When the messengers had gone, JESUS began to talk to the people about
His faithful Precursor, whom they all knew so well. "What went you out
in the desert to see?" He asked them. Was it "a reed shaken with the
wind?" Was it "a man clothed in soft garments" and living delicately?
Was it "a prophet?" On another occasion He spoke of him as "a burning
and a shining light" (St. John V. 35). What praise this was on the lips
of the Master! The four points He picked out are characteristics that He
appreciates not only in John but in all who are preparing for His
Coming. Let us see where we stand with regard to them.
1. _A determination of purpose._ "What went you out into the desert to
see? A reed shaken with the wind?" No, but a man of one idea, and who
pursued that idea through all difficulties and opposition and failure,
not counting the cost. I want to copy John the Baptist. I want to
prepare the way of the Lord in my heart, how shall I do it? Not by
allowing myself to be a reed shaken with the wind, trying very hard for
a day or two and then giving all up and saying it is no use; not by
making good resolutions and then quietly dropping them because they have
been broken. No, but by a steady, determined effort, in spite of many
failures, to overcome in myself everything which I know will be a
hindrance to my King pursuing His way in my soul. He is never
disappointed by my failures; these are more than made up for directly I
tell Him that I am sorry. What pains His loving Heart is cessation of
effort, giving up the fight, running away from the enemy instead of
standing up to be knocked down again, if my Captain thus wills to give
me another opportunity of meriting, and of practicing humility. Saints
are not made by victories all along the line, but by repeated failures
humbly and patiently accepted, with a firm determination that each
failure shall be the _last_. But what is the use when I know I shall
fail again? I do not know; I need not fall, it is my own fault if I do.
To do less than have a firm determination about the future, would be to
lay down my arms. Every effort made for God leaves me holier, and as
long as I keep on trying I am making progress in the spiritual life,
though I cannot see it.
2. _Self-sacrifice._ "But what went you out to see? A man clothed in
soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live
delicately are in the houses of kings." John prepared for the Coming of
his King by a life of self-sacrifice, every day giving up for the sake
of Him Who was coming all the things that were just as dear to his
nature as they are to mine. What part is self-sacrifice taking in my
preparation for my King this Advent? I have no need to go into the
desert or live the life of a hermit. It is the little tiny acts of
self-sacrifice known only to my King and me which are so pleasing to
Him. It is wonderful what notice He takes of little things which are
done out of love to Him. If we could promise Him a certain number of
these little acts every day--perhaps six or ten, or even _one_--and mark
them down to ensure their being remembered, it would be a preparation
very precious in His sight. To do a hard thing just because it is hard,
to keep silent when I could say something sarcastic or clever but not
quite charitable, to bear little physical sufferings without letting
everybody know about them, to be cheerful and bright when I am feeling
tired and moody, to accept all that happens to me as coming straight
from God's Hands, especially all the little crosses that come to me
through others--these are the things that will make me a saint and I
cannot keep Advent or any other season better than by practicing them.
Nothing is too small for my King to notice. Let me then be generous and
give Him all I can, remembering that as long as the little act _costs_
me something, it is sure to be acceptable to Him; "He must increase, I
must decrease," and it is by self-sacrifice that this great work will
slowly but surely be accomplished in my soul.
3. _Fidelity to duty._ "But what went you out to see? A prophet? Yea, I
say to you, and more than a prophet for ... amongst those that are born
of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist. But he
that is the lesser in the kingdom of God is greater than he." John was
more than a prophet, because he not only prophesied of Christ as so many
other prophets had done, but he was the last of the prophets, the
immediate Forerunner of the Messias. No office could be greater than
this and no one else ever held it, it was unique and made John "more
than a prophet." Nevertheless, Our Lord said: "He that is the lesser in
the kingdom of God is greater than he"--_lesser_ in holiness and in
office, but _greater_ in dignity and privilege, because he is a member
of the Holy Catholic Church and a partaker of her Sacraments.
Thanksgiving that I am a member of the Holy Catholic Church should often
find a place in my heart, and especially during Advent when the Church
begins again to spread out before me all the treasures of her Liturgy
and when my thoughts and meditations are centred round Him Who is coming
to be incarnate for that Church, to die for it, to make a plan which
will enable Him to be with it "all days, even to the consummation of the
world" (St. Matt. XXVIII. 20), and finally to judge it that He may
"present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or
any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph. V.
27).
If my privileges are greater than those of St. John the Baptist, my
responsibilities are greater also. As I think how faithfully he
fulfilled one of the greatest offices ever entrusted to man, let me
remember that I too have a special office given me to fulfil, and it is
no less important for me to fulfil it faithfully, than it was for St.
John. It may be that my office is a very lowly one, that I have only one
talent, but JESUS is taking notice how I am trading with it. What have
His messengers to say when He asks: "What went you out to see?" Let the
season of Advent inspire me to be up and doing--faithful in that which
is least, living as one who has to give an account of each talent, each
occasion of merit, each opportunity of influencing another, each
inspiration of grace.
4. _Light giving._ "He was a burning and a shining Light." This was the
secret of John's greatness, of his humility, of his courage, of his
zeal. His heart so burned with love for God and zeal for His service
that it shone out on all with whom he came in contact.
Let me make one last examen on myself here. Do I feel sometimes that my
influence on others is very small, that my light seems to be hidden
under a bushel, that try as I will, I cannot make any impression? May it
not be that I am thinking too much about the shining of the light and
too little about the burning? The candle must _burn_ before it can
_shine_. If my heart is in constant touch with the Sacred Heart of JESUS
it will burn with His love and zeal, and the shining will follow as a
matter of course, I need not trouble about it; but if I allow anything
to separate my heart from His, even ever so little, the fire in my heart
will die down; there may be a little glow left, unless I leave it too
long, but there is not enough to "shine before men." "What went you out
to see?" What answer would those with whom I live, those who know me
best, have to give?
_Colloquy_ with JESUS and St. John the Baptist.
_Resolution._ To win the approval of JESUS to-day by the way in which I
prepare for His Coming.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ "What went you out to see?"
"INCARNATUS EST"
Regem venturum Dominum venite adoremus. [Come let us adore
the King our Lord Who is to come.]
_1st. Prelude._ Picture of the Annunciation.
_2nd. Prelude._ Grace to understand the mystery of the Incarnation.