As John the Baptist sat in prison, he began to wonder if Jesus really was the Messiah he'd been preparing the way for. Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy address the doubts John had, how we react when life doesn't go as planned, and how scripture may sound different from person to person. Also, just as Jesus wasn't the expected Messiah, the clergy highlight how John wasn't the expected prophet.

Questions for Further Discussion:

Themes and Application

1. Jesus answers John’s doubt by pointing to what is happening — healing, liberation, good news to the poor. What “signs of God’s reign” feel most compelling or credible to you today?
2. The conversation notes that many people want a savior who fixes everything decisively. Why do you think a merciful, nonviolent Messiah can feel disappointing or insufficient?
3. Jesus calls John the greatest born of women, yet says the least in the kingdom is greater. What does that suggest about how God measures greatness?

Personal Reflection

1. What situations in your life have made you ask, implicitly or explicitly, “God, are you really here? Are you really the one I hoped for?”
2. Fr. John suggested that temperament and life experience shape which biblical themes feel alive to us. What life experiences have most shaped how you hear Scripture?
3. Jesus says people didn’t go to John looking for comfort or palace approval. Where are you tempted to seek comfort, status, or “palace religion” instead of prophetic truth?

Broader Spiritual Considerations

1. The clergy note that forcing the kingdom through violence isn’t Jesus’ way. What does Christian nonviolence look like in practice when injustice is real and urgent?
2. Fr. John contrasts Christianity with spiritualities that lack a strong vision of divine justice. Why does a justice-oriented God matter — especially in Advent?
3. John the Baptist’s role is to prepare the way and then step back. What might it mean for the church (or you) to “prepare the way”?

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