WE hear about the coming of John the Baptist and his announcement of the Messiah, Jesus. The “light” in the beginning of this passage refers to Jesus, the eternal Word of God. This Gospel makes clear that John is not the Messiah but came to prepare the way for Jesus, the Christ.
People were wondering about the identity of John. He was certainly creating quite a stir by his preaching and baptising. The Jews were expecting the Messiah to come, so they wondered if John might be him.
He did not want in any way to take away attention from Jesus. He was not the focus. Rather, his role was to help the people be ready for the Messiah. Jesus had grown up among the people but his true identity as the Messiah was not revealed until his baptism by John and his following public ministry.
John acknowledged the greatness of Jesus and announced his coming, calling the people to repent so their hearts would be ready to encounter God in the flesh. In a similar way, we are called to prepare our hearts during Advent through repentance as we prepare to encounter Christ in Christmas.
True joy ultimately comes through following God’s will for our lives. It is only in obedience to God, who knows what is best for us, that we will find true fulfilment. In what areas of your life do you need to listen more carefully to God and follow His will more fully? Take action today.