RBWords

     John the Baptist is in jail, put there by Herod!  But he is getting messages from his disciples about Jesus!  These messages are not about judgment by fire, etc. that John had been predicting!  But the messages definitely indicate that someone different was preaching in such a way that great hopes were being raised.  So, John sends friends to ask the big question:  "Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?"   Jesus' response comes out of Isaiah's prophecy [cf. the first scripture for today]!  Jesus doesn't say, "Yeah, I'm the one!"  He tells John's disciples to 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." 

 

     Pope Francis has recently published his "apostolic exhortation" entitled "The Joy of the Gospel."  He tell us in that exhortation to do the same thing that Jesus tells John's disciples to do.  Go and tell what you have seen and heard!  The third Sunday in Advent is called "Gaudete Sunday," which means "Sunday of Rejoicing."  Yes, indeed, the Lord HAS come!  Soon we will celebrate his birthday and know that he IS here, and we know, too, that he WILL come again!  Pope Francis charges us to be joyful missionaries!  He writes:  "A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love will convince nobody!" [#266]   It is not enough to put out the nativity scene and expect it to do all the work!  We must also proclaim what we have seen and heard!  AMEN