Reflection for December 10, Thursday of the Second Week of Advent: Matthew 11:11-15

Gospel: Matthew 11:11-15

Jesus said to the crowds: “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. 

All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

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Reflection:

What are you going to do if you see that something is wrong in your family or in the community where you belong? Of course you are going to create order and make things right. 

John the Baptist did this when he called for the people to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 3:2). John saw firsthand the sinfulness of the people of his time. Thus he called for repentance and renewal. 

John also gave his life for the sake of what is right. This occured when he criticized King Herod for coveting Herodias the wife of his brother Philip (Matthew 14:1-12). Someone has to take the cudgels for God and it is John the Baptist. John was the messenger sent by God to create order and bring once again righteousness. John courageously faced the powers that be during his time even at the cost of his life. 

As we live our lives we may be witness to immorality, corruption and the countless evils of our society. Let us not think twice to denounce it, to speak out for what is moral and right. Even if it will bring us trouble, if temporal trouble would be the result for speaking out for what is right and moral, so be it. 

Evil pervades in this world because we choose to bow and kowtow to the scheming of evil people. We choose to be cowed instead of being courageous. To defeat evil we therefore have to make a stand and speak out whatever it may cost us. – Marino J. Dasmarinas