3rd Sunday ofAdvent Year B - 17/13/2017 - Gospel: Jn 1:6-8, 19-28
The Light
To be a truthful witness for the truth one needs to be honest to oneself; otherwise it is very hard for others to know s/he has made a truthful statement or just sheer fiction. Truthfulness is rather important in court for a judge to form his/her opinions on the matter and that may affect the lives of others. To safeguard the truthfulness of the statements made, the judge would require witnesses to make an oath that is to say the truth, all truth, nothing else but the truth and that is the best they can require of the witnesses.
John the Baptist came to the world to testify for the truth. He has gone further to say that witnessing for the truth is only an initial phase of his mission; the actual mission was rather an unusual statement when John said that he is a witness to speak for '' The Light'. When evidence is lacking people are summoned to be witnesses in court in the hope that they may throw more light on the matter in the open. Witnesses may be able to throw more light on the matter and that is all they can do. John the Baptist was the only one who bold enough to declare that he was a witness to speak for 'The Light'. It is possible to deviate the truth or say just some of the truth. However it is impossible to show half of The Light. No matter how small a light is; it can always show light in darkness and it generates heats to make it show even more light. The job to cover light is rather hard because a person needs to control both the light and the heat the light generates. Light gives joy to our eyes and lightens our hearts and that is why people who go camping would enjoy camp fires at night. Light doesn't invade other lights but will consume whatever on its way.
John the Baptist used the image of a light to talk about Jesus who is both the Truth and The Light for the world. When The Truth and The Light combines together it is undefeatable because The Light always reveals the truth. The second Sunday of Advent John was calling the people to prepare the ways for the Lord. This Sunday John declared he was a witness to speak for The Light. Those who welcome The Light will see the world in a new vision, their hearts change to a new way and enjoy the new life. It is interesting to notice that people who listened to John and believed will move forward to a higher level to welcome Jesus, The Light for the world; while people who refused to believe in John would go backward to the Ancient prophets. The priests and the Levites and their leaders from Jerusalem thought John was the prophet Elijah or one of the prophets returned. When they asked him to identify himself, John told them that he was not one of the prophets but he was the one the prophet Isaiah had prophesied:
A voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.
They pressed on as to why he was baptising since he was supposed not to do it. John replied:
I baptise with water; but there stands among you unknown to you the one who is coming after me, and I am not fit to undo his sandal strap. v.28
Learn from John to be a witness to speak about The Light. To do it effectively we need to do it in a spirit of prayers and joy and recognize the power of God's Spirit in our lives.
John the Baptist came to the world to testify for the truth. He has gone further to say that witnessing for the truth is only an initial phase of his mission; the actual mission was rather an unusual statement when John said that he is a witness to speak for '' The Light'. When evidence is lacking people are summoned to be witnesses in court in the hope that they may throw more light on the matter in the open. Witnesses may be able to throw more light on the matter and that is all they can do. John the Baptist was the only one who bold enough to declare that he was a witness to speak for 'The Light'. It is possible to deviate the truth or say just some of the truth. However it is impossible to show half of The Light. No matter how small a light is; it can always show light in darkness and it generates heats to make it show even more light. The job to cover light is rather hard because a person needs to control both the light and the heat the light generates. Light gives joy to our eyes and lightens our hearts and that is why people who go camping would enjoy camp fires at night. Light doesn't invade other lights but will consume whatever on its way.
John the Baptist used the image of a light to talk about Jesus who is both the Truth and The Light for the world. When The Truth and The Light combines together it is undefeatable because The Light always reveals the truth. The second Sunday of Advent John was calling the people to prepare the ways for the Lord. This Sunday John declared he was a witness to speak for The Light. Those who welcome The Light will see the world in a new vision, their hearts change to a new way and enjoy the new life. It is interesting to notice that people who listened to John and believed will move forward to a higher level to welcome Jesus, The Light for the world; while people who refused to believe in John would go backward to the Ancient prophets. The priests and the Levites and their leaders from Jerusalem thought John was the prophet Elijah or one of the prophets returned. When they asked him to identify himself, John told them that he was not one of the prophets but he was the one the prophet Isaiah had prophesied:
A voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.
They pressed on as to why he was baptising since he was supposed not to do it. John replied:
I baptise with water; but there stands among you unknown to you the one who is coming after me, and I am not fit to undo his sandal strap. v.28
Learn from John to be a witness to speak about The Light. To do it effectively we need to do it in a spirit of prayers and joy and recognize the power of God's Spirit in our lives.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia