Daily Gospel Reflection
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January 2, 2025
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.
Today’s gospel sums up a persistent question that I and many other students encounter throughout our undergraduate years: “Who are you?” Since arriving at Notre Dame as a Junior transfer student, I heard variations of this question during my first year on campus. “Who are you?” probes the deepest parts of our souls, leaving us grappling with our own sense of identity.
Last year, whenever I asked myself this question, I was overwhelmed by the plethora of possible identities I could claim, which gave way to other pressing thoughts, such as “Which title should I claim? What kind of life do I want? What kind of job should I have?” But as common as these questions are, especially for a college student, I soon realized they lacked an essential element—humility. After all, the worries that sprung from this question of identity only concerned one person: me!
In today’s gospel, we see John the Baptist’s wise answer to this question of identity. When asked by the Jews, “Who are you?” John simply responds: “I am not the Christ.” His answer is somewhat surprising: it’s not a positive affirmation about himself; he doesn’t even give his name. Instead, John immediately references Christ, denying himself and turning the attention to our Lord.
The profound truth illustrated in today’s gospel is that our identity is always found first in Christ, not ourselves. When I find myself concerned with questions of identity, I should think of John the Baptist and remember that we’re not called to make a name for ourselves but to “make straight the way of the Lord.”
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!