Messengers

Advent Day 12

Second Thursday in Advent

December 8, 2011

Reading: Matthew 11:7–11 (NRSV)

⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Theme: Messengers

Reflection:

What is the role of a messenger? He or she is someone who spreads the word that something has happened or is about to happen. Being a messenger is not always an easy job. We have often heard the expression: “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

When I was still working at AT&T, if someone walked into my office and started the discussion with “I’m here to tell you something, but please don’t shoot the messenger”, I knew that what I was going to hear was not good news—but usually word of some disaster that would shake up my week or even my month.

In the case of John, who is the messenger, come to prepare the way for the Lord, the message that he brings is good news for most people, but is still earth shattering news. It is news that the old order is going away and new order will emerge. As Mary sang in her song, “(The Lord) will fill the hungry with good things and the rich will be sent away empty handed.” This is good news if you are the hungry, but not so good news if you are the established order, otherwise known as the rich. John was so threatening that the established order, e.g. Herod, killed John.

We hear a lot about John during the season of Advent. It is easier for us to think about him preparing the way for Christ than it is to think of him as someone who shakes up the established order of our lives or changes our priorities. Preparing the way of the Lord is not a smooth process, but one that involves tearing down obstacles and raising up valleys.

In this Advent season, some of us are also called to be messengers and prophets. We are called to spread the good news that God came to earth and continues to come among us. We are called to spread this news to a world that is increasingly suspicious of anything divine. No one said being a messenger was easy.

Prayer: Incarnate God. You come among us and dwell with us. You call some of us to be messengers of the good news of your presence. Give us courage and strength to do this job. Help us to learn what it means to prepare your way. Amen