The Gospel reading for this Sunday always reminds me of Sherlock Holmes, Conan Doyle’s famous fictional detective. Bear with me and I will explain what I mean!
In one of the short stories, a young woman comes to 221B Baker Street to consult Holmes. She is concerned about a worrying situation at the home she shares with the stepfather. The problem that she relates to him piques his interests and he takes extensive notes. Once she has finished telling her story, Homes agrees to give the matter his full attention. He then abruptly stands up, opens the door and is clear that the interview is over. Once the woman has left, Dr Watson says to Holmes that he feels he was not particularly nice or polite, dismissing her in this manner. Holmes says, “She did not come to me for that, she came to me because she knew that I would be able to help her”.
In the same way, those people who flocked to the River Jordan to listen to the preaching of John the Baptist would have been disappointed if they were expecting niceness or politeness. His bizarre appearance and eccentric diet marked him off as a rugged and ascetic nonconformist. And his message was blunt and uncompromising. He attacks the smugness and presumptuousness of the religious leadership; he calls for a radical spirit of contrition and he announces the imminent arrival of the time of rigorous judgement.
But John was able to help those people who listened, just as Sherlock Holmes helped the woman who consulted him. John talked about a holy God who cares about people and respects them enough to hold them accountable. He reminded them that all actions have consequences. He explained the repentance is not only about remorse over past failings, it also has to involve a new heart and a changed life.
Let us use this time of Advent to take ourselves once more to the River Jordan.
Fr Neil G