Jesus answers John by saying look at what I am doing—healing not military exploits. Jesus is noting that even John does not totally approve of what he is doing. In Jesus’s time there was no single idea of the Messiah. “I do the works of the Messiah, but not those of a military Messiah.”

It is hard not to admire John, even when one knows it is difficult to imitate him. This might be a good time to reflect on “John-like” people who have come in to our own lives, people we sincerely admired but knew we would never be able to imitate. I can think of several of my Jesuit brothers already with the Lord now who fit this description. They are at once an inspiration for me and also a goad to try to do better with the gifts and capacity I have been given.

Now back to John. Jesus does not really fit the mold of Messiah John had in mind. He comes on the scene as one who proclaims the kingdom of God, calls upon people to trust in God, heals the sick, and befriends tax collectors and persons labeled “sinners.” It is little wonder that John, now sitting in prison with time to think, questions whether Jesus is the one to come or not. Jesus fits neither John`s expectations nor those of Jewish messianism in general. John’s question in 11:3 is therefore totally understandable: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”

The reply of Jesus is to give neither a yes nor a no to the question. It is typical of the Synoptic Gospels that Jesus does not declare openly that he is the Messiah. He does not proclaim himself; he proclaims the kingdom of God. And look what is happening. The kingdom is breaking in upon the world. That which Isaiah envisioned in his prophetic oracles (26:19; 29:18-19; 35:5-6; 61:1) is now taking place. Whoever perceives the connections and concludes that Jesus does the work of the coming one is blessed (11:6).

We are blessed and fortunate to be living on this side of Jesus’ resurrection and to be a part of his body, the church. We are not people adrift in the world with uncertainty about who we are, how we should live, or where we are going. We belong to his community of believers, dedicated to him, instructed by him, and carrying out his ministry. As his disciples, and with mutual support, we align ourselves with his ministry in our witness to the gospel and in our works of mercy and our care for the world.

John can be our model even though we cannot measure up to his standard of asceticism. What we can model in him is his trust in the Lord even when the Lord does not carry out his work as we think he should. Another word for this disposition is indifference, not in the sense that anything goes, but rather flexibility and alertness to what the Lord may be asking of us.

 

by Fr. Jerry Cusumano, SJ