After hearing about St. John the Baptist over the weekend (on the Third Sunday of Advent), here is a story worth carrying with us this week:
A three-year-old was helping his mother unpack their family’s nativity set. He announced each piece as he removed its tissue paper wrappings. “Here’s the donkey!” he said. “Here’s a king and a camel!” When he finally got to the tiny infant lying in a manger he proclaimed, “Here’s Baby Jesus in his car seat!” Well, as you can imagine, it wasn’t a car seat, but that would be an easy mistake for a three-year-old to make, wouldn’t it?
We all love nativity scenes. We love seeing Baby Jesus in the manger (not a car seat!), Mary and Joseph hovering reverently over the Holy Child, shepherds, wise men, assorted cattle, sheep, and camels . . . and, of course, a donkey. But, have you ever noticed that there is always one person missing from these nativity scenes? Have you ever seen St. John the Baptist in any nativity set?
The messenger, the precursor to the Messiah, the one shouting “The Kingdom of Heaven is near!” … doesn’t he deserve a place? Sure, in some ways, he is a strange and lonely figure, but who says more important words or offers a more compelling invitation to faithfulness during these Advent days? “Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight His paths.”
