Herald

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.
 Every valley shall be filled,
    and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
    and the rough ways made smooth,
 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”
— Luke 3:1-6

Do you hear the voice calling in the wilderness? In the passage above from Luke, John the Baptist calls back to the prophets of the Old Testament with a quote from Isaiah 40:3-5. Another of the readings this week also references a herald: “See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 3:1).

In all three cases, the prophets spoke to the people during a time of exile and suffering of a hopeful future. How difficult it must have been to know that their work would make ready the way for God’s work, but that they might not see it accomplished in their lifetime. What commitment to their calling to endeavor even when they would not taste the fruits of their labors.

We hear the same call of a hopeful future. We are to work for justice and share the love and grace of Jesus with our neighbor, even though we might not see the fulfillment of peace on earth in our lives. As Paul writes, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phillipians 1:6) Take a moment today to pray and reflect on what you are being called to do.