Readings:
Isaiah 35: 1-10
Psalm 146: 4-10
James 5: 7-10
Matthew 11: 2-11

Collect:
God for whom we watch and wait
you sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of your Son:
give us courage to speak the truth,
to hunger for justice,
and to suffer for the cause of right,
with Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Reflection

None of us can help but be moved by the courage of people who are willing to stand up all around the world against injustice in their country.  Whether that be those Russians who bravely protested against the decision by President Putin to invade Ukraine in February, or the recent protests in China against the governments draconian Covid policies.  In both the protesters were arrested, but in China they do seem to have brought about some change in attitude.   

However, some of the most moving and courageous protests have been happening in Iran since Mahsa Amin, a 22yr woman was killed whilst in the custody of the Morality Police.  Her death back in September has brought about a wide range of protests focused on the treatment of women in that country.  As of this week, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency some 18,240 people have been detained, 475 protesters killed along side 61 security personnel (Courtesy of BBC News).  Despite all this the protests continue, with even the Iranian football team holding their own protest in their opening game at the world cup by refusing to sing the national anthem.  

Every time some speaks up or joins a protest, they are putting their lives on the line, but they are driven to do so by the injustices that they see.  They want to bring about change, they want their society to be a better place for all people.  I can’t help but wonder whether I would have their courage. 

It is this courage that John the Baptist had in abundance.  He challenged the people in the way that they were leading their lives, inviting them to turn back to God.  He challenged those in positions of authority, who were only interested in themselves and what they could gain rather than the people they governed and were supposed to be serving.  He wasn’t afraid to speak truth to power and eventually this led to his arrest.  

It's from this presumably dark and damp prison cell that we pick up today’s gospel reading and come across John having a bit of a wobble about whether Jesus is the Messiah that he had been preparing the way for.  So, he sent some of his disciples to ask him.  Jesus, in his usual way, asked them to look at the signs of the blind seeing, the lame walking, the lepers being healed, the dead raised and the poor and oppressed being raised up and hearing the good news, that they aren’t forgotten that God loves them and that the injustices they face are being challenged.  This is all about reassuring John using themes from the Old Testament.  Themes that both John, his disciples and those in their hearing will be very familiar with.  Jesus is inviting John to look beyond his own suffering and fear to recognise that God is at work as sickness and exclusion are ended and hope is offered to those in need.  

We all need these moments of encouragement, for we all have doubts and our own wobbles especially when we are suffering because of our beliefs.  Those who are protesting in Iran and other places, standing up for the oppressed, will no doubt feel discouraged at times and doubt whether they are making a difference or not, it’s important that they and us have some hope to hold on to.  Hope that what they are doing is bringing about change and for those of us who have faith, that God is with us and using us to help bring about change, where all are treated with dignity and respect, where we are all seen as children of God.

As we think about the injustices that we see in our own country and hear about those who are willing to stand up and speak truth to power, we are reminded of how we can be like John the Baptist, a prophet in the world today.  May we take courage from those who speak prophetically challenging injustice, both in the past and in the world currently.  May we not be afraid to speak up for the voiceless, challenging those who seek to quell the right to protest and may we never lose hope.  Just as God reassured John, through the fruit of Jesus’ work, so may we know God’s continued encouragement as we seek to see God’s kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven.   

Mike Morris