Take No Offense

We’ve all said it. We’ve all had that moment when we needed to tell someone the truth, but we knew it would hurt to hear the truth. So, we soften it with a simple warning. “No offense, but…” Let’s face it, with the wrong heart, hearing these words are always an offense.

We take offense mainly because we don’t want to hear the truth when it hurts. For some reason, we prefer living with a false sense of comfort. So long as we think we are doing things right, in our minds, we are. Then we have the words of Christ today.

At that time, when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me.” As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings’ houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been coming violently and men of violence take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Matthew 11.2-15

This reading is appointed for the Feast of the Third Finding of the Head of John the Baptist. The very feast seems strange. You mean we ‘celebrate’ finding his head? Correct! He was the greatest man every born of a woman. Jesus was speaking with his disciples.

John, who was a cousin of Jesus (see Luke 1.39-45), knew who Jesus was. He was teaching his disciples to seek the One “who is to come”. It takes someone special to send disciples away rather than to ‘horde’ followers. That is the example John the Baptist has for us today.

John the Baptist teaches us never to take offense at the truth of God. He wasn’t offended that Jesus was greater than he was. In fact, he sends his disciples away to follow Jesus. He fades away into the background. When was the last time we faded into the background willingly?

So, let’s get back to what Jesus promised in today’s Gospel lesson. “Blessed is he who takes no offense at me.” When you hear the truth of Christ, as proclaimed by the Church, do you take offense? Do you prefer to remain in your sin?

When I ask it that way, of course you would say, “No! I’m not offended by the truth of God. I just don’t agree that ‘that’ is the truth. I understand God differently.” That was the same excuse the Pharisees and Sadducees gave for ignoring Christ. They ‘understood’ God differently.

In the spirit of John the Baptist today, I invite you to put offense aside, and accept the Church teaches the truth of God, as promised by Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. If we are offended, it is because we don’t want to change. We don’t want to repent.

If the followers of John the Baptist had chosen to remain in their way, they would have missed Christ. Sure, John the Baptist was great, but “he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater” than John. Do you want to remain where you are, or do you want to be greater?

Being greater than John the Baptist begins with accepting the truth of God as proclaimed by the Church. It ends with walking away from your past, and following Jesus and the Church even if that means a difficult path. Truth normally has a cost, but it is always a blessing.

No offense, but…. you need to change. And you need to change today.