“Repent, The kingdom of heaven is at Hand!”
What was the very noble reason, why the conception and birth of John the Baptist, preceded the conception and birth of Jesus? And why did the preaching of John the Baptist, precede the preaching of Jesus?
Immediately after the angel appeared to Mary, and She conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, She went to visit Her cousin Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn John the Baptist leapt for joy in her womb. Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, predicted the role of his son, as he said, “For you shall go before the Lord to prepare straight paths for Him.” And so it happened, the Baptist’s preaching preceded the preaching of Jesus. And when John began his preaching, he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” To prepare for the way of the Lord, he preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins.
The Jewish tradition held that Elijah was to return before the coming of the Messiah. As Elijah had been a fiery prophet of old, so he would return to fire up people's faith, to seek to bring them back to the path of righteousness before the Messiah should appear. So the very noble reason, for John preceding Jesus, was because He was the Elijah, returned to earth. His glorious role, was to bring the people to repentance, to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.
Even though, he would be arrested, imprisoned and beheaded, the message of repentance would continue, by Jesus, the Messiah. Our Lord began His preaching, by also stating; “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand” The message of repentance was so important, that the Messiah Himself began to proclaim it.
St. Alphonsus Ligouri, states that, while Jesus was in His Mother’s womb, that which caused Him the greatest sorrow, was the hardness of the hearts of men. While in His Mother’s womb, as God, He would feel and know sorrow. The sorrow, which tormented the tiny infant, was the knowledge that shedding His Blood and His horrible suffering and death on the Cross, would be of so little purpose, because it would be refused by some, who fail to repent. Many would trample upon His blood, despise His grace, which His blood would obtain.[1]
When Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem, the Savior was about to arrive and nobody noticed anything. The world went on as usual, completely oblivious. Only Mary and Joseph knew. The world was in darkness and sin. And Christ was still in Mary’s womb. Just prior to the birth of Jesus, the Jews were arguing about when the Messiah would come, without any idea, He was so near. The arrival of the Messiah would come in a cold dark night, in a stable, within a cave, and only shepherds and wise men, would come to pay Him homage.
Today, the world is surrounded by the darkness of sin. Many are oblivious, as the hearts of men have grown cold. Many today believe everyone goes straight to heaven. Some even try to rationalize, there is no hell, there is no devil, and there is no sin. If there would be no sin, no devil, and no hell, why would both John the Baptist and Jesus, the Messiah, state, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The bible is filled with lists of sin: Envy, pride, hatred, anger, lust, gossip, laziness, drunkenness, lying, cheating, stealing, failure to worship God, the worship of pleasures, such as money and power. Not honoring mother or father. There is also impatience, slander, cussing, taking the Lord’s name in vain, impurity, and killing.
The Church also, gives examples of sins: contraception, receiving the Eucharist unworthily, missing Mass on Sunday & Holy Days of obligation, drugs, and abortion.
Therefore, the Bible, and the Church, tell us, that there are many sins, which we can commit. Since Jesus was tempted by the devil, in the desert, surely we are tempted by the devil, as well. There is such a thing as a devil, who tempts us. There is a hell, which some may choose to go. And not everyone goes straight to heaven.
Despite the rejection of those, who fail to repent, Our Lord came to offer peace and good-will, especially through the sacrament of Confession. The prophet Isaiah comforts and consoles us, stating, “He shall come as a shepherd to feed His flock; in His arms He gathers the lambs, carrying them to His bosom.” In confession, Jesus the good Shepherd, gathers us in His arms, and carries us near His loving Heart.
To prepare the way of the Lord, let us come to confession, to receive God’s mercy, and forgiveness. We can also prepare for the Lord, by coming to adore Jesus in the adoration chapel, spending an hour, pouring out our hearts to God in the Eucharist. Likewise, this week we have the solemnity, and Holy Day of Obligation, of the Immaculate Conception. May all of us turn to Mary, the Sinless Virgin, to help us, to prepare the way of the Lord, He who will soon come to us at Christmas, but only if our heart is NOT hardened, and if we repent, for love of the tiny infant, born in Bethlehem, on that cold winter night.
[1]The Incarnation Birth and Infancy of Jesus Christ, p. 204-205.