This weekend, we meet John the Baptist down at the river. He doesn’t know how to love a little but entrusts himself entirely to the divine light of God’s grace.
A leadership delegation from Jerusalem arrived at the Jordan River, not to listen and follow John the Baptist but to open an inquiry to find out if any old biblical hero had suddenly descended from heaven; they had a list of candidates.
“Are you?” Followed by, “Why?” They choose not to listen but bombard him with questions; calmly, he responds: “I am not.”
In fact, the Baptist is preparing the way for One who “brought life and light through the Gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10), came and put splendor and beauty into existence. Born of Mary, the bright and loving Son of God walked among us, healing the frozen soul and washing away the heart’s rusting corners, making living more beautiful.
I surrender, then, into his hands with my wounded heart; I offer myself as bread, or a broken vessel that he will lovingly mend, a witness to life-giving religion.
John states that the world stands on a principle of light and not on the prevalence of evil, that it is worth much more to light our lamp at night than fall prey to darkness.
I want to be a disciple, the voice of the light, dispelling darkness and healing through forgiveness. I shout like John the Baptist to my city’s lonely hearts but whisper to the wounded soul.