Search
-
December 13, 2024Jesus compares the people of his day to two groups of “children who sit in marketplaces,” playing make-believe games, who are rather fickle about what they want from each other. The argument has to do with whether John the Baptist’s ascetic way of life and discipleship were better or worse than Jesus’s “celebratory” spirit of welcoming sinners to repentance. In other words, Jesus’ critics try to create friction between those who followed John and those now following Jesus.
Yet, both John and Jesus focused on the same goal: Calling men and women to reconciliation with God. There was no animosity between Jesus and John. In fact, there was great admiration for each other and, from the perspective of John, great devotion to Jesus as the Messiah. John even directed his own disciples to follow Jesus!
Every person in the Church has an opinion on discipleship and devotion to the faith. There are those people in today’s generation who criticize the members of the Church for being inconsistent in our witness to that faith. Why do you spend so much time in adoration? Is it not more practical and effective to offer outward service to the community? Shouldn’t you be more involved at the local food pantry instead of always fretting about your regular participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? All of these are important exercises of Christian discipleship, and we should make such active and contemplative practices a reality in our own lives, regardless of the criticisms of others.
Whether through prayer or works of charity, both of which are integral to Christian discipleship, we should direct our hearts to the hearts of both John the Baptist and Jesus. They both desired that men and women turn back from sin and be reconciled to God. As we continue the Advent Season, let us offer both our corporal and spiritual works toward the goal of preparing ourselves and our neighbors for the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate image of God and man reconciled.
