From John the Baptist to Mary: the poor of Yahweh

## The Preaching of the Baptist**John the Baptist**, in his ministry, weaves together these threads of announcement and moves them forward: his message is the gospel: **repentance** or **conversion**. His actions mirror the image we have of him; he can be seen as a type of Christ, like Jeremiah. The fundamental idea that guides his preparation for the coming of the **Messiah** and his proclamation of the kingdom is the synthesis of all movement and prophetic preaching:* **Mindset shift.** * **Walking straight towards the day of the Lord.** * **Watchfulness in expectation.** * **Hope.**All these dimensions must be at once **the spiritual situation and behavior of the people who hear his message:**> **”Make ready the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”** (Mark 1:3).John presents himself as a herald of **good news**, preaching God’s word with irresistible power. He is **a central figure in Advent liturgy**, serving as the precursor to the **Messiah**. This time period bears his name due to his person, prophetic character, and actions inspired by the Spirit. His desert lifestyle echoes and calls Israel back to its origins, a constant reminder of their identity and mission, leading them to restart after repeated breaches of the covenant (1 Kings 19:1-18).His persona and life deeply impressed people, leading some to believe him to be **Elijah returned to warn the people as the end times approached** (John 1:21; Matthew 17:10-13). Jesus himself would later testify to John as **the greatest man born of woman** and **his greatest witness** (Matthew 11:11). His ultimate demonstration, however, would not be through words but through martyrdom (Matthew 14:1-12).The evangelists emphasize the parallels between John and Christ. Notably, like Jesus, John is heard by tax collectors (Luke 3:12-13), while Pharisees, scribes, and leaders of the people vehemently opposed him (John 1:19ff).His powerful words later become an announcement of Christ’s presence:> **”There is one among you who does not know”** (John 1:26).> **”He was not the light, but he was to be a witness of the light”** (John 1:8).From Jesus of Nazareth, John will be both the baptizer and the witness at the theophany:* **Of the messianic investiture**, * **Of the divine credentials presented to the world.**## SummarizingThe preaching of John the Baptist leans towards a vision of the **eschatological Messiah**. We can now distinguish chronologically between Christ’s two future manifestations, one in **flesh** and the **parousia**. It is important to recognize that John saw correctly the destiny of Israel. Also from a historical-political perspective, he announced to his people the fateful hour of God’s visit, highlighting the signs of the times, just as Christ did. However, many of his contemporaries remained stubbornly and obstinately insensitive and closed their hearts.## The Apostolic WritingsThese themes are further developed by the *re-readings* of the New Testament found in the Letters of the Apostles read on Sundays. They update and summarize, in the light of the fullness of **Revelation**, all the preparation of the Old Testament, showing its fulfillment and illustrating the time of **fullness**. These catecheses are accompanied by exhortations to await, watch, and purify hearts. This warning stems from a profound sense of history where eschatological sensitivity is very much alive.The situation of **permanent Advent** in which the Church lives does not tolerate lazy disciples. Christians must have a keen awareness of the times in which they live and of societal transformation. It is unacceptable that disciples are unaware of the salvific events they witness: the final phase of salvation and judgment is already at hand.Iconic among these exhortations is Paul’s call to walk in light to encounter Christ (Romans 3:11-14), read on the first Sunday of Advent, which takes on a programmatic meaning:> **”There is not one who has intelligence, not one who seeks God. All have strayed and are perverted; there is none who does good, not even one” (Ps 13:1-2). Their throats are open tombs; with their tongues they deceive; venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Ps 5:10, 139:4, 9:28).**## The Poor of the LordJohn is not a lone figure in a crowd of deaf minds, with eyes blinded and hearts set on other things. The infant gospels present a group of figures who make up the ‘remnant/rest of Israel’, the true Israel that remained faithful to the covenant and awaited the fulfillment of God’s promises. These are righteous and pious men and women, with a poor heart, genuine heirs to the divine blessings given to the patriarchs, amidst so many deviations and infidelities of the people. They recognized and experienced, with patience, God’s faithfulness and mercy.Joseph, Zacharias and Elizabeth, the elderly Simeon and Anna, John the Baptist’s disciples, those baptized by him, the shepherds of Bethlehem, and also the magi from pagan Orient are all prepared for the greatest events of redemption. These are the models that Advent offers to us.Among them all, the Virgin of Nazareth stands out. She is the one who, as a forward post not only of her people but of all humanity, experienced more and better than anyone else the fulfillment of God’s promises and the coming of the Redeemer. Indeed, Mary “distinguishes herself among the humble and poor of the Lord, who with trust await and receive from Him salvation. She is the sublime Daughter of Zion after a long wait for the promise; the new age begins when she gives birth to the Son of God made man, in order to free humanity from sin through the mysteries of his flesh” (Lumen Gentium 55). In her, who sums up Israel’s spiritual preparation, converge all the authentic aspirations of her people, all humanity is involved in her experience, and the Church finds itself entirely in her.## Adrienne von Speyr’s Prayer (1954)Mary awaits the child who is already there. She lives out the promise of Christmas, but she knows that since she said ‘yes’, everything has already been fulfilled. Her expectation is not a void to be filled later: it is part of Christ’s fullness, which will be revealed with his birth. And she will be the first to behold him.In all human anticipation there is a certain anxiety: most often man does not know if he will be able to resist, to correspond, whether he has prepared adequately for the approaching event so that it takes on the right form and appropriateness. Mary, however, is certain of the son she awaits—God in person. The Father sent an angel to announce him. And with her consent, she participates from the beginning in what is to come. There is no need to worry or get agitated. He who is coming is. And he who comes is God.He brings about the realization that he himself is, and thus he also offers those who are with him the possibility to endure and correspond. The imminent arrival becomes ever more sensitive for the Mother as time passes. At the same time, she sees men ever more clearly in the light of the redemption that is coming. For her, what the Son will do one day is already present within her. And thus she participates in all that will happen in the most intimate way.Her thoughts are not directed to this, but only to what the Son will accomplish. She is merely a starting point, in a focus on giving herself and anticipating God’s realization.To deepen the figure of Mary among the poor of YHWH and her biblical faith, consult Pope John Paul II’s encyclical *Redemptoris Mater* on the pilgrimage of Mary’s faith in Scripture.For further study: explore Mariology, Marian theology, Marian apparitions, and a Postgraduate degree in Mariology.