The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
Throughout the Advent journey, the Scriptures offer us several secondary figures who can serve as guides as we prepare for the great Feast of the Incarnation. In recent years, much focus has rightly been directed to the Holy Family. Yet, in the history of the Church, St. John the Baptist has been a key figure for the faithful. In the words of our Lord Himself, “there has been none greater” than the wild man most known for his interesting wardrobe, diet, and, of course, his zeal for the Kingdom that is to come.
John is known for his fiery words and passionate temperament, yet the foundation of his faith was built on a deep awareness of the presence of the Lord. In a world where we so often forget that this life is a time of pilgrimage, John remained steadfast in his awareness of the One who was, and is, and is to come.
From the time he was in the womb, he leapt with the joy and gladness we hear about from the prophet Isaiah. Yet, like all of us, John’s joy was tested. Some ancient writings detail John’s father’s murder by Herod’s men, forcing John and his mother to live in exile in the wilderness. This way of life trained John to truly depend upon God and lean into His presence—not just when it was easy, convenient, or popular. John’s circumstances allowed him to accept his own fragility and weakness, seeing them as the very tools he could use to pave the way for the One who promised He would save. Echoing the words of the Psalm, John’s life became a continuous invitation for the Lord to be who He said He would be—a Father to the fatherless, a Protector of the weak, a Savior for the oppressed.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, as we behold the contrast between the cultural “holly jolly” celebration and the spiritual reality that the things of this earth are but folly, may we look to John the Baptist and ask him to give us his patient temperance. May we come to recognize and rejoice in the presence of the Lord in every moment and every circumstance. Strengthened by that presence, may we accompany those around us with steady hearts, keeping vigil together for the coming of the One True King.
Allie Moroney is a Catholic writer and creative whose work invites others into deeper intimacy with Christ through beauty, presence, and truth. Read more from Allie on her Substack or follow her on Instagram.
