It is said that it is easier to listen to a prophet than to live with one. The prophets are so obsessed with their message that they cannot relax. John seems to be no exception to this rule. He is demanding and unaffectionate. Still, we want to follow him for a bit, for he guides us to Jesus.
Everyone has heard of global warming. Scientists say that temperatures across the earth are rising. Those obsessed with the issue believe that warming spells disaster by the end of the century. They see the oceans rising to cover the coastal areas and dislocating billions of people. They anticipate stronger storms along with longer dry spells. This message is as threatening as John’s in the gospel.
John the Baptist preaches the need for personal reform with the coming of the kingdom of God. John emphasizes the negative more than Jesus did. For John when the day of the Lord comes, the unreformed will be destroyed like chaff in the furnace. But John’s message is positive and offers a way based on hope. Just as good environmental practice can offer relief for the future, as difficult and challenging as it may be, John is offering his listeners the way to open their hearts to the coming Savior being sent by the Father.
However, even to John, those who repent have a hopeful future. The first reading describes what this future will be like. It depicts the hope of Jerusalem at the end of the exile. The exiles will come from different places freed from both the scorn and chains of their captors. They will be singing for joy that they have witnessed the glory of the Lord.
Fr. John Kavcak, MSC