Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: "I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John...." But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: "Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he" (Luke 7:28).
John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life.
His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His Baptism, he said, was for repentance. But One would come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John is not worthy even to carry his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: "He must increase; I must decrease" (John 3:30).
John was humbled to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. "I need to be baptized by you" (Matthew 3:14b). But Jesus insisted, "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15b). Jesus, true and humble human as well as eternal God, was eager to do what was required of any good Jew. John thus publicly entered the community of those awaiting the Messiah. But making himself part of that community, he made it truly messianic.
The greatness of John, his pivotal place in the history of salvation, is seen in the great emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself-both made prominently parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. John attracted countless people ("all Judea") to the banks of the Jordan, and it occurred to some people that he might be the Messiah. But he constantly deferred to Jesus, even to sending away some of his followers to become the first disciples of Jesus.
Perhaps John's idea of the coming of the Kingdom of God was not being perfectly fulfilled in the public ministry of Jesus. For whatever reason, he sent his disciples (when he was in prison) to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus' answer showed that the Messiah was to be a figure like that of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah (chapters 49 through 53). John himself would share in the pattern of messianic suffering, losing his life to the revenge of Herodias.
John challenges us Christians to the fundamental attitude of Christianity-total dependence on the Father, in Christ. Except for the Mother of God, no one had a higher function in the unfolding of salvation. Yet the least in the kingdom, Jesus said, is greater than he, for the pure gift that the Father gives. The attractiveness as well as the austerity of John, his fierce courage in denouncing evil-all stem from his fundamental and total placing of his life within the will of God.
And this is not something which was only true once, long ago in the past. It is always true, because the repentance which he preached always remains the way into the kingdom which he announced. He is not a figure that we can forget now that Jesus, the true light, has appeared. John is always relevant because he calls for a preparation which all people need to make. Hence every year there are four weeks in the life of the Church in which it listens to the voice of the Baptist. These are the weeks of Advent".
Today, and in the days to come, John the Baptist's message has meaning to us in the midst of the recent tragedies in our country. Orlando only highlights our need for repentance, reflection and commitment; commitment that can help change the face of evil in today's world. Not only for those affected by the events of Orlando and other places, but also in the midst of a very distressing political firestorm, we are called not only to prayer, but to act like Jesus would be acting today. How is Jesus responding to the events of Orlando and other acts of terror, hatred and violence? What is Christ calling us to do to battle the evil that exists around us? We are polarized by our politics and we are paralyzed by our inability to respond to the evil and violence that jeopardizes peace in America. Gun control, gun abuse, republican fanaticism, democrat fanaticism, terrorism and terrorists; these are all issues that are causing fear among us. How do we fight against this fear if not by looking to the example of Christ?
St. Benedict has said it well:
"Prefer nothing to Christ, for he has preferred nothing to us"
Jane A. Tomaine writes in her book St. Benedict's Tool Box : "When we prefer Christ, bottom line we choose him over another-his way over other ways, his self-giving love over a love meted out on merit or convenience, his expansive and compassionate priorities over our often limited ones. These choices, over time, mold us more and more into his likeness. Perhaps preferring nothing but Christ is just being Christ in our daily lives. We strive to do this as best as we can each day, responding as much like him as we can in all the many places and situations before us, ...a worthy goal for us all.
Let us prefer nothing whatever to Christ."
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of
darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of
this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit
us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come
again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the
dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen (BCP, page 211)
