“And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he passed from thence, to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in prison the works of Christ, sending two of his disciples he said to him: ‘Art thou he that art to come, or look we for another?’ And Jesus making answer said to them: ‘Go and relate to John what you have heard and seen. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in me.’”
Jesus sends His Apostles out to preach throughout Judea, Himself doing the same, for He does not command from afar, but joins with His people in their work, that, like lovers, He may do all with His own: “I set the Lord always in my sight: for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved” (Psalm 15:8). John the Baptist then sends two disciples of his to Jesus with the question, “Art thou he that art to come?” St. John the Baptist knew of Christ’s divinity: “He that cometh from above, is above all” (John 3:31), His mission: “I indeed baptize you in water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire” (Matthew 3:11), and His death for sin: “The next day, John saw Jesus coming to him, and he saith: ‘Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world’” (John 1:29), which he knew would be the paschal lamb offered for sacrifice: “He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter” (Isaias 53:7), why then this question? It was because St. John, out of compassion for his disciples who clung too fastidiously to him, wanted them to go and embrace the Bridegroom: “He that hath the bride, is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, who standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice” (John 1:29). Seeing their bitterness towards Jesus, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast?” (Matthew 9:14), and their clinging to him, he tried to move them like a good guide toward the true prize: “I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Likewise, Theophila, are the saints not ends in themselves, to be clung to with assiduousness, but they are to help you understand the love of God in Jesus better, that you may grasp Him all the more tightly: “I held him: and I will not let him go, till I bring him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that bore me” (Canticle 3:4). They are your friends and helpers, whereas Jesus is your Spouse and King; therefore, they push you to immerse yourself in the love of Jesus by prayer, the Scriptures, and the sacraments. Now, while it seems like doubt, John was too great a prophet to weaken in his belief: “What went you into the desert to see? A reed shaken with the wind?” (Matthew 11:7), so it was an act of love on his part, sending those most disposed towards belief to Jesus, that they may come back and report firsthand that Jesus is greater: “John indeed did no sign. But all things whatsoever John said of this man, were true” (John 10:41-42). By miracles Jesus shows His divinity, and shows His love by action, that the followers of John may wonder and bring back the report on the glory of Jesus. Now, there are two great mysteries contained in Jesus fervently healing at the approach of John’s disciples. The first is that when He sees your faith wavering, He works many great and beautiful things that you may not be lost: “To thee have I cried from the ends of the earth: when my heart was in anguish, thou hast exalted me on a rock” (Psalm 60:3). The second is that even the poor have the Gospel preached to them, showing that you are called to have an equal love of all, desiring that every person you meet know the love of God: “For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ, for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:3); “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4); “For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live” (Ezechiel 18:32). While it is natural to be repulsed at the passions of others, “My sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my foolishness” (Psalm 37:6), you are called to reach in with love even into the midst of these thorns: “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters” (Canticle 2:2). Blessed are you, Theophila, when love does not scandalize you, when the cross is a thing of beauty rather than a stumbling block: “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23), for it is one thing to love on Mount Tabor, in the presence of great wonders and consolation, but to love when the cross is heavy, when darkness fills your soul, when the world seemingly turns against you: “Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery” (Psalm 87:19), this is where love truly shows itself: “Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).