Unlock Your Prison

In this weekend‟s Gospel, we have a picture of the tough, powerful preaching of John the Baptist. John came out of the desert and preached an uncompromising message. Nevertheless, the crowds flocked to him. Why was this so? I think the answer lies in the heart of the Baptist‟s proclamation. He said, “There is one coming after me who is greater than I. I baptize with water, he will baptize with the Holy Spirit!”
John did not come to offer condemnation, but hope. He came with a message of promise and of great happiness. He was actually a bearer of wonderful news! He came, not with a preaching that would imprison us with fear or with words that would tie us all up in knots, but with tidings of great joy. We hear this hopeful promise echoed in this weekend‟s first reading from the prophet Isaiah, “He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to those in prison.”
Unfortunately, so many people are imprisoned by religion rather than being liberated by it. When this happens, it is not the Gospel that they are really hearing. St. Paul invites us to “be happy at all times.” He wishes us to experience the joy and the peace of Jesus Christ.
There are many in our society today who simply long for a word of hope; people whose lives are empty, who could be transformed by a word of promise. Why is it that we seldom hear consoling messages from so many religious preachers? Why do statues not smile instead of weep? Why do so-called visionaries never see a happy risen Christ, but always a bleeding, crucified one?
Perhaps the Gospel message of John the Baptist, that rough man who bounded out of the wilderness, has been misinterpreted. The core of his message, the central theme of this weekend‟s liturgy is actually the opposite. It is hope, not despair that he announces. “Rejoice,” we are told, “because the Lord will come to save you.” Is not this, the message that our society really needs to hear? Our world desperately needs a word of encouragement, a word of happiness, a word of joy!
Soon it will be Christmas, our great Christian feast of simple rejoicing. Let us not forget that Jesus came to bring GOOD NEWS! That news is that he is our Savior and our God. Let us open our hearts to his message, but above all, let us also spread this good news to others!
As we know, Advent is the season when God seeks to heal the brokenhearted. It is a time to acknowledge the ways in which we are not free, and to humbly seek God‟s help in achieving that freedom. St. Paul gives a clue in how to go about doing that. He says, “In all circumstances, give thanks.” Gratitude may be one of the keys that unlocks your prison!