The Third Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2022

Matthew 11, 2–11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”  As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

John the Baptist, for years a fiery scourge lashing out against sin, injustice, and the corrupt in high places, now sits in Herod’s dungeon.  He knows his time on earth is rapidly closing.  He spends his days in prayer and in conversing with his persevering followers who visit.  Now and then, Herod himself comes, for “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man: and kept him in his mind, and when he heard him, wondered much: but he heard him gladly” (Mark 6, 20).  This in spite of the fact that he had imprisoned John for rebuking him for his invalid marriage to his dead brother’s widow.

Into this dungeon filtered news of the words and deeds of Jesus of Nazareth, and John eagerly listened to it.  It delighted him to hear of the preaching of the Kingdom of God, for he knew that the salvation of Israel was near.  And in the midst of his physical sufferings, he was consoled in knowing that he had helped to prepare the way for the Savior.  He could truly say, as St. Paul would say many years later, “For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. ” (2 Timothy 6-7).  Still, one work remained to do: to send off the last of his disciples to the Lord Jesus.  They would not go easily.  Many clung to him even in his imprisonment.  Some had assisted him for years.  But sending them to Jesus would be the greatest gift he could give them, for it was for Jesus that he had come.

He sent his most trustworthy, stalwart disciples to the Lord with a question which was for their own benefit: “Are you the one who is to come or do we await another?”  The Lord replied with an answer equally for their benefit: “The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them.”  As if to say to John’s disciples, See with your own eyes.

It is after these disciples leave that Jesus speaks in praise of John: “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist.”  This statement must have raised the eyebrows of his hearers, for Jesus named John ahead of Abraham, Moses, and the Prophets.  It was a sort of blasphemy.  The Lord then coupled this with, “Yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”  St. Jerome explains that any saint already in heaven is in every way “greater” than even the “greatest” living on the earth: happier, more agile, wiser, immortal, and so on.  Jesus speaks in this way using the very great John whom the people continue to esteem, to teach about the Kingdom to which they were also called. 

Just as John the Baptist’s followers needed to understand that the Christ, concerning whom their master had taught, had come, so the people around us need to know that the Christ is coming again, and so we point to the Holy Church, who enables those blind due to their self absorption to see their sinfulness and their need to repent; who causes those lame through idleness and addiction to become vigorous workers for God’s cause; who heals those as filthy with sin as lepers are with their sores by forgiving their offenses; who preaches so that those deaf due to their pursuit of pleasure can hear the word of God; who raises those dead in sin and despair to life.  And we who are members of this Church ought to take part in these works also, according to God’s calling.