GOD, in His mercy, has done great things for His lowly servant Mary, who is called blessed by all generations (Luke 1:46–48, 49–50, 53–54). John was sent by God to give testimony to the light, the one coming after him (John 1:6–8, 19–28).
His lowly servant
LIKE Miriam (Exodus 15:1–18), Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1–10) and Judith (Judith 16:1–17), Mary sang her victory hymn, proclaiming the greatness of God with her whole being. Her soul (her vitality and consciousness, her intellect and will) and spirit (her entire person open to God) praise God for what He is doing in her and to her. The lowly servant rejoices that the Almighty has looked upon her lowliness with mercy; His loving plan is not hindered by her littleness. God’s goodness, not her own piety or qualities, has made her blessed, and all generations will call her so, that, with her consent, a child for the salvation of all will be born.
Mary rejoices in her blessedness, acclaiming God’s power and goodness. Truly, God’s name is holy. He is holy and completely different, because He singles out the lowly, as Mary herself has experienced. From age to age, He offers mercy to those who are open to it, to those who stand in fear and awe of His greatness. God reverses their fortunes, as Israel has experienced in the past; the hungry in their needs are filled with good things; and the rich, boasting of their abundance, are sent away empty. Israel’s blessing is now Mary’s with God coming in mercy to the aid of His servant, in spite of lowliness and unworthiness, as He has promised in His covenant with Abraham and his descendants.
He was not the light
JOHN the Baptizer is directly identified as a man sent by God with a mission to testify to the light, “the light of the human race, the light that shines in the darkness” (John 1:4–5), the eternal Word of God through whom life came. John was not the light. John came to give testimony, “to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.” That is his relationship with the true light, which is to come into the world. He has been divinely chosen to bear witness to the Savior of the world who is soon to come.
John knew that he is someone people go “through”, not someone they “arrive at”. People are looking for the light, which he is not. Jesus himself would later call him “a burning and shining lamp” (John 5:34), pointing to “the true light, which enlightens everyone” (v.9), sort of a reflection of the larger light. From out of his own darkness, John was a voice crying out and proclaiming the light that is soon to come.
But to testify to our Savior
IN all honesty and humility, John admitted to the priests and Levites, who were sent from Jerusalem to cross-examine him, that he was neither the Christ nor the Anointed One, neither Elijah who returned to restore Israel nor the promised Prophet of long ago. John did not identify himself with any of these messianic figures. All he wanted to say of himself was that he was the “the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). In other words, he was merely someone preparing the way for somebody else.
His inquisitors took another tack and queried John about his activities. Why does he baptize, if he is not the Christ, Elijah or the Prophet? These personalities are obviously expected to make big demands from the people. John sidestepped them. If they really want to know why he is baptizing people, then they should know who the person is, who he is preparing for. He baptized with water only; this person will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8), for he is even the Anointed One with the Spirit of God. This one who comes after him and for whom he prepares the people, is so great that John is not worthy to untie his sandals. This Christ is already in the midst of those questioning John, but they do not recognize Him, because they are not open to Him. For himself, John is content to be His herald and His witness giving testimony to Him.
Alálaong bagá, both Mary and John the Baptizer believed in the marvelous plan of God for the salvation of all; both humbly admitted of their lowliness vis-ą-vis the greatness of God; and both testify to the power and love of God, who chose them to bear witness to the fulfillment of the divine plan. Midway into Advent, we have this Laetare Sunday—the Sunday of Joy, not only because Christmas is near, but also because the readings tell us of the joyous experience of those chosen and willing to be witnesses to the good news of God’s mercy and goodness.
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