John 1: 19-28
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Although we Marists are not called to baptize, we are called to "prepare the way" for Jesus, as teachers and model disciples. How fitting, then, on this 206th anniversary of the the founding of the Marist Brothers of the Schools, that we should read about this vigorous and fearless voice in the "wilderness" making straight the way of the Lord. That's who we are, that's what we do. May we give thanks today for this call and pray for greater fidelity and zeal in living it out. John is "our man" as much as Marcellin is. Let's follow them with all our heart and strength.
Bro. Rene
Heavenly Father, you sent
John the Baptist as the forerunner who prepared the way for the Lord.
Help us prepare our world to recognize Christ through our worship, our
acts of charity, and our fidelity to the Gospel. Strengthen the witness
of our lives so that we might lead others to Christ. We ask this through
the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Rev. Stephen Lacroix, C.S.C.
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