Today, the 3^rd Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete; the Sunday of rejoicing.   The Old Testament Lesson, the Epistle, the Psalm selected for today all speak to us of the coming of the Lord, in power, to redeem and restore His people and calls us to rejoice, secure in this knowledge.  Even the Advent Wreath, itself, rejoices before us, as the Light of Life begins to overpower the shadowed darkness of the unlit candles. 

As it begins, what a seemingly off choice the Gospel for today is.  We hear of John the Baptist, alone, imprisoned, seemingly without hope.  His mind has most probably been working overtime, considering all that has gone before and pondering in his heart what yet is to come.  Doubting.  Perhaps a bit afraid of what the future holds.  Not usually what we think of when we rejoice.  And this is surely not what we usually think of John; the brusque, cock-sure, belligerent prophet who even called King Herod to task for his sin.  Still, today, we see John’s most human side.  He questions, he fears, he doubts in secret.  How much like us John, the Holy Forerunner, is!! 

What though does John do with those doubts?  Does he continue to mull them over in his prison cell until his doubt has grown into disbelief?  Does fear paralyze him?  No.  As he is able, he brings those doubts to Jesus and asks for His guidance, His direction, His answers.   And how does Jesus respond to John’s questions?  Jesus presents John and us, the reasons for rejoicing.  He paraphrases words spoken through the prophet Isaiah, and replies,

“…tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.”

In effect Jesus says, “Relax, John.  What was promised is being fulfilled.  Your God HAS come.  The blind, the deaf, the lame, the lepers; all healed.  Even the barren-most earth itself will bring forth living, flowing waters.  You need not question, fear, or doubt further.”

Except for the reports of his infamous martyrdom, we hear virtually nothing more concerning the earthly life of John, with one exception; Jesus continues in the Gospel for today by saying,

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist…”

What an amazing statement!  Someone who doubts, someone who questions, someone afraid, is the greatest man ever born!  How can this possibly be?  How can doubt and fear be so approved, so rewarded?  Perhaps it is because of how John deals with them.  He sought out Jesus.  He acknowledged his dependence upon Jesus for the answers to life, (and approaching death).  John is both comforted and contented with the knowledge that Jesus not only has the answers he seeks, but actually is the answer.  John is so much like us.  But how often are we really like John?  With great Wisdom the Church today prays,

“Stir up thy power, O Lord, and with great might come

amongst us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins,

let thy bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver

us; through Jesus Christ our Lord…”

+Randolph