Coffee With God

Reflection: Matthew 11:11-15

There are some strange words in the gospel today: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” The meaning seems to refer to those who are using violence to prevent people from entering the Kingdom and pulling away those who have already entered. In the context of Matthew’s Gospel, this could apply to those Jews and others who were bitterly opposed to Jesus and his message. And it is still happening today, sometimes with violence & persecution and sometimes in much more subtle ways. John the Baptist is truly an Advent figure. Jesus pays him tremendous tribute and says: There has been nobody greater than he. But this praise is followed by the startling phrase: “The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” What can this mean? William Barclay gives a beautiful answer. He says that something was lacking in John. He had never seen Christ on the Cross. The deepest expression of God’s love was missed by John. And so, Jesus says, even the very least in the Kingdom of God, inaugurated by Jesus, is in a more privileged position than John. John was not able to share in the abundance of life that was released through the death and resurrection of Jesus as every believing Christian can do. John died ahead of Jesus The Christians came after the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are indeed great. We reap the unmerited fruits of Christ’s sacrifice. We are blessed but not necessarily better than John. Our blessedness will be in vain, if we will not be moved to renewal of life and to love God alone in Jesus. John heroically fulfilled his role to prepare the people for Jesus’ Coming and pointed out Jesus when He came. Ours is the call to follow Jesus’ way and to give witness to his love to all people We might conclude by reflecting that the role of John the Baptist is one that each follower of Christ is called to fill. It is up to us to prepare the way for Christ and his vision of the Kingdom to enter the lives of people. In the words of the Benedictus, a hymn said every day in the Church’s Morning Prayer: -As for you, little child, -You shall be called a prophet of God the Most High. -You shall go ahead of the Lord-To prepare his ways before him. (Luke 1:76)