3rd Sunday of Advent –
Cycle A
Isaiah 35: 1-6a, 10; James 5: 7-10;
Matthew 11: 2-11
I'm
a fairly intelligent person. I consider myself well-read. I can
understand difficult concepts. I've scored above average on my
aptitude tests over the years. But I have one flaw that drives me
nuts – sometimes the answer to a puzzle is so blatantly obvious, so
straight-forward, that I can't see it. Today's Gospel passage
presented just such a dilemma for me.
Matthew
describes the scene where John the Baptist has sent his followers to
Jesus to ask if he is the “one who is to come.” WHY? Isn't this
the same John the Baptist that lept in his mother's womb when the
expectant Mary came to visit? Isn't this the same John the Baptist
who, on seeing Jesus walk by, proclaimed to his disciples “Behold
the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?” Isn't this
the same John the Baptist who witnessed at Jesus' baptism, the
heavens open up and the spirit of God descending like a dove upon the
Christ? So why is John so uncertain now? It didn't make sense to
me.
It
took a conversation with a parishioner the other evening to make me
finally realize what was going on in John's head. Are you ready for
this? John was having a crisis of faith! The very idea – even now
– boggles the mind, but it's right there for all to see. John the
Baptist was having a crisis of faith.
Of
all the people who knew Jesus, walked with Jesus, witnessed his
marvelous deeds, you would think that John the Baptist would
understand. After all, he was the voice crying out from the desert –
he was announcing the coming of the Lord. Jesus even said that there
had been none greater than John the Baptist. If John could have a
crisis of faith, what hope is there for the rest of us?
Remember
that John had been imprisoned for speaking out against Herod and his
unlawful marriage to his brother's wife. One moment John was the
talk of town – everyone was going out to him to be baptized in the
Jordan. The next moment, he was locked up – his ministry was over
and eventually he would be executed. Any person in his situation
might begin to question the truth.
It
can be the same with each of us. We sometimes find ourselves in
little prisons that are as real and confining as the one that held
John the Baptist. The young – you may find yourselves at times
confined by the prison of peer pressure, pressure to conform, to be
someone other than yourself. Adults – we sometimes find ourselves
trapped in a job that offers few challenges and little satisfaction.
Mothers and Fathers – do we not at times find ourselves imprisoned
by fears and worries about our children? Will they succeed, will
they have faith, will they even survive in this hostile world? And
as we all inevitably approach old age, our own bodies can become our
prisons. Bodies that were once quick and agile become slow and
frail. Minds that were once sharp begin to struggle to remember
things. As things progress we will be faced with declining health,
growing dependence on others, perhaps even confinement in a nursing
home or a hospital bed. These are real prisons – we should not
pretend that they do not exist.
So
it is easy to become depressed – easy to question our faith in God
when we find ourselves imprisoned by circumstances. In this part of
the world, Advent comes at the beginning of winter. The nights are
longer now than at any other time of the year. Cold and darkness
envelop us. All of this, combined with our prisons can make life's
burdens almost unbearable.
So
how do we muddle through? How do we regain our faith – our hope –
our perspective?
Jesus
said, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain
their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the
dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”
The
church does not promise us that Advent will tear down our prison
walls. It teaches us that the light of Christ will penetrate any
darkness. The light of Christ will come to us in any prison where we
may find ourselves. No walls, bars or locked doors can keep out the
light of Christ. The prisons that held John the Baptist, St. Peter,
St. Paul, St. John of the Cross, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day,
Nelson Mandela – not one of them could keep out the light of
Christ. And if Christ can be found in such prisons, surely he will
be found in our lives this Advent season, if we let him.
Jesus
sent disciples to John in prison to proclaim the good news. Today,
each of us are disciples of Christ. Each of us must testify to the
light that is Jesus Christ. Each of us must carry that good news to
others.
So
rejoice this third Sunday of Advent. Light that rose candle and
await the dawn. The darkness has forever lost its power. Jesus is
with us.
Deacon Darryl J. Diemer
Third Sunday In Advent
December 15, 2013
Painting:
Giovanni de Paolo (c. 1399-1482)
St. John The Baptist In Prison Visited By Two Disciples (1455/60)
