TEXT: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 11:2-11

For our test today, I have included verse 1, since it provides a context for what will follow in the Gospel reading.
 
Matthew 3:3 and Isaiah 40:3 declare to us that the Baptizer, John, was the voice that cried out in preparing the way of Yahweh.
 
Isaiah -- "A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!  Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!"
 
It is evident that he cries out in the same desert place, the same wilderness of this world, that JESUS (Yahweh is Salvation) came into as our Immanuel.  It is here too where Mary, the Woman, the Mother of the Church, the second Eve, will show us her Son, JESUS, as she flees into the desert, the wilderness with the rest of her offspring, (Revelation 12).
 
Yet, here is JESUS, our Lord and Savior, who proclaims through preaching and teaching in the towns the wonderful works of God in grace toward you and me, beloved of God.
 
1 When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples,  he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
 
Let us here these words of JESUS about John the Baptizer.
 
2  When John heard in prison of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to him
3 with this question, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"
 
My JESUS, in faith we may also ask this question.  Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?
 
It is not wrong to ask this question.  It is honest and true.  It comes from the heart of mankind, a heart that deeply longs for God, the God who alone may fill the internal void within that needs to be filled.  The heart within is restless until it finds its rest in God (St. Augustine).
 
John's heart desired to know God, the Messiah.  Was it a political Messiah that would come?  What is the awesome truth of the Gospel of God for the human race?
 
JESUS would tell John what we all would hear to the consolations of all the souls who long for God.
 
4 Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you hear and see:
5  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.
6 And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."
 
What do we see?  What do we hear?  What is the message of God for us?
 
I dare say that we now see this through the eyes of faith, because the grace of God is active to give us the faith we need to believe.  Actual grace comes from God the Holy Spirit that we might believe what is proclaimed.  What are the signs we have believed?
 
Go tell John what you hear and see:
 
the blind regain their sight,  -- the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light!
 
the lame walk, -- the lame leap up like a deer through the forests!
 
lepers are cleansed, -- leprous sinners are cleansed and made free from the power of their malady, their incurable disease!
 
the deaf hear, -- the ears of the deaf are unstopped, they are opened to the Voice of God speaking in Immanuel!
 
And, yes -- the dead are raised, for there will be the son of the widow of Nain, the raising of Lazarus, the little girl, but most importantly our Lord JESUS himself would rise from the dead and be the Resurrection and the Life!
 
And, there is more to come --  and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.  What wonderful news is this!  What glory for the "poor" in spirit.  The GOOD NEWS of the GOOD GOD -- JESUS (Yahweh himself comes down to men) is PREACHED to the POOR.
 
They are rejected by all, but, they are not rejected by JESUS, because God is Love . . .  God is Mercy, beloved!
 
And, there is more Glory!  --  And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.
 
Praises are to our Lord JESUS Christ that we have a Gospel that we take no offense in the words and works of JESUS.
 
So, John needed consolation from JESUS, as we must desire consolations.
 
7 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?
 
Was John blown to and from by every wind of teaching?  Was he pushed by the political forces that meant evil against him?  Was he not filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking with the power of Elijah?  Was he swayed by the world's system?
 
No . . .  he was a man of God.  He stood in the gap for God and proclaimed the word of the Lord . . .   He was -- that one who was called as:  "A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!  Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!"
 
He proclaimed in a wasteland, as a light that shines in darkness and sin . . .  in the chaos of a world running with the enemy of our souls.
 
The question again . . .  "What did you go out to the desert to see?"
 
8 Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
 
The world's princes are externally clad in fine garments of purple and loaded with money.  They have great houses and live for self.  They are truly in the spirit of the age.  They are alone in themselves, sent away empty, as the Blessed Virgin tells us.
 
God is the God who seeks the poor in spirit who will be filled, the lame ones who need to walk, the blind ones who desire to see, the deaf ones who desire to hear the words of the LORD JESUS, the "little ones" who want to know JESUS . . .
 
"What did you go out to the desert to see?"
 
I go out to see, hear, touch and receive the awesome Truth of the Gospel of God!  John pointed to him, because Mary pointed John and Elizabeth to God at the Visitation -- Hail Mary full of grace the LORD is with you, blessed are you amongst women and blessed is the Fruit of your womb, JESUS!
 
John leaped in his presence, as Elizabeth was overjoyed in the presence of Mary and JESUS.
 
What a wonderful Gospel we have, beloved.
 
Yet,
 
"What did you go out to the desert to see?
 
9 Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?  Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
10 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.'
 
Yes.  It was John the Baptizer who proclaimed JESUS as the one to come after him.  Yet, even the saint needs consolation in the trials before him with the Herod Antipas, Salome and Herodias.  The world will persecute, but, the world will fail in the end!
 
Yes, John was a prophet, but, by the words of JESUS he was much more.  'Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.'
 
How should we proclaim for such a ONE as JESUS?
 
How shall we live for JESUS in the world?
 
Shall we not choose to live as Mary and John, who surrendered all to God?
 
Shall we not choose to live for him who emptied himself and became a Man?  (Philippians 2)
 
Truly, there is exaltation by the ONE who is to be the JUDGE of all men and women.  In these words, do we not hear our own judgment coming?
 
11 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.
 
We have been empowered to do greater works than John the Baptizer, because we have received the Holy Spirit as the Church on the day of Pentecost!
 
Mary was there with the Church in the Upper Room.  The Holy Spirit came and the Church was born.
 
Are we not confirmed with this same Spirit when we are confirmed by holy Sacrament?
 
Yes, we are equipped and enabled to perform through the Holy Spirit and the graces of God what God desires.  Yet, it is each of us who must decide to follow JESUS through the examples of John and Mary and the saints.
 
Let us all pray earnestly that we might be enabled and made willing to be in Christ all that God has called us to in Christ!



Deus et Sanctissima.