Coffee With God

Reflection: Lk 3: 1-6

Thanks to the attempts of Luke to situate the preaching of John the Baptist to the events in history, today the Biblical scholars are able to calculate the period of the life and mission of John and Jesus. The second Sunday of Advent calls our attention on the mission of John the Baptist. Similar to the call of many of the Old Testament prophets, Luke narrates the call of John by saying, “The Word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah in the desert.” The desert is a special place to listen to God’s voice. Archaeological researches have discovered traces of Jewish communities who lead ascetic life in the desert, awaiting the coming of the Messiah. Desert has been identified as a privileged place for seeking union with God. Perhaps John was part of this group, who took up living in the desert a way of life for them. It is here that the Word of God comes to John. Although life in the desert called for austerity, it had its own comfort level. The life of the Baptist would have been relatively peaceful and secure had he not leave the desert behind. Instead, John did not hesitate to leave his comfort space and heed the call of God. He obeys and immediately proclaims the good news in the towns bordering the Jordan. God’s call is irresistible. Numerous stories of God’s call in the Old Testament speak of how the prophets and the handpicked people of God tried to resist God’s call. Moses said, he was stutterer, Jeremiah said, he was young, Jonah wanted to flee… yet God prevailed! Same has been the case of Countless holy men and women in the history of the Church. And so, John left behind the comfort of his desert retreat and plunged himself into the ministry of preparing the way for the Messiah. In John, the voice of prophecy is once again revived. The people feel something new in the air. Exciting things are in store ahead because the Promised One is soon to come. There are many ways we invent for the Lord to come to save us. but these ways often have nothing to do with the Gospel. All these separations between peoples, between cultures, will be flattened. Respect for all cultures will not cause wars. When God calls us, are we ready to give up our comfortable space? Today, let us recall the many times that we are called to do a ministry on behalf of God. What was our response? May we have the courage to do what God wants us to do in obedience to His invitation to serve.