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There are so many
amazing aspects to St. John the Baptist. As Jesus’ cousin,
and as the last of the Great Prophets, John makes his
appearance in our Gospel today. And John the Baptist comes
proclaiming his message that “all flesh will see the
salvation of God”. John the Baptist’s zeal and enthusiasm
for what God was about to do, was contagious. This fiery
preacher was preparing the way for Jesus, and getting
people’s hearts and souls ready for Jesus’ ministry. From
his wild clothes and his food, to his challenging call to
repent and be baptized, John the Baptist was changing the
world one soul at a time in the desert. But perhaps the
most amazing part of John the Baptist’s life and ministry,
was that so many people listened to what he had to say.
Thousands of people went out into the desert to hear his
preaching and to be baptized. When John the Baptist
challenged the people to change their lives and to “make
straight the way of the Lord”, they really did it!
Something amazing was going on out there in the desert. God
was at work. That first Advent, John the Baptist was
getting people ready for the Messiah. And John wasn’t
bashful, or ambiguous, or wishy-washy. He was in your face,
as we might say today. And still, the people listened! Not
the same old people who always listened, but suddenly all
sorts of new people were listening. Oh how many were
baptized! And how many did give up their sins! And how
many did change their lives! The people’s response reveals
to us just how amazing this Holy Prophet really was. Our
response is important. It matters. It matters a great deal
to God.
Today, at the end of
2009, we too have all kinds of people trying to get our
attention and trying to get us to do what they want us to do.
They want us to eat better. They want us to get more exercise.
They want us to re-cycle. They want us to buy their product.
They want us to save the rainforest. They want us to support
our troops. They want us to give to their campaign. They want
us to watch their TV show. They want us to wear our seatbelts.
We are bombarded with so many things that everybody wants us to
do. Have you ever counted how many times every day, and in how
many different ways, are you asked to do something that somebody
else wants you to do? Pay attention to it this week. Even here
at church: Give to Fruitful Harvest. Pray for more vocations.
Volunteer in the Food Pantry. Attend this adult education
class. Spend an hour in Adoration. Evangelize for RCIA. – we
have so much to do! And yet, John the Baptist really got
people’s attention. He got them to leave their nice,
comfortable homes and come out to the desert. He got them to
walk down into the River Jordan, to get wet, and to get
Baptized. He got them to change.
My brothers and sisters,
today the Church gives us St. John the Baptist, hoping that we
too, these two-thousand years later, will also listen to him.
John the Baptist’s call to prepare for the Messiah is one that
we too need to hear, and even more, that we too need to heed!
Two thousand years ago, there was an urgency to what John the
Baptist was saying. Today we would call it a “limited-time
offer”. Just like John the Baptist’s message, the Church’s call
to us this Advent is also a “limited-time offer”. We don’t have
forever. None of us do. It is time for us to really prepare
our hearts for our Savior. What could you do? What should you
do? How is God asking you to change your heart?
May God bless us this Advent
season, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…AMEN !!!
St. Maria Goretti…Pray for us
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