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December 15, 2022“. . . no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28)
I grew up in Arizona. Desert country. Every third week of Advent, Jesus’ high praise of his desert-denizen-cousin prompted me to question my preference for religious leaders who dress respectably and publish prolifically. Was it only John’s distasteful (pun intended) diet and attire that were off-putting? Frankly, no. The baptizer’s fearless calls for reform, issued with soul searing specificity to rulers, soldiers, everyone, led to his beheading. I, a Dominican woman who seeks to live in Truth, was not ready for a martyr’s death.
Digging deeper, why would I resist John’s personal challenge to me? I didn’t want to put to death my ideas of how things should be. However, nearing the end of my seventh decade of Advents, I can attest to the sweetness of the Word that John heralded. Its flavor and healing powers far surpass the honey John dined upon. I have learned to “pray my life and live my prayer” in greater fidelity to our Dominican charism.
What about you? What about this messenger from God who is not the Bridegroom, who knows the One to come is greater than himself, repels you? How might Jesus’ praise of John foster your greatness within the Kingdom of God?
