3rd Sunday Advent (A)/ John’s disciples asked: Are You the Messiah?
    Is 35: 1-10/ Ps 146/ James 5:7-10/ Mt. 11:2-11
  Introduction
 

         After the 9/11 attack, most of the governments have established a very good system of personal background check of all the people who moves in and out of their country. Those who pass through immigration usually experience the big difference before and after 9/11. They practical scan and evaluate every person from head to foot. And all information is saved in their huge data base. Perhaps only problem is “Identity thief” that’s why we still need to look closely into one’s personal profile. John himself sent his disciples to have a background check on Jesus, whether he was really the Messiah or they need to wait for someone else.

  
  Background
 
  1. There had been many personalities in the past who claimed that they were the Messiah. Some of them became so popular that were able to attract and deceive a lot of followers. Even John himself was mistaken to be the Messiah, but he will right away deny it. People were confused who’s who. So this time they want to be cautious and they can not afford to be deceived anymore.  John needs to have a background check on Jesus.

  2. When the disciples of John asked Jesus about himself, he answered them by quoting the comforting words of Isaiah in our First Reading: “the blind can see, the lame can walk…” It was important because Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah will come to ease their pains and sufferings. (The time of Isaiah was the period when people were hurting and so desperate because the Northern kingdom of Israel was just invaded by the Assyrian on 722 B.C.)  When Christ came, “he healed the sick and cured the blind ...” In him Isaiah’s prophesy was fulfilled.

  3. John by this time was in prison and about to be beheaded by Herod. And before dying he sent his disciples to see if Jesus was indeed the Messiah. Maybe we can ask, “Why did John need to ask if Jesus was indeed the Messiah considering the fact that he himself testified to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah when he was baptized by him in Jordan?” We have the following possible answers:
  
  Reflection:  
 
  1. John believed from the very beginning Jesus was the Messiah but he wanted to hear it again. Sometimes we need to be re-affirmed that we are right, and that our teachings are good.  He wanted to hear from the very words of his disciples that that he was right about Jesus. In our life today, so many relationships were broken by the negative words that are being thrown on others back. We need to change these negative attitude. In order to build up one’s confidence we need to repeat as often as we wanted the good words we need to hear. Our youth need to hear from their parents good and affirming words. We have to tell them that they are good, that we trust them and that they are loved. Married couples need to tell their partners as often as they can that they are valued, they are loved. Even we know it already it is still good to hear good comforting words again and again. It boosts our inner-self and it helps to build up self confidence.

  2. John believed in the beginning but might doubt a little towards the end. It was possible because he was just a human being. He lived in the desert and was never been confined to a certain house, now he was limited by the four walls of small prison cell. He used to have many followers and he was always with a lot of people, now he was lonely and alone. Some psychologists believe that aloneness can lead to loneliness, and loneliness can create a lot of doubts in our minds. In our life too, oftentimes when we are left alone in a house we begin to think of so many different things, and the worse part of it is when we begin to doubts, even the very people that we love. Try to involve yourself with your community, or with church activities, these will help to break the spirit of doubts in your heart. You can also make those moments of aloneness and silence to be more productive by using it as an occasion to reflect and pray more intimately with God.

  3. The third possibility was that John consistently believed the Jesus was the Messiah but he wanted his disciples to go and personally discover Jesus by themselves. This answer has two implications: (1) it is not enough know Jesus intellectually. We need live and talk with him personally in prayer. (2) John can die peacefully when his apostles learned that Jesus is the Messiah. This will help them to feel secured, to know that someone will take care of them. Whenever I go to hospital and anoint mothers in cancer ward, they often say, “they can endure the pain of cancer but the can not endure pain of leaving their children behind. Believe in Christ then he will take of all your love ones left behind.
  
  Conclusion  
            Sometimes it is not only important to know who Jesus is. We know he is God. But what also need to ask who we are. There is a better data base other than that of the government – it is the wisdom of God. He knows our innermost identity. Only the spirit of God can penetrate the inner most part of our life. Advent is also the time to check our own identity. Socrates used to say: “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Advent is the time to pause for a while and look at a mirror to see our real selves. Do you still know, the real you? Are you still the same person with all the idealisms in your hearts?  If we failed to know who we are, we need the grace of God to show us who we really are.