Last Sunday, the gospel reading was about the Preaching of John the Baptist. This Sunday’s Gospel reading is the continuation of that scripture. If there is a big reason that we should be talking about John the Baptist when Christmas Day is just around the corner, I guess it is the way that the Catholic Church would want to emphasize the role of John as the forerunner of the Messiah. But despite his huge popularity, where even King Herod feared his name, John clearly pointed out that he wasn’t the Messiah who was to come.
Last Sunday, the Gospel reading gave a litany of names of the rich and powerful men during the time of Christ, including the Jewish leaders. Then of course, there was John the Baptist… a nobody who lived in the desert wearing clothes from camel’s hair and eating insects. Indeed, John was nothing compared to these great men of his time. But 2,000 years later, he is St. John the Baptist to a billion Catholics.
This nobody called John had a huge role to play in God’s plan for the salvation of mankind and that is to proclaim the coming of the Son of God, who comes to take away the sins of the world… so heaven would be opened once more. You can read this scripture reading in Luke 3:10-18.
“10 The crowds asked [John the Baptist], “What then should we do? 11 He said to them in reply, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.” 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do? 13 He answered them, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him, “And what is it that we should do? He told them, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone, and be satisfied with your wages.” 15 Now the people were filled with expectation and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah?
16 John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18 Exhorting them in many other ways, he preached good news to the people.”
* * *
This gospel teaches us that all sorts of people from nearby Jordan or Palestine would come to John seeking advice. Most of them are considered public sinners, like a tax collector that the Jews abhor, as they are Jews who work with the hated Romans to collect tribute. Soldiers too, (though the Bible did not specify whether they are the soldiers of the Sanhedrin or Romans) also asked John for his advice… and John’s advice was very simple…which we call today, “good manners and right conduct.” That none of them should abuse their power or be corrupt and never collect more than what is prescribed. This advice is as good today as it was then.
If at all, John never made any pretense that he was the Messiah and even told the crowd “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John also preached his humility when he said, “I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.” If this John, whom many Jews and Gentiles would seek for advice would say that he is not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals, it means that the Messiah who is to come is so great… even John is not worthy of him.
If you want to know more about John the Baptist, let’s hear it from the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ which was last Thursday’s gospel reading, on the Testimony of Jesus about John. You can find it in Matt.11:11-15.
“[Jesus said to the crowds,] Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John, And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
It’s no wonder that our Lord Jesus Christ himself clearly pointed out to the crowds “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist.” That’s because, first of all, John’s mother Elizabeth was not only barren, but old… so she could never have a child unless God himself gave that child.
Then the Lord proclaimed that if they were willing to accept it… John is Elijah that the scripture prophesied would return before the Messiah would come. That means, John is not just John the Baptist, he is also Elijah whom God has allowed to return after he was taken up to heaven on a flaming chariot. This is the greatness of John the Baptist.
* * *
Email: vsbobita@gmail.com