by Fr. Jose “Joesum” Sumampong, Jr.
January 2, 2022
Third Sunday of Advent (Year B)
Isaiah 61:1-11 / Lk 1:46-54 /
1 Th 5:16-24 / Jn 1:6-28
A CHALLENGE TO BE WITNESSES
Word: Together with Mary, John the Baptist is the great personage of Advent. Every Year, the second and third Sundays of Advent are totally dedicated to him.
A liturgical hymn based on the Gospel sings beautifully this unique role of the Baptist: “Last of the prophets, first witness of Jesus Christ, voice that shouts in the desert and then humbly withdraws before the One is announced… this is your greatness and your joy, nor perfect in heaven. Witness of the Light, tell us by which way the Messiah comes to us!”
Indeed no other man symbolizes better this advent season. He is the last of the great Old Testament prophets. This man is the hyphen between the past and the future, between the “before” and the “after”.
The other three gospels present John the Baptist as “the preacher of penance”, but in today’s gospel taken from John he is shown as the “witness to the light”, that is the first “witness of Jesus Christ”. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. (John 1:6-8).
Witness to the Light! What better title could be found?
The word “witness” is in the Greek “martyros”. We should not forget that, in fact, John the Baptist was “the first martyr” of Jesus (Mark 6:27). Indeed, the entire gospel of John is built up on this scheme: the world puts Jesus to trial. He is rejected and accused. The trial can be summed up in this one question: “Who is He?” Hence, witnesses come up and give their testimony in the defense of the accused. The word “testimony” is used fourteen times, and the verb “to testify” thirty-three times. John the Baptist is the first witness to come up: “to testify to the light” (John 1:8).
And this is the testimony of John… “I am not the Messiah… I am not the Elijah… I am not the Prophet… I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”‘… I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie” (cf. John 1:19-28).
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Order: Today’s gospel prompts us to examine ourselves about our role as witnesses. Every Christian should be a witness of Christ. We see that the very life-style of John is what challenges his contemporaries. He is asked of his real identity.
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Realities: A missionary bound for India sat one evening in his cabin, feeling miserably seasick, when suddenly he heard the cry, “Man overboard.” On the deck above he heard the trampling of feet as the crew rushed about to locate the man in the water. “What can I do?” the missionary asked himself, concluding that he would simply be in the way if he went on deck. As he kept asking himself that question, he noticed the lamp swinging from the ceiling. He unhooked it and held it near the small port-hole of his cabin so that it might shine on the water near the boat. In a moment, he heard a shout above, “There he is.” Not until the next day did he learn that the light of his lantern fell directly on the man struggling in the water. With the help of that light they threw a knotted rope 10 him and pulled him to safety. A word, a prayer, a sacrifice – may be a little light to another. (Pastor Paterno, LIGHT)
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Direction: Direct, we beseech you, O Lord our actions by your holy inspiration, and carry them on by your gracious assistance, so that every thought, and word, and act of ours may always begin from you and by you be happily ended, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Traditional prayer to begin classes in Jesuit schools)