Luke 3: 1-6

In the fifteenth year of the rule of Caesar Tiberius—it was while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod, ruler of Galilee; his brother Philip, ruler of Iturea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, ruler of Abilene; during the Chief-Priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas—John, Zachariah’s son, out in the desert at the time, received a message from God. He went all through the country around the Jordan River preaching a baptism of life-change leading to forgiveness of sins, as described in the words of Isaiah the prophet:

Thunder in the desert!
“Prepare God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
Every ditch will be filled in,
Every bump smoothed out,
The detours straightened out,
All the ruts paved over.
Everyone will be there to see
The parade of God’s salvation.”

Gospel Reflection

John was a great man, a prophet of God. Jesus said he was the greatest among those born under the old covenant.

John was never greater than Jesus. He was the one who prepared the way of the Lord. John rolled out the red carpet for the one coming, the greater one.

As children of the new covenant, none of us is greater than Jesus, nor greater than anyone else.

All of our actions, words, relationships are to prepare the way for the one greater.