Third Sunday of Advent,Year B John 1,6-8 19-28

John the Baptist shows us what a person sent to announce the coming of the Lord should look like. He did not overshadow the person of Christ but illuminated it with his testimony: “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make the way for the Lord” (Jn 1:24).

At the beginning of the Gospel, a prophet named John is mentioned. God sent him to this world to bear witness to the light. John was a forerunner but also a witness who prepared the way for the Lord. Even before his birth, he was dedicated to God. From his youth, he lived in the desert, where he had time to think and a suitable place to concentrate. The desert is the most challenging test for man. The desert teaches self-knowledge, searching and recognizing what is necessary, identifying values, and searching for God and oneself. According to medieval artists, the one who carries the Spirit of God is not abandoned, even in the middle of the desert. For the righteous, the desert loses its terror. And it was here that John the Baptist developed a warm relationship with God. He could answer many questions in this desert, far from people. At that time, when John returned from the desert, the Jews were waiting for the moment when someone would appear and lead them to fight against the Roman domination. St. Augustin states in his meditation: “John was a voice. But the Lord was in the beginning the Word. John was the voice for a certain time; Christ has been the eternal Word from the beginning. Take the word – what is left of the voice? Where there is no thought, there is only empty sound. The voice without words reaches the ear, but the heart does not improve. But because it is difficult to distinguish a word from a voice, they also considered John to be Christ. They considered the voice as a word. But the voice confessed so as not to offend the word.” John’s testimony began with the declaration, “I am not the Messiah” (John 1:21). “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make the way for the Lord” (John 1:24). John pointed out the greatness of Christ, lowered himself to his feet. He said, “I baptize with water. Among you stands the one whom you do not know. He is coming after me, and I cannot untie the strap of his sandals” (John 1:27-28). “John saw where he would find salvation; he understood that he was a lamp, and he was afraid lest the wind of pride should extinguish it.’

We, too, have John’s task: to call to the desert in which we live, to the desert of hearts, thrown by pride and material sensuality, and to show Christ’s greatness with our humility and humility. This time of Advent should help us look inside, into our hearts, where we will find places that prevent us from accepting Christ. It is not easy to come out of your heart, from your inside. This requires great courage and faith in Jesus. Who will show us his interior, his desert? Yes, only by ourselves and with the help and cooperation of the Holy Spirit, by praying and preparing the heart for this great gift of announcing the good news about the Messiah. Advent is the preparation; before our proclamation begins, we must get to know Jesus personally. St. Jerome said: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” And it is through Scripture that we can acquire a warm relationship with God. After all, how could we testify about someone if we do not know him? Our testimony requires personal experience and living faith with Christ. People who do not live their faith, who are indifferent to the gospel, must look at us and see who we have put first in our lives. And that, of course, is Jesus Christ for us. Our witness requires us to be responsible, firm, and humble in our proclamation. We are not afraid to announce Christ always and everywhere, even if it is not to our liking, because God has entrusted us with a very noble task, which is to promote the message of salvation – the kingdom of God, Christ the King, without the right to be glorified. Every Christian has the task entrusted to him by Christ himself, to announce and give the witness further, not only by participating in church services. It would be wrong if our witness were tied only to the church, where we would pretend to be the most excellent “heralds,” and where we would be required to give the most excellent witness to the truth and Christ, there we would fail.
Our testimony of life must be the same in the church, social life, and in general with every person we meet. So that the words of St. Paul, who says: you know them by their fruits.
It is an exceptional distinction for us that we have this noble task. We have the honor of being allowed to bear the image of Christ within us. Through the witness of our lives, we can draw many to God. The world cannot give us what God gives us. It is essential to realize that everything we have and what we are is a gift from God.

We can also see the attitude of humility, not pride, in the following story:

Bernard Kolnago was once a wonder of learning, eloquence, and holiness. He was famous for his miracles and respected by all. This priest and religious was once asked by his superior what he thought of himself when praised by people and his extraordinary gifts from God, and whether he sometimes had a secret crush on himself.
“Listen, my father,” said Colnago, “if you had in your room a precious treasure of gold and precious stones, which some prince had entrusted to your safekeeping and care, would you be tempted by mad vanity at the sight of this treasure? Or, if others visited you and admired and praised the treasure, would you therefore consider yourself rich, and would you be greedy for it? What is good about me is not mine; it is the property entrusted to me by God. When I do something that shows the power and goodness of God, I think it’s like I’m representing a person on stage who doesn’t say or do anything of his own accord, doesn’t even act like that, but does what the author does or the theater director ordered her to speak and do. And therefore, I also believe that the great God’s honor and glory lies in this, that he uses me, such a poor man, as an instrument for great deeds.”

This story encourages us to be able to bear the image of Christ in our lives without so that we’re overshadowing his person. In the First Letter to the Corinthians, the Holy Apostle Paul makes a humble confession: “… by God’s grace I am what I am…” (1 Cor 15:10). Let us realize that what is good in us is indeed our work. Still, it is not only our merit, but, above all God’s, and therefore, let us try to proclaim it with our lives and words.
Dear brothers and sisters! Let the example of John the Baptist guide us. Let’s allow God to work through us. After all, it is only thanks to him that we are what we are. God invites us to participate in his plan of salvation. And so let’s all pray together: Thank you, Holy Spirit, for choosing and equipping me to carry Jesus in my heart and actions. Help me to be a vessel worthy of this precious treasure.