So many questions but the answers are LOVE

Listening to the Spirit

Lord God,
May we, your people,
who look forward to the birthday of Christ
experience the joy of salvation
and celebrate that feast with love
and thanksgiving.
We ask this through
Christ our Lord.

Amen

Listening to the Word

Jn 1:6-8.19-28

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

And 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 ad- mitted, “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 about 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

“So many questions but the answers are few”. This is part of the lyrics of the song, ‘So many questions’ by a Filipino band called Side A. This time of pandemic we too have many questions but few answers we get and find. One woman from a church organization asked me to prepare a recollection with a title, “Where is Christmas in this time of Pandemic?” She asked me in Tagalog, “tuloy po ba ang Pasko sa panahon ng pandemiya?” “Is Christmas going to happen amidst COVID-19?”. I gave her an affirmative answer. She continued “will there be another lockdown?”; “what will Simbang Gabi look like this year?” and she goes on and on…Today is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means Rejoice. We rejoice because the Savior is surely coming despite the threat of COVID-19. We rejoice despite our questions because God is not a liar, he keeps his promises. He will surely come.

Like this woman friend of mine, there were priests and Levites in the Gospel today who loved to ask questions. These representatives of the Jews went to John the Baptist to ask questions. According to a Chinese proverb, “He who asks a question remains a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask remains a fool forever”. Asking questions leads you to find out correct answers. John the Baptist was asked three questions by these people. They asked: who are you? What have you to say about yourself? Why you are doing the things you are supposed not to do?

John the Baptist is the person in the Bible who knows who he is and who knows he is not. He is a man of integrity. He did not claim that he is the Christ nor he is Elijah but just a voice. Somebody that prepares people for the coming of the Messiah. He is just a witness. Our world defines who we are according to what we do; what people say about us and what we have. John is asking us to have a clear understanding of ourselves not on what we do; nor dependent on the words from the people; nor on the money and the properties we have. We are more than what we do. We are more than what they say. We are more than what we possess.

If these questions will be asked to you right now, what will be your answers? Whatever will be your answers, I would say REJOICE. Rejoice because God loves you. He loves you not because of what you do, what they say about you, and what you have or possess right now just because the savior who is coming is LOVE. He loves you without ifs and conditions. He loves you.