Reflection for Sunday December 13, Third Sunday of Advent: John 1:6-8, 19-28

 

Gospel: John 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 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.

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Reflection:

Are you feeling sad and somewhat weary because of the many trials that you went through this 2020? You are not alone because we’ve all been through a lot of trials this 2020 and foremost of this trial is the current covid-19 pandemic that is causing havoc in our lives. 

However, amidst the trials there is still something important that we have to be joyful and that is the coming birth of our savior Jesus Christ. 

In the gospel we read about John who prepared the way of the Lord with joy. John was certainly joyful as he did his assigned task as the precursor of the Lord. Otherwise John would have not been successfully able to fulfill the task assigned to him by God. 

The lesson that John imparts to us is no matter how hard life is right now there is still a brighter future that awaits us all for as long as we have the mindset of joyfulness.  Everything and every successful activity or journey no matter how difficult becomes easier to do when we embrace the mindset of joyfulness. 

We therefore have to rejoice and be joyful no matter the trials that we’ve been through or currently we are going through. How we live our life is always a matter of choice. If we choose to live life with joyfulness and hopefulness amazing, positive and limitless success and great things will be upon us soon. – Marino J. Dasmarinas