Faith is not primarily about answering abstract questions but about living the gospel. John the Baptist, who introduced Jesus to the crowds and proclaimed him the Lamb of God, faces doubts in the solitude of his prison.
To John’s desperate question: ‘ Are you the One who is to come, or have we to wait for someone else’ Jesus lets his actions speak for themselves – the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear.
Doubt is met with reassurance, and we are encouraged to have faith in the God of mercy, compassion and understanding.
This is Gaudete Sunday, as it takes its name from the first word of the Entrance Antiphon: Rejoice.
We are invited to always rejoice in the Lord and remember that he is very near.
We hear the joy-filled prophecies of Isaiah, and we are urged to stay courageous, to be patient and not to lose heart.
Putting faith and trust in Jesus represents the core preparation for his coming.
Can we let our actions speak for us?
Do we show by the way we live what it means to be a follower of Jesus?
John the Baptist marked the end of an era, Jesus the beginning of a new one.
In our lives: how do we honour the past and yet be free to move on into the future?
