December 15/Third Sunday of Advent
John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” ~ Luke 7.18
Sometimes, as we make our way along the path of faith, we encounter a roadblock of doubt. This doubt may arise from some aspect of religious teaching that we disagree with, or it may embrace the very question of whether God exists. It may be momentary or persistent. It may be a one-time event, or recurrent throughout our lives. But doubt bothers us. We may be ashamed that we are taking issue with a venerable religious tradition. We may be afraid that our questioning will lead to unbelief, that once the skeptical nose of the camel gets under the tent flap, the whole edifice of our faith will collapse. In today’s Gospel, even John the Baptist — the prophet who has already pointed to Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah — has a moment of doubt while he is in prison. Is Christ really who he claims to be, the “one who is to come?” Jesus is not put off by John’s question, but directs the prophet’s followers simply to consider the evidence of the healing and restoration that occur wherever Jesus goes. Pope Francis has observed that doubt is integral to the life of faith: “We do not need to be afraid of questions and doubts because they are the beginning of a path of knowledge and going deeper; one who does not ask questions cannot progress either in knowledge or in faith.” If John the Baptist was not afraid to voice his doubts, then neither should we be. They may indeed take us deeper into our faith as we, like John and his followers, consider the evidence.
O God, you who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Help me to view doubt not as inimical to faith, but as a fundamental element of my seeking. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121519.cfm
