Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 2, 2024
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.
“Who are you?” This question posed to John resonates at profound levels, for it is the question implicitly asked of us by all who encounter us. Indeed, it is the question we ask ourselves in moments of great import when a fork in the road opens, and we know what we choose next will define us. How would you answer it? Who are you? John replied: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord!’”
What would it mean to understand your identity as fundamentally defined by Jesus, to live in a way that gradually is more defined by him? It is easy to misinterpret John’s answer to the question as a calling to denigrate oneself, to think oneself unimportant, and to think only of Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Remember that, according to Luke’s Gospel, John is the one who leaped for joy in his mother’s womb when he encountered his cousin Jesus in Mary’s womb. John defines himself in light of Jesus because Jesus brought him a joy so elemental that it shook him in the womb before he could even understand this joy and its source. And joy does not take away our identity; it fulfills it.
John’s life as an extraordinary ascetic has its roots in that infant joy. The joy of Jesus drove him to sacrifice much, so that even in the desert, he could make a thousand flowers bloom for others in repentance. Where in your life has Jesus brought you joy that made you leap? That joy is God’s gift for you to nurture. The more intently we cultivate the joy of Jesus—through the sacraments, prayer, and good works—the more our life will become a beautiful voice, singing the melody of joy in a world that can often feel like a barren wilderness.
Prayer
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.
Saint of the Day
Sts. Basil and Gregory were childhood friends who both came from saintly families. They grew up to defend the Trinity and Jesus’ divinity at a crucial time in the development of the Church’s understanding of these mysteries.
Basil was born in 330 as one of 10 children to a noble family in what is now Turkey. Both of his parents were saints (St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmelia) and four of his siblings became saints as well. Even his grandmother was a saint!
As a young man, Basil was known for organizing food relief for those suffering from famine, and would even set aside his rank to work in the kitchen. He was well-educated, and he opened a school and practiced as a lawyer. He became famous for his rhetorical skills but was tempted by pride because of the attention his orations drew. He responded by selling all he owned to become a priest and monk.
He founded a monastery and wrote down instructions on community life, which have become famous and especially important in guiding religious communities in the east. He continued to found monasteries and was ordained bishop of Caesarea (in modern Israel) in 370, where he led for seven years until his death. He was very active in his leadership and was known for his eloquence, wisdom, and sincere love of others.
From his youth, Basil was friends with Gregory of Nazianzus, another brilliant thinker and orator. Gregory also had saintly parents (St. Gregory the Elder and St. Nonna), and two of his siblings also became saints.
Gregory followed a similar career path as Basil—he was ordained a priest, even though he yearned for the life of a monk. He was ordained a bishop by his friend, Basil, and made important contributions in the way the Church understands God, especially the mystery of the Trinity.
Basil and Gregory were defining figures as the early Church sought to figure out just how to describe Jesus as fully human and fully divine. They helped the Church articulate this mystery and refute persistent strains of thought that would emphasize one aspect of Jesus’ nature over another. Both were largely responsible for safeguarding the faith that has guided the Church for hundreds of years. Their doctrinal contributions are codified in the Nicene Creed we recite at Mass.
Both Basil and Gregory were declared doctors of the Church, a title given to 37 saints who are known for elucidating the faith by their words or example. Their relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, and their images are captured in stained glass windows there.
Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, friends and scholars who defended the faith—pray for us!