13 December 2012 John the Baptist, an Advent Figure “Behold, the Lord will come ...” (cf Is 30:19, 30) The Saviour is about to arrive but the world moves on completely oblivious; remains in darkness. Only Mary knows, and Joseph who has been told by the angel. Christ is in Mary’s womb. The Jews still argue about the Messiah, not aware that he is so near. Few people are expecting the ‘Consolation of Israel’: Simeon, Anna. We are in Advent, a time of waiting. The Church proposes the figure of John the Baptist for our meditation. “For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah: The voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Mt 3:3) “John appears as the dividing line between the Old and New Testaments. Our Lord himself teaches something about John the Baptist -- his personification of antiquity and the announcement of new times. Representing antiquity, he is born to elderly parents. As the messenger of new times, at Our Lady’s arrival, he leaps for joy inside his mother’s womb.” (cf Lk 1:76-7) “John is called ‘the prophet of the Most High’, because his mission is ‘to go before the Lord to prepare his ways, teaching the knowledge of salvation to his people’.” (St Augustine, “Sermon” 293, 2) And to point out the Messiah. Although fully conscious of his mission, before Christ, John admits that he is not even “worthy to unfasten the strap of his sandals” (Jn 1:27), the least menial task servants do for their master. Later he would say, “He must increase; but I will decrease” (Jn 3:30). True sign of human and Christian maturity. He is only the voice that announces Jesus: his mission, his life, his personality. His whole being is defined by Jesus, as should be also in our own lives, who alone is important in the life of any Christian. As Christ gradually manifests Himself, John seeks to disappear. “This is the Lamb of God” (Jn 1:37) he says to John and Andrew pointing to Jesus who is passing by so that his followers should go after Christ. “John persevered in sanctity because he remained humble of heart.” (St Gregory the Great, “Treatise on St Luke’s Gospel”, 20:5) Thus he merited that praise, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Mt 11:11). Today, the Precursor still points the way for us. When we prepare others to meet Christ, we ought not to be the center of attraction. A desire to draw attention to oneself would leave no room for Jesus. We are also witnesses to Christ. The grace of Baptism and Confirmation gave us the duty to make our faith in Christ known through our words and deeds. We have received so much greater than John had: “The least in the kingdom of God is greater than John.” (Lk 7:28) Jesus is about to arrive. Is our witnessing forceful enough to convince whoever do not yet believe in Jesus; or have mistaken ideas about Him? Our family, friends, workmates, people we interact with frequently, must be the first to benefit from our love for God. With our example and prayer we should reach even people we do not have the chance to talk to. Our great joy will be bringing to Jesus the indifferent. God’s grace, not our human strength, can move souls towards Jesus. As we cannot give what we do not have, we must strive to grow in our interior life. The ‘Queen of apostles’ will increase our longing and effort to bring souls to her Son in the certainty that no effort is in vain in the sight of God. Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 1:57-63 ‘Queen of prophets. Pray for us.’ On the Divine Attributes The knowledge, beauty and sweetness of God Our natural understanding and acquired knowledge are limited and subject to error. Not so with God. He sees at once and without effort all that actually is, all that is possible, all that has been or will be; our thoughts, dispositions, and intentions, whether for good or evil, the most secret aspirations of our hearts. Recall the beauties of this vast universe. The firmament above us is studded with a million resplendent stars at night; in the day made brilliant by the glorious sun, that rises and sets with equal splendor. Around us are forests, valleys, and hills adorned with an infinite variety of trees, plants, flowers, and fruits; inhabited by every animal species of marked beauty in form and color. The beauties of our mind and soul, and those of the angels, if we could see them, would be infinitely superior to all created things. Yet all are but the feeblest reflection of the infinite beauty of God. If we could behold it for a moment only, nothing here would ever charm us more. We should see that nothing is worth loving but God alone. Sweetness is among the most beautiful qualities of man. It proceeds from God, the source of all beauty. He possesses it in infinite perfection. If He imposes commands upon us, he strengthens us to fulfil them by His powerful grace. He encourages us by the hope of an eternal reward; ever ready to pardon if we fail. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp787-9 St Lucy, virgin and martyr Patroness of the blind A native of Syracuse in Sicily, from her cradle, she was educated in the Faith of Christ by her widowed mother, Euthychia. At an early age she secretly made a vow of virginity. Her mother, when informed much later, in gratitude for recovery from a long illness, sustained her pious inclinations. This vow so enraged the young nobleman who had sought her in marriage and accused Lucy of being a Christian. She was imprisoned, but God gave her grace to overcome her tortures. About the year 304, during the persecution by Diocletian, St Lucy met her death by the sword. Ref: Rev Hugo Hoever, SOCist, PhD, “Lives of the Saints”, p507 • Our Lady of the Holy Chapel, at Paris. This image, which is under the portal of the lower Holy Chapel has wrought many miracles. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of the Holy Chapel (Paris) (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com) • “Notre Dame de Sainte Chapelle” (Our Lady of the Holy Chapel). Paris. Very historic chapel in Paris. Setting of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. ... (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)