Third Sunday of Advent [Jn 1:6-8.
19-28]
17.12.2023
The
Testimony of John the Baptist
1. Theme in brief
Bearing
witness to Christ
2.
Focus Statement
Like John the Baptist, we too
are questioned by people about our Christian identity and are called to give
answer by bearing witness to the True Light (Jesus) who is coming into the
world.
3. Explanation of
the text
Whereas the first three gospels emphasize more the prophetic role and ascetic life-style of John the Baptist, John’s gospel emphasizes his witnessing role. In the present text, though John the Baptist quotes prophet Isaiah (Is 40:3) and compares his role with a voice in the wilderness that appeals people to straighten the way of the Lord (1:23), later on he vehemently denies that he is the prophet (1:21). Today’s text depicts John the Baptist as the one who comes as a witness to testify to the True Light (that is, Jesus Christ) who is coming into the world (1:7-9, 19). In other words, he is presented as a model of bearing a powerful witness or testimony to Christ while preparing people to receive him. Further, the text implies that his role is to lead others to believe or put their faith and trust in Christ (1:7).
The second part of today’s gospel
speaks about the testimony given by John when the Jewish authorities send some priests and
Levites from
John does not project himself as the True Light or the Messiah, but points to Jesus who is the True Light coming into the world to enlighten everyone (1:7-9). In other words, he humbly admits that he is only a reflector of Christ’s light in the world. He contrasts his baptism which is only a ritual purification with water (1:26), with the baptism of Jesus whom he calls “the Lamb of God” because he is destined to sacrifice his life on the cross like the sacrificial lambs offered by the Jews on Passover feast. By doing so he will take away (wipe away) the sin of the world (1:29).
4.
Application to life
Since the word “testimony” or “witness” is adopted from the language of the court, we can say that the modern world has put Jesus Christ and his values on trial. The world says that many of his teachings are outdated, obsolete, impractical and too hard to practise, especially about carrying one’s cross, walking the narrow way, forgiving one’s bitterest enemies, etc. In the midst of world’s mentality, we the disciples of Jesus are called to defend him or his values. Our vocation is to uphold or to be faithful to his values just as a witness does in a law-suit. As we are in the Advent Season, this text tells us that the best way to prepare for Christmas is to become committed witnesses to Christ. In other words, by our witness to Christ we give birth to him in our hearts as well as in the world.
As per today’s gospel text, just like the priests and Levites asked John the Baptist, the world asks us today, as a disciple of Christ “Who are you?” Like him we also admit: “I am not the Christ”. When people see us practising some of the values or principles of the gospel, they might ask us: “Why do you do what you do? Why don’t you take a bribe; why are you so honest and advocate transparency in all dealings; how do you manage to forgive a bitter enemy; how can you live together in spite of differences in your family or community; why do you do social service; why do you deal with social outcasts; why are you not separated from your husband/wiffe in spite of betrayal; why are you pro-life so vehemently and always uphold the sanctity of life; why……why….. why….. ”?
Whenever we behave or act differently from the common or ‘normal’ ways of the world, people ask us: “Why do you behave or act like that? What do you say about your uncommon conduct?” As the priests and Levites wanted an answer from John the Baptist (cf. 1:20-22), people who ask us these questions also want to have an answer. Each one of us has to tell the world, “Because of who I am, I do what I do. Though I am not the Christ, I am his disciple and am trying to follow him.” But more than by our words or arguments, our answer is to be given in and through our deeds. We should be convinced that we are another John the Baptist bearing witness to the LIGHT (Christ, 1:8). In fact, as disciples of Christ we are God’s voice; his mouthpiece or spokespersons. Sometimes we may have to act as his loudspeakers. If we speak loudly for Christ’s values, especially honesty and integrity in public places, we may have to pay the price, as the Baptist paid. Hence, out of fear sometimes we only whisper in private circles instead of becoming God’s loudspeaker in matters of injustice and public corruption.
Bearing a testimony to the values of
the gospel in our deeds or action without using words is another aspect of
Christ’s mission, which is also the mission of the Church. This type of mission
is more relevant
in those regions of the world where oral preaching or proclamation of Christ is
difficult or risky due to religious fundamentalism, strong opposition or intimidation.
Whenever we behave differently from the rest of the people in offices,
industries, educational and other institutions, business world, politics,
family life and social relationships and even in religious communities, people
may ask such ‘why’
questions. In the life of all of us ever since our birth there were so many
John the Baptists such as our parents, teachers and spiritual guides. Whenever
they did something that struck/ impressed/ inspired us we asked them: “Why do you do or
say so?” When I was a little boy, whenever my mother used to pass by a church,
she used to make the sign of the cross, and I used to ask her why she did so. In
her simple faith she used to say that Jesus who was present there blessed her
way. She was like John the Baptist who pointed to Christ for me. Our parents
and others mentioned above prepared the way of Christ into our hearts by
bearing testimony to him and his values, sometimes even without beige conscious
of it. Now we must do the same to others. We are
called to reflect or radiate Christ’s
values and make God’s love present in our world as taught and witnessed by
Christ himself. In fact, our life proclaims who
we are and whom we represent.
Once I was invited by the management of a Steel Plant in my region to conduct a workshop for workers suffering from alcoholism which was the cause of absenteeism in duty. After attending several sessions and listening to the testimonies of similar men who had given up drinking earlier, some of the workers decided to give up alcohol. When they became sober and began to attend duty regularly on time (which was not the case earlier), their bosses began to ask them the same question: “How did you manage to give up drinking? Now, why are you attending duty regularly?” Christian disciples among them replied: “When we surrendered ourselves before Christ’s power and humbly asked him to save and heal us, we experienced his saving and healing power!” They became John the Baptists bearing a powerful testimony to Christ in an industrial plant before their bosses who follow another religion.
I feel, in the fourth gospel, the concept of testimony is closely related to its Prologue where Jesus is called the Word of God (1:1-2). Just as our word is an expression of what we think or an expression of our thoughts, so also Jesus is the expression of God’s mind. Through him we come to know who God is, what he really thinks or what his thoughts are. When we put on God’s own mind as revealed by Jesus, i.e. God’s way of thinking and loving, our thinking pattern/ thoughts/ behaviour/ action will quite often go contrary to world’s way of thinking and acting. When we read all the four gospels, we come to know from Jesus that God’s mind is that we show the other cheek (Mt 5:37-39, that is, not to retaliate or take revenge against our enemies); give our cloak also if somebody asks our coat (Mt 5:40, that is, give a little more than what is asked); walk an extra mile (that is, do a little more than what is asked); pay the eleventh hour workers also the same wages (Mt 20:1-16, that is, the undeserving people also); leave the ninety-nine good ones and go in search of the one insignificant lost one (Lk 15: 4-7, that is, pay attention to the deviant and problematic people). When we live these principles or values which are quite contrary to worldly ways, we testify to Christ by becoming other John the Baptists.
These are some of the values of Christ that are put on trial, those which go quite contrary to the worldly values. We become witnesses to Christ is various ways: when (1) we go against the values of the world and live a bit of Christ’s; (2) live differently from the rest of the people around us; (3) defend his values by upholding them whenever the world negates them; (4) live God’s thoughts as expressed by the Divine Word (Christ), or live according to the mind of God as told by Christ. The world may say: “This is madness.” As witnesses of Christ, it is indeed gladness for us as his disciples.
We, like John the Baptist, are called to reflect the light of Christ to those who do not know him. Like him we do not project ourselves to the world, but point to Christ who is the true light. Christ is not a monopoly of Christians only. As the Baptist said, among so many people of good will stands one whom they do not know personally (1:26). All those who work for communal harmony, human rights, justice, peace and become voice of the voiceless, may not know or believe in Christ or may not be conscious of his presence; but they too bear witness to him. By promoting and supporting their causes and organizations, we too can become John the Baptists.
5.
Response to God's Word
Does our life-style or behaviour make our colleagues, friends, neighbours and co-workers ask, “Why do you behave differently?” If yes, it is clear that we are bearing a good testimony to Christ. If no such questions are asked, it is also possible we are not living differently from the rest, i.e. we may be compromising with the worldly values. Do we have the courage and conviction to stand by Jesus when the world puts him on trial, and accuses him? If we do not reflect Christ’s values and have darkness in ourselves, how can we lead others to him? What is this darkness? How can we dispel it? Can we point out some areas of our life which are counter-witnesses to Christ’s values? How can we reform ourselves as we prepare for Christmas? Let us be sorry for the times we were busy only in ritualism, Christmas novenas, cribs, carols and external celebrations and missed so many opportunities to bear testimony to Christ in our own little ways.
6.
A prayer
Come, Lord Jesus. Remain with us as we prepare for your nativity and give us the courage to bear a powerful testimony to your values. Thus, may we continually give birth to you in the world. Grant that we may realize who we are is more important than what we do. By behaving differently from the rest of the people in our offices, industries, educational and other institutions, business world, politics, family life and social relationships and even in religious communities, may we prepare your way into others’ hearts. By our witness, grant that the world may know that we are your disciples. Amen.
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