“What did you go out into the desert to see?”

After his arrest John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” John knew his time to lead them was coming to an end. Jesus simply tells them to report what they saw and heard. Jesus then proclaims the greatness of John, but assures those who acknowledge their sin and repent, who understand and have the faith to imitate what He said and did, will enter the Kingdom of God and be greater than John during his sojourn on earth. It is up to each of us who do our best to learn about Jesus, to be like Jesus, to love like Jesus, and to risk all like Jesus by loving God and our neighbor as ourselves.

That is certainly something to desire. It is something to prepare for. It is something to strive for. We can do that by reading the nativity stories in Matthew and Luke before we hear them proclaimed during the Christmas Masses.

Reflect on the meaning of God made Man, born in a cave, who is the Prince of Peace. Reflect on how we can be more like Jesus.