John the Baptist, whom we have not heard of since his birth to Zechariah and Elizabeth, now appears in the desert near the Jordan River. A summary of his message is given. It will be repeated by Jesus Himself at the beginning of His public life. It is a call for people to make a radical change in their lives for the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus will add that the coming of that Kingdom into our lives consists in our committing ourselves totally to the message that Jesus will bring.

In the meantime, John is the voice that announces the coming of Jesus as our Saviour and King. He leads a life of great austerity which gives him the right to tell people how they are to prepare. He gives a warning especially to those whose lives are far from the spirit of the One whose coming he foretells. He speaks with equal force to the religious leaders, Pharisees and Sadducees, as he does to ordinary people. He calls on all to leave behind their sinful ways, their pride, their arrogance, their greed. It is time for each one to bear fruit, the fruit of truth and love and good works. Then they will be ready to receive the One, who is so great that John is not worthy even to untie his sandals. This Advent period is also a time for us to look into our lives and to see how ready we are to welcome Jesus into our hearts.