John's Messengers

 "John's disciples informed him about all these things.  So John called two of his disciples  and sent them to the LORD with this message, 'Are you the one we are expecting or should we wait for another?'  These men came to JESUS and said, 'John the Baptist sent us to ask YOU:  Are YOU the one we are to expect, or should we wait for another?'

At that time, JESUS healed many people of their sicknesses and diseases; HE freed them from evil spirits and HE gave sight to the blind.  Then HE answered the messengers, 'Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard:  the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the poor are given good news.  Now, listen:  Fortunate are those who meet ME, and are not offended by ME.'" - John 7:18-23

(JESUS and John the Baptist.  The situation has been reversed.  John appeared as a great prophet, while JESUS began preaching in John's wake but without the same impact [3:18-20].  Now John is in prison and JESUS would take his place.  It might be more accurate to interpret his question as a pressing invitation:  "If YOU are the one who is to come, why so much delay?"

John's disciples did witness the cures, but the cures are not everything and JESUS adds:  the poor hear good news because evangelization restores hope and leaves people renewed.

The blind see, the lame walk...  The prophets foretold these signs [Isaiah 35:5] that were really something new, because in the past GOD usually manifested HIMSELF as a powerful savior.  These healings pointed to the liberation that JESUS was bringing:  not punishment of sinners [which was a great part of John the Baptist's preaching] but, before all else, reconciliation suited to healing a world of sinners, of violent and resentful people.

Fortunate are those who meet ME, and are not offended by ME.  And fortunate are those who do not doubt CHRIST's salvation after seeing the fruits of evangelization.  Fortunate are those who do not say:  this way is too slow.  The Gospel shows its richness in giving life to people, in restoring hope to those who have experienced weakness and sin.  It is necessary to have seen and understood that this is most important.

It does not matter if the world seems to continue to surrender to the forces of evil.  The presence of liberated people compels others to define themselves in terms of good and evil and this makes the world grow.

With this, JESUS answers the disciples of John, men who are self-sacrificing and concerned for the triumph of GOD's cause.  Perhaps they are so absorbed in their search for justice that they fail to recognize GOD's powerful working in JESUS' actions, which appeared so gentle and mild.)

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