IMPERFECT HEROES




















So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’ ” Jesus had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

Very often, when we read Scripture, we are forced to speculate about why somebody did what they did or said what they said because their motives are not revealed. In the passage we are reflecting upon today, we find John the Baptist sending two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him a rather strange question: “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” The question is strange because it was John the Baptist who announced the arrival of Jesus by saying, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (John 1:26-27).

Scripture says that “the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). John said many other wonderful things about Jesus, so it seems shocking that John would now be expressing doubt that Jesus was the Messiah! I have heard it suggested that John wasn’t expressing doubt — that his question was intended for the benefit of his disciples, to clear THEIR doubt — he, himself, could never have doubted who Jesus was. Although the narrative doesn’t support this theory, it could very well be the truth. As I said, in the absence of clear cut facts, we have to speculate. But the real question is, why does this shock people so much?

The answer is simply because we have this tendency to expect perfection from people who are spiritual guides. I find this baffling because if there is one thing we should have learned from Scripture is that all its heroes failed at certain points in their lives, and sometimes failed miserably! David, of course, immediately comes to mind because of that sordid thing with Bathsheba, but Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Peter, Paul — every single one of them — goofed up on occasion. So why not John the Baptist? Did he cease being mortal because he was a prophet? Did temptations cease because he was a pious man? Did he never give in to them because he was miraculously full of grace?

I really want us to think about this today, because we have unrealistic expectations of “holy” people. Consider Mother Teresa, whom everybody respects and honors as a holy person. A book of letters written by her revealed that she was deeply tormented about her faith and suffered long periods of doubt about God. I found it heartening that the church did not destroy her letters as she had requested, but made them public, because they wanted us to know that these things are part of the journey of faith. What matters is that we continue the journey and complete it despite these things that come our way.

That is what made Mother Teresa a hero. And John the Baptist. And Peter. And all the others. May we be heroes as well.

Watch a video of this reflection by Aneel Aranha here: https://youtu.be/z-4pxaUkEG4


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