Guided reflection:

You will remember that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan and pronounced that Jesus was the Messiah- he had only been a voice, crying out in the wilderness for people to get ready for Jesus to come. Now John is in prison and wonders if he got it right. Is Jesus the One, the Messiah, or is he just his cousin and they need to wait for the real thing. Jesus sends back the message: “Well, buddy, you figure it out – the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news. Does this fit your bill of a Messiah, cuz?” Put yourself in John’s shoes…have you ever wondered if this Jesus thing is the real deal?

Guided prayer: “I admit that sometimes I wonder if Jesus is the real deal, O God. I wonder,, where are the blind seeing today… and then I realize that I may be one of the blind ones… or lame ones.. or a leper who needs cleansed… or even dead on the inside. Forgive my doubts. Open my eyes. Amen.