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Third Sunday of
Advent
December 16, 2007
A few years ago the Reader's Digest asked H.G. Wells, the well-known historian, to select the three greatest men of history. The first thing Wells did was to decide upon a test for determining what made a person great.
After pondering the matter, he came up with a test, put in the form of a question: What did the person do to start people thinking in new directions in a way that eventually changed the course of history? Using this test, Wells considered a number of candidates. Finally he narrowed the field down to three.
He gave third place to Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher. He gave second place to Buddha, the great Eastern mystic. He gave first place to Jesus of Nazareth. In giving first place to Jesus, Wells said he considered Jesus solely as a man. He said he was aware that many people considered Jesus to be more that a man. But a historian must disregard this fact. He must judge Jesus as a man, "just as a painter must paint him as a man." And lest people think he was biased in choosing Jesus, Wells pointed out that he himself was not a Christian.
After reading Well's article, someone said, "I wonder who Jesus would have selected, had he been in Well's place?" Strangely enough, Jesus did make such a selection in his lifetime. And who did Jesus select as history's greatest man? We find the answer in today's Gospel. He selected John the Baptist, saying, "I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist."
If Jesus were to make his selection today, I'm sure he would pick John the Baptist again. A closer study of today's Gospel reading suggests two reasons why Jesus chose John.
The first reason is his personal holiness. John the Baptist's whole life was one of selflessness and self-sacrifice. The second reason is the role John played in the history of our salvation. John the Baptist was more than just an outstanding prophet. He was God’s own personal messenger, sent to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus.
After declaring John the Baptist to be the greatest man who ever lived, Jesus surprises us. In fact, he shocks us, saying, "Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is."
Let's be perfectly clear on what Jesus is saying. He's saying the greatest sinner among us, in this church today, is greater than John the Baptist. He's saying the least important member of God's kingdom is greater than the greatest man in history. He's saying that by our acceptance of him, which makes us members of God’s kingdom, we take on a value that ranks us above the most important person who ever lived!
The reason for this is clear. By our acceptance of Jesus, we are united with him. By our acceptance of Jesus, we become one with him. By our acceptance of Jesus, we become members of his mystical body, the Church, the kingdom of God on earth. As a result, we are joined so intimately with Jesus that we can truly address God as "Our Father."
An analogy might help us clarify how the least member of God's kingdom is greater than John the Baptist. Consider this example. The weakest voice in the world, when united to a microphone, is louder than the loudest voice in the world. So, too, the slowest person in the world, when united to an automobile, is faster than the fastest person in the world.
In a similar way, the least important person in the world, when united to Jesus, becomes greater than the greatest person in the world!
And so today's Gospel pays tribute to John the Baptist, but it also pays tribute to us. It says that John is the greatest man in history. But it also says that the least member of God's kingdom is greater than John
In making us one with his Son, Jesus, God has bestowed on us the greatest of gifts. And because God has given us such a great gift, he expects much from us, just as he expected much from John the Baptist. Jesus himself said in his lifetime: "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."
One of the purposes of this beautiful season of Advent is to give us a special time to think and prepare for the coming of Jesus. We should ask ourselves, "How well am I using God’s many gifts to me to grow in holiness and to advance the work of God’s kingdom on earth?"
Let me close with this Advent prayer. It is especially appropriate this the 3rd Sunday of Advent.
Lord, John the Baptist was your messenger who prepared this world for your first coming. Help us carry out our mission of preparing our world for your Second Coming. Help us evaluate how we are using your gifts to grow in holiness and to advance the work of your kingdom. Help us take to heart Jesus' words that "much will be required of the person entrusted with much." Thank you, Lord, for entrusting us with so much. We will not disappoint you!