Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year A

Faith In The Face Of Doubt: A Lesson From John The Baptist

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Third Sunday of Advent, Year A

Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis, MN

Sunday, December 14, 2025

Shortly after his emergence on the public scene, John the Baptist pointed to Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He referred to him as “the Son of God” (John 1:34) and as “one mightier than I” (Matthew 3:11). With these words, John seemed pretty clear about who Jesus is. However, in today's Gospel, John appears confused about Jesus' true identity. What changed? John is in prison at this time. Herod Antipas arrested him for opposing his marriage to his brother’s wife, Herodias. His public ministry has ended, and he is within days or weeks of his execution. Evidently, John is receiving reports of Jesus’ ministry from prison. We can speculate that perhaps Jesus wasn’t exactly what John expected him to be. While John was a preacher of fire and brimstone, Jesus had a different style and approach. So, John sends his disciples to Jesus with a perplexing question: “Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?” What is the Lord’s response? “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them” (Matthew 11:4-5). 

What is striking is that the Lord’s response to John the Baptist is concrete, not just abstract ideas. Jesus’ reply to John’s question isn’t based on words alone but on actions—miraculous deeds. You can argue with words, but you can’t argue with actions. You can debate theology, but miracles speak for themselves. Jesus himself is the ultimate miracle. Something truly significant is happening in Jesus of Nazareth. There is a clear difference between Jesus and mere Gurus or spiritual teachers. Yes, Jesus is also a spiritual teacher, but he is unlike anyone else. No one has ever been like him. Something profound is taking place in Jesus. And what is happening directly fulfills what Prophet Isaiah predicted when the Messiah arrives—bringing healing and restoring unity within God’s creation. Sadly, for centuries, many people, including some theologians, have tried to deny the miracles of Jesus. They claimed the stories of Jesus’ miracles in the Gospels are just made-up stories. They argued for removing all Gospel passages that describe supernatural events in Jesus’ life and ministry. But any attempt to remove those will result in only a few pages of the Gospel remaining. Why? Because the Gospels consistently testify to Jesus as a healer and miracle-worker. Jesus was an exceptional preacher with a unique approach. Beyond his powerful sermons, he also performed miracles. In every town he visited, countless miracles accompanied his teachings. It’s fair to say that his miracles and healings made his teachings more credible. That’s why people flocked to listen to him. They saw him as a remarkable figure. 

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11) presents us with what seems to be a scandal and a puzzle. The scandal is that John the Baptist, whom Jesus Himself called the greatest of the prophets, now appears to have doubts about Jesus, and the puzzle is why. The message John sent his disciples to Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” seems to express some doubts about whether Jesus is truly the Messiah. Yet John’s entire life was devoted to pointing to Jesus as the Messiah and preparing His way. One lesson for us all is that even the best of us can have doubts, especially in difficult places like prison. Honest doubts are not sins. If you have doubts, don’t be dishonest; don't pretend you don’t. Think them through. Talk about them. Talk to God about them in prayer. Talk to a priest. Talk to both those with doubts and those without. Doubts can be the ants in the pants that keep your faith alive and moving forward. During my studies at the Seminary, I had serious doubts about God’s omnipotence and omnibenevolence. I wrestled with it, discussed it with my spiritual director, and resolved it. 

In this Advent season, as Christmas approaches, I ask you: what are your doubts? Which parts of our faith are still confusing to you? What have you done to address them? As I mentioned before, don’t pretend you have none. John the Baptist, the one whom Jesus calls the greatest of those born of women, had his own doubts. But what he did is what everyone is invited to do: seek answers. He went directly to Jesus through messengers. Let your doubts serve as the catalyst for spiritual growth and maturity. 

May God bless you! And grant you His peace!