What are you searching for? Is there someone you are searching for? What do you seek? Advent is a season of anticipation, or longing for the arrival, the arrival of whom? A baby born in a stable? Some guy who said he would return again at the end of time? Or is there something far greater that we seek, that we wait for, that we hope for? Why do we hold this season of Advent and the Christmas season so dear? We do so because written in each and every human heart is a longing for God. We may not always acknowledge it, but it is there. So like the wisemen we follow the signs and search for him. As our Christmas celebration draws near let us ask for the grace to seek at to find God always.
Messengers from John the Baptist – Continued
When the messengers of John had gone, he began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.’ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) Luke 7 : 24-30
Scriptural Analysis
Jesus has just handled the questions concerning his identity raised by the disciples of John the Baptist. He has sent them back to John with instructions to report all that they had seen. Jesus now turns to the crowd and asks a series of questions to reveal the identity of John the Baptist.
Jesus will explain the mission of John by pointing to the scriptures. John had drawn people from all around out into the wilderness: some from a great distance. This was not a small accomplishment. Surely there was something that intrigued the people. There was something about either John himself or his message that called to people and motivated them to travel in a time when travel was not easy.
Jesus asks if they came out to see a “reed shaken by the wind?” This is a way to describe a people pleaser which John was not. He spoke the truth even when it got him in jail. He asked if they are to see a man clothed in soft raiment. John most definitely was not dressed in fine clothes instead wearing garments made of camel’s hair, “John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist.” (Mark 1:6)
Both of these questions are also designed to contrast John with his enemy, Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. In the year AD 20, Herod had coins minted to mark the founding of his new capital city, Tiberias. He built one of his royal palaces there. The coins featured the image of a reed on them. The image of a reed blowing in the wind also suggests the wavering character of Herod. With regards to soft raiment, the Gospel records the fine garments of Herod when he mockingly clothed Jesus.
Finally, Jesus asks if the people came to see a prophet. This description of John was accurate yet Jesus says John’s more than a prophet. He was the one who would serve as the precursor to the Messiah. Additionally, the mission of John himself was also the fulfillment of prophecy.
There are two prophecies pointing to John the Baptist. The first, is from Exodus, “I send an angel before you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.” (Exodus 23:20). The second is from the prophet Malachi, “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.” (Malachi 3:1). John is to lead people to a new promised land: the promised land of redemption. There they will encounter the Lord.
The context of the passage fromo Malachi recalls the figure Elijah. This points to the fact that, John is the new Elijah. It was said that Elijah, “Wore a garment of haircloth, with a girdle of leather about his loins.” (2 Kings 1:8) Additionally, his mission is transferred at the Jordan just like Elijah’s mission was handed to Elisha at the Jordan, “Pray you; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” (2 Kings 2:6-12)
Jesus then tells us that no one born of woman is greater than John. In the age of the law and prophets, the age before Jesus, that is most definitely true. However, the coming of Jesus marks the coming of the kingdom of God. In the Kingdom of God, it is grace, not the law that marks membership. So, even the least in the kingdom is greater than John.
There is then a parenthetical comment by Luke n the text which explains the difference in the responses to John. There are those who listened, the tax collectors for example. They acknowledge the righteousness of God and his plan in John the Baptist. They respond to his call to repentance and were baptized. The opposite response was exhibited by the Pharisees and scholars of the law. They rejected God’s plan manifested in John’s ministry.
Daily Application
The people went out to the desert to see John the Baptist. I am sure some of them went into the desert to see John out of simple curiosity. They had heard tales of this crazy guy and wanted to see him for themselves. The religious leaders went out trying to determine if this guy was a threat to their status and power. Many went out because John spoke something that touched them. There was a longing that they had in their heart, a longing for God and it was stirred up by John.
To understand this string it is necessary to return once again to the master himself, St. Augustine. His famous explanation for the human heart summarizes so beautifully why most people sought out John the Baptist. In his masterpiece Confessions, he writes, “For Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” The most fundamental truth of human existence is that written on each and every human heart, by their creator, is a longing to be in relationship with their creator.
Humans can try to ignore this longing. They can try and replace this desire for God with some other desire. This can take them down the path of trying to fill that longing with different vices. However, none of these will satisfy that longing. The only thing that will, the only way one can ever have true peace is if they rest in God, if they remain in relationship with God. Nothing can ever substitute for it. Yet sadly, we know many people will spend a lifetime trying to fill that longing with something else.
Our job is to be like John the Baptist. We need to point people to Christ. We of course can do this with our words but one of the most powerful ways to draw people into a conversation about God is through the way we live our lives. A life lived simply, authentically, and peacefully, with God always at the center, will draw people in. We do more to advance the kingdom by living an authentically Catholic life than anything else we can do. That is also the life that will draw people in, that will make those who are seeking take note, and ask what it is that you have found.
As Christmas draws ever closer and we anticipate the coming of our savior let us pray for those who do not know the peace that comes from Christ. Let us also ask God to give us the grace we need so that we can be lights for those people, pointing them in the right direction. May the Lord use us always to bring others to him.
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