fails to bless seekers of truth.