PRI Reflections on Scripture | Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel

John 1:19-28

This is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Reflection

It's hard to underestimate the importance of understanding John the Baptist. He's the transition. He occupies the liminal space between the Old Testament and New Testament, and he's using such an interesting image here. He's saying, the things that I've done for you are symbolic of what's to come. I've had a ritual of baptizing you with water, which is an image of being cleansed.

But then he reveals one is coming after that will not baptize simply with water, but with fire. And Holy Spirit. It's interesting, there's so many things in the Old Testament we can see as symbols of what is coming, and nothing is more clear than John the Baptist's role of pointed out that there is something so much more powerful than any prophet or any temple leader.

Closing Prayer

Father, it's hard for us to make the radical change that the New Testament invites us to believe in and live. And perhaps is because the things that are promised are so extraordinary, so beyond our imagining, that we can be transformed, radically transformed by grace, not by our own efforts, but by gifts that flow from the life of God. It comes to us regularly in his presence, blesses us with openness to that. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Kyle Cross