Announcing the arrival of one greater than himself, St. John the Baptist declared, “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Months later, St. John found himself arrested and imprisoned for daring to tell King Herod the truth, and from his confinement, he received reports of the Lord’s ministry. He hears that the Lord is preaching and healing many sick people. However, the Lord's preaching is not as radical as St. John expected. Moreover, St. John learns that the Lord is eating at the homes of public sinners, such as tax collectors.  

These reports prompted St. John to send two of his own disciples to the Lord with a pivotal question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” This question makes us wonder if St. John was beginning to doubt whether the Lord was the Messiah. Perhaps being in prison was affecting his faith. But perhaps his disciples were the ones struggling, seeing the Lord operate in ways that seemed to contradict their master's intense prophecies, and St. John was using this as a teaching moment.

Today, many people see the state of the world and the power of evil. Many people wonder if God is present or why God allows certain bad things to happen. The reality they see often doesn't match their expectation of a world where God is actively working. Just as the Lord acted in a way contrary to the immediate expectations of His time, God's work today can also be mysterious and unexpected.

Today's Gospel passage is illuminated by the powerful words of the prophet Isaiah, the prophet of hope. Isaiah addressed a people in deep despair—Israel was captive in Babylon, their hands feeble, their knees weak, and their hearts frightened. Their faith was severely tested by the crushing weight of their reality. Isaiah’s message was a radical invitation: to look beyond the immediate crisis and embrace the certainty of God's promises. He proclaimed salvation: “Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you.”

God's promise and arrival fundamentally changed the world. Isaiah's prophetic vision paints a picture of total renewal: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing.” These captive people would soon return to the Promised Land.

Isaiah’s message of hope foreshadowed the time of the Messiah. When St. John sent his disciples to ask if the Lord was "the one who is to come," the Lord pointed to the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy as His answer: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” The Word of God today invites us to be people of hope.

The Lord came into the world precisely to give us hope that does not disappoint. The Lord concludes His response to St. John's disciples with a fundamental beatitude, which is both an invitation and a warning: “Blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.” This message is directed at St. John and his followers, challenging them not to let their unfulfilled expectations cause them to stop believing.

This same message is a message for us today. When our prayers feel unanswered, when our expectations of God are not met, or when we feel stuck in our afflictions and inadequacies, we are invited to look beyond our limited perspective. We must choose faith over doubt.

Let us humbly ask the Lord to grant us the grace to hold fast to hope.