Third Sunday of Advent B

John the Baptist testifies to the light of Jesus and his role as the voice crying out in the desert. He emphasizes the importance of testimony in lifting up Jesus before others. Testimony follows from the experience of walking with Jesus. The Word of God is meant to be placed deep within our spirits to grow throughout the day. Greetings friends, what a joy to share the gospel. To prepare ourselves to experience the living Word of God in the gospel, let's take a moment to quiet ourselves. If you will, take a deep breath slowly in and slowly out. Come, Lord Jesus, allow your Holy Spirit to bring your Word to life in me. May I hear your voice, Good Shepherd. The first step of the ancient practice of Lectio Divina is simply to read the passage. We read so as to become familiar with the narrative and to begin to open ourselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit carried on the words of the gospel. On this third Sunday of Advent, we read from John's Gospel, chapter 1 verses 6 through 8 and 19 through 28. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, who are you? He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, I am not the Christ. So they asked him, what are you then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? He answered, no. So they said to him, who are you? So we can give an answer to those who send us. What do you have to say for yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said. Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the prophet? John answered them, I baptize with water. But there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. So once again, our gospel places before us John the Baptist, who along with Jesus' mother Mary, is one of the central characters, personalities, if you will, of the Advent mystery. Here, very similar to last week's account from St. Mark, we have John's telling, which certainly possesses its own distinctive vocabulary and tone. The description of John the Baptist's role as one of testimony, for instance, is particularly emphasized by John. But he, like Mark, points to the prophet Isaiah as the theological backdrop to understanding the mission of the Baptist. Isaiah, too, is a central character of Advent. We read very frequently from the prophet Isaiah throughout this season. From the earliest centuries of Christianity, the book of the prophet Isaiah has been called the fifth gospel, being the most frequently quoted in the gospels of all Old Testament writings. In it, the first Christians saw Jesus' coming and his salvific death foreshadowed. This passage, the voice of one crying out in the desert, comes from Isaiah chapter 40. Chapter 40 is the beginning of the second book, or second part of Isaiah. It was originally spoken to the people of God in exile. We heard the larger context of this verse, I wonder if you remember, last week in the first reading of the liturgy. Comfort, give comfort to my people, says the Lord. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem. John the Baptist and his message of judgment can be stark and foreboding, yet his is a testimony to the one who brings comfort and who will lead us out of our slavery to sin and death. Turning to read the gospel a second time, let me invite you friends to be sensitive to how this message of the gospel, the words of the Baptist, speak to you personally. Become aware of a word, or phrase, or image that stirs within you as you hear the gospel proclaimed. Once again, we open ourselves to the word as we read John chapter 1 verses 6 through 8, 19 through 28. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, who are you? He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, I am not the Christ. So they asked him, what are you then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the prophet? He answered, no. So they said to him, who are you? So we can give an answer to those who sent us. What do you have to say for yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said. Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, or Elijah, or the prophet? John answered them, I baptize with water. But there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. This happened in Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. This brings us now to the second great movement of that ancient prayer form, Lectio Divina, which is meditation. In meditating on the word, we pause to ponder and reflect on what has stood out to us, that word, phrase, or image from the gospel that speaks most powerfully to us. What spoke to you? What speaks to me is the word repeated several times right at the beginning of this passage, testimony. The Baptist came to testify. This verb, this action, as a matter of fact, to testify, is absolutely central to John's gospel. It sums up, really, the aim of his gospel, to testify to the reality of Jesus Christ, the light who has come into the world. Indeed, he will make clear later in the gospel that testimony is the role, first of all, of the Holy Spirit. In chapter 15, verse 26, Jesus will tell his disciples that the spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father will testify to me. Notice, the Baptist testifies to Jesus. The Spirit testifies to Jesus. As I hear this, what it says to me is that to testify is to lift up Jesus before others. My words, my actions, all that I am about is meant to testify, to lift up Jesus, to lift up Jesus, to give way to the light people in darkness so desperately long for. In fact, Jesus goes on to say in chapter 15, verse 27, you, my disciples, also testify. But consider this, immediately he says, you will testify because you have been with me from the beginning. Testimony, you see, follows directly upon experience, the experience that comes from walking with Jesus, being with him. O Lord Jesus, I want to testify to you, to lift you up in everything I say and do. Please stir up your spirit within me that the spirit might testify to you deep within my spirit that I might know you and experience you intimately. Intimately. Friends, let me invite you again to sit with this gospel passage. What does it say to you? You speak in prayer to Jesus about what his word is doing in you at this moment. Before leaving prayer, be sure to intentionally place the word you have received deep in your spirit where the Lord might bring it growth throughout the day. And friends, it is a joy to share the gospel with you. Amen.