On the 3rd Sunday of Advent each year, St. John the Baptist features in the Gospel; only in Year A do we encounter John in prison, near the end of his life. John knows his life is likely to end very soon on the command of Herod, so he wants to make sure he has not been mistaken in identifying Jesus as the awaited Messiah. He sends a disciple to find out.
Those who go back to John will need to do more than tell what they have seen and heard.
The question arises, how well do we recognize the signs that the kingdom of God is among us today? Few of us have the power to do many things literally, but we do have power to do so in a spiritual sense. We must recognize Jesus in His coming and in each person we encounter. So many people are voiceless in today’s world, but we can help their voices be heard; our own lives proclaim the Good News of Jesus when we are concerned for others’ well being.