On the second and third Sundays of Advent, the gospel readings almost always focus on John the Baptist. So, this is really John's time of year! As we reflect on this Biblical hero, here are 10 things to consider.

One: John the Baptist is really important! John is the second most mentioned person in the gospel narratives, after only Jesus himself. John is featured extensively in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Two: Scholarly commentaries on the New Testament often abbreviate the name "John the Baptist" to JBap. Clever way to save space, right?

Three: John was Jesus' cousin. Luke 1:36 says that Jesus' mother Mary was a "relative" or "kinswoman" of John's mother Elizabeth. John was born about six months before Jesus.

Four: John the Baptist was a man of the wild. Mark 1:6 says that he wore camel hair, and ate locusts and wild honey. This is also an allusion to the Old Testament prophet Elijah.

Five: But John was also a man of the culture. He was not a hermit or recluse. Rather, John traveled around the area outside Jerusalem, preaching and engaging with all sorts of people. He understood well the political situation in Jerusalem, from the Romans, to the Jewish leaders, to Herod. Thus John stands between nature and culture; between chaos and order; between wilderness and civilization.

Six: He was bold! John did not hold back. He said to the crowd, "You brood of vipers!" (Luke 3:7). He called people to turn away from sin, to serve the poor, and to live righteously. John had his own disciples who followed him.

Seven: John the Baptist... baptized people. Well, obviously. But it's important to know that John took an existing Jewish purification ritual, and extended it. He even baptized Jesus. This set the stage for the later understanding of Christian Baptism, which is a unification with Christ and his death and resurrection (Romans 6:5-6).

Eight: John the Baptist was quick to 'recognize' Jesus. He first recognized Jesus in utero, leaping in Elizabeth's womb when she greeted Mary. Later, John the Baptist would point to Jesus and say, "Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

Nine: John died a tragic death. Similar to Jesus himself, John was killed in an unjust execution. It was Herod Antipas who had him beheaded, and you can re-read the details in Matthew 14, Mark 6, and Luke 9.

Ten: John the Baptist pointed to Jesus. This might be the most important fact of all. John's role – even as he had his own bold mission – was to prepare the way for the Messiah. To point to Jesus Christ. As he says in John 3:30, "He [Jesus] must increase; and I [John] must decrease."

Thanks for reading! May the grace and courage of John the Baptist be with you this Advent.

God bless you!

Fr. Matthew