(Please read this Scripture passage first, before the homily.)
We proclaim Jesus Christ. He is not running for President. He is not on the ballot for November. He does not recognize any candidate as his candidate and does not endorse any candidate.
Nonetheless, if you want someone whose authority goes way back many generations, he is the One. His ancient ancestor, King David endorsed him. In more recent times, John the Baptist pointed him out. Then God, according to promise, sent him as Savior. Jesus Christ, however, did not run for office and will not run for President or any other public office. Instead, Jesus Christ is proclaimed Savior, Lord and Messiah, according to God’s promise and God’s proclamation.
John the Baptist was not a campaign manager for Jesus. He did come before Jesus did, but he came to prepare hearts to receive Jesus. He proclaimed a baptism of repentance and pointed out Jesus as the One Who Was to Come.
This is John. He came as a herald. He came as the one who would diminish while the Christ would increase. He was not promised a top job in the Kingdom because the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. He came to prepare, to point out, to proclaim the coming forgiveness of sin.
We are here [wherever we are today], not to campaign for Jesus, because he is not running for office. We are here in the same capacity as John the Baptist. We are here to herald, to proclaim, to point out Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ, somehow foreseen by King David his ancient ancestor, and somehow revealed by John, has been made Savior, Lord and Redeemer by God. This is not by ballot, nor by popular acclaim, but by the One who called Jesus forth to birth and then, through death, to life in glory at the Father’s right hand.
The feast of John the Baptist is a feast for us. We are called to do what he did, in one way, to point out the Lord Jesus. In another sense, we are called to follow the One John pointed out. He preceded the Lord Jesus and we must follow the Lord Jesus. This is how we fulfill the task the Lord has commissioned us to do. From today’s feast, we have a role of preparing the world for Christ. We continue the work of John the Baptist, not by campaigning for Christ, but by showing Christ to others.