Fr. Ben’s homily for Thursday of the 3rd Week of Advent
Theme: MORE BLESSED THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST!
By: Ben Agbo (Rev Fr)
Homily for Thursday December 16 2021
*Is 54 : 1 – 10, Lk 7 : 24 – 30.
John the Baptist was a great Prophet and much more than a Prophet. He had the truth of God on his lips and was able to speak fire to power. He had the eyes of God and was able to see clearly the Messiah. He had the courage of God in his heart and was able to challenge the immoral life of King Herod. He had the wisdom of God in his mind and was able to detach himself from ephemeral things of this world. Christ said no one was greater than he. Of all the prophets he is the one about whom other prophets prophesied and he is the only one that had the privilege of beholding the Messiah.
But Christ said he was smaller than the least in the kingdom of heaven. He was smaller than the least Christian. Why? He lived on his own principles, firm as a rock and not fickle like a reed but a Christian lives on the principles of Christ. He was on his own side hoping that Christ would come over and liberate him. Little did he know that the side of Christ is the side of the Cross. Abraham Lincoln said : ‘I care not if God is on my side. My constant hope and prayer is that I may be found on God’s side’. He lived an austere life but the disciples of Christ ate and drank because Christ was the bridegroom of the Church. He ushered in a dispensation of grace and mercy that was unfathomable.
What John did not understand was the level of God’s mercy and compassion. God’s 1st instinct is compassion. The greatest expression of God’s love was reached in the coming of his son Jesus through whom he made a new covenant of love with the whole of human race. A Christian who understands all these is more blessed than John the Baptist.
May God bless you today!