Archdiocese Of St. Louis

Today we begin the fourth and final week of Advent and a very unconventional herald appears on our Jesse Tree. John the Baptist might not have been the originator of the ugly Christmas sweater, but his camel hair clothing certainly made him an unusual-looking messenger from God. He was clearly foretold by the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling out, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist taught that we all need the mercy of God that comes through repentance. In his day, John the Baptist told the Israelites that even though they were collectively the chosen people, each of them still had the individual responsibility to choose Him. In a similar way, we should not rely on our past goodness, or let our past failings define us, but resolve each day anew to make God the center of our life. By his teaching and physical appearance, John the Baptist reminded us that the things of this world will pass away. His messa