Day 13, 12/16/23: The Son of Man is Going to Suffer

"...the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands" (Matthew 17:13).

Jesus tells his disciples that John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of Elijah's return as Jesus' forerunner (Mt 17:10-13; Mal 4:5-6). And as they did unjustly to John [beheading], they would do to him (Mt 17:12; 16:21). The reason John was executed was because he proclaimed repentance (Mt 3:1-2), the message of "turning your life over to a higher power."

Aleister Crowley, an English occultist, says, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." But John the Baptist and Christ call for repentance (Mt 3:2, 8; 4:17).

Lord, help me to surrender my life over to a higher power, to the rock that is higher than I (Ps 61:2).

Second Week of Advent

Matthew 17:9a, 10–13

Friends, today’s Gospel passage identifies the appearance of John the Baptist with the expected return of the prophet Elijah. John, the herald of Christ, appears in the desert. Here he stands for all of us in the desert of sin, the lifeless place. It is as though John purposely went there to remind us of our need for grace. What is he proclaiming? A baptism of repentance. This is the great message. Turn your life over to a higher power. People are coming to him from all sides, because in our heart of hearts we all resonate with this message. So often in the Old Testament the prophets are asked to act out some quality of the people, perhaps something they were unable or unwilling to see. Well, this tradition continues here: John acts out for the people their helplessness and neediness before the Lord. But then, like Isaiah, he refuses to leave it at that. He announces that one is coming, one who will baptize in the Holy Spirit.