Doubt, that feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction that something is true, is a natural part of life. Does that person really like me? Are my skills really a good fit for that job? Does God exist and if so does he really care about me? Even Saint John the Baptist had doubts. He was uncertain about the identity of Jesus. He had to send disciples to double-check: is Jesus really the one? As we continue on this third week of Advent, let us not fear the doubt but embrace it. On this Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, let us learn to push through the doubt and darkness so that through our struggle our faith may be strengthened even more.
Messengers from John the Baptist
The disciples of John told him of all these things. And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, “one who is more powerful than I will come or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.” Luke 7 : 18-23
Scriptural Analysis
Jesus has just performed two miracles involving people who were either dying or dead (7:2, 7:12). This sets the stage for a discussion about the mission of Jesus. John the Baptist, who is currently in prison, has heard of all of the things that Jesus has been doing. He sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus a question regarding his identity, “Are you he who is to come?”
In his preaching, John referred to one mightier who was to come, “One who is more powerful than I will come.” (Luke 3:16) However, this line of questioning that he instructs his disciples to carry out, indicates that John has doubts regarding the identity of Jesus. So, John, has his disciples ask Jesus if he is the one, “Are you he who is to come?” Jesus of course is the Messiah but he has not come in the manner expected. Jesus is not a conquering king for example. Jesus will use this questioning as an opportunity then to clarify his identity and mission.
Jesus responds first to John’s disciples with deeds. The phrase, in that hour, means he is literally curing people at the moment just as he had cured many of their diseases previously. Jesus is demonstrating his power to them. He then tells John’s disciples to go tell John what they have seen and heard. In other words, they can return to John as witnesses to the miracles performed by Jesus.
Jesus is very specific in his instruction to John’s disciples. He tells them to specifically state to John that, “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.” These words echo the words of the Prophet Isaiah that Jesus read from, in the synagogue in Nazareth, as he began his public ministry:
He opened the book and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4 : 17-21
Isaiah is full of prophecies of the final age when God will bring healing. Jesus is aware that John is likely familiar with this list so Jesus’s response is designed to show John that he is fulfilling these prophecies. For example:
The dead come to life, “Thy dead shall live, their bodies shall rise.” (Isaiah 26:19)
Those who are blind see and the deaf hear, “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.” (Isaiah 29:18)
The lame will leap for joy, “The lame man leap like a hart.” (Isaiah 35:6)
The poor hear the good news, “The Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted.” (Isaiah 61:1)
Jesus closes his comments to the disciples with a Beatitude, “Blessed is he who takes no offense at me.” This can also be translated as, “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Luke 7:23 NIV) Perhaps John stumbled with his expectations regarding the Messiah. He had spoken about wrath, “he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Luke 3:17) While Jesus will speak of wrath eventually, he is not found only in the fire.
Saint John Of The Cross
Saint John of the Cross was ordained as a Carmelite priest in 1567 at the age of 25. John met Teresa of Avila and both of them vowed to live the primitive Rule of the Carmelites. John was a reformer of the Carmelites and, as a result, suffered greatly. Opposition, misunderstanding, persecution, and imprisonment were all things he suffered as a result of his attempt at reform. John sat for months in a dark, damp, narrow cell with only God. He came to understand the cross.
More than that, it was during the period of aloneness with God that Saint John’s spirit came alive. He produced some of the most amazing poetic works including his brilliant Ascent to Mt. Carmel. His work shows us the cost of discipleship and the path of union with God. John, perhaps more than any other writer, beautifully captures the paradox of the Cross. Death leads to life, agony leads to ecstasy. Saint John died at the age of 49.
Daily Application
God had promised to send Jesus into the world. From the moment that Adam fell, his plan was put into motion. Throughout the centuries, the prophets foretold of the coming of Jesus. In great detail, they gave us a firm idea of what to expect. Despite this, people did not immediately recognize who Jesus was. Even John the Baptist, whose entire life was about preparing the way for his coming, had doubt creep in. He needed to send his disciples to determine the identity of Jesus.
This doubt is a natural part of the spiritual life and it will impact everyone at some point in their journey toward holiness. The question to ask is not, how do I avoid the doubt, but rather how do I handle the doubt? What should I do in those moments of doubt? Notice what John the Baptist did, he pressed into it. He investigated the identity of Jesus trying to make sense of things. He could have easily allowed the doubt to overtake him and abandoned his mission but he did not.
Far too often doubt creeps into our lives. Will God answer my prayer? I have been asking for him to assist with this problem for months and yet I have gotten nothing from him. Perhaps God is too busy for me. Maybe I just need to handle this issue myself. I dealt with this issue on my own, when the next one arrives, I won’t turn to the Lord but I will handle it myself.
This is exactly what the enemy wants. It is why he uses doubt as one of his tactics. In the quiet and in the dark when it feels like the Lord is not there, the enemy softly encourages you to give in to the doubt. When that happens, we need to resist. Instead, commit yourself even more to your spiritual disciplines. Stay devoted to your prayer and fasting. Remain dedicated to the sacraments. Recall those times when you felt the certainty of Christ and cling to that. Stay the course.
Doubt is part of the spiritual life. Don’t allow it to scare you, to make you think something is wrong with your faith. Rather, press into that doubt. Allow it to send you down a path of discovery, where your faith is deepened. You need the dark to see the light, the light of Christ that is to come into the world.
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