The second moment of waiting in John the Baptist’s life occurs at the height of his career as a prophet. Throngs gathered to listen to his preaching, and many of his listeners, moved by his call to conversion, queued up for baptism as a sign of their repentance.
In the midst of all this, one day, the One that John the Baptist had awaited for all his life showed up in the crowd–but the One wasn’t quite what he had expected.
For an account of this crucial event in both men’s lives, we turn to the Gospel according to Matthew.
Read the passage as prayerfully as you can, allowing the music to pace your reading and to invite you into the story.
Let the music continue as you reflect on the following:
What struck you or moved you in the scene?
Imagine yourself in the place of the Baptist. How do you think he felt all throughout this scene?