This is the third article in our "Spiritual Renewal in Advent" series. Look for the final article of our Advent Series next Sunday.



The Audacity of Risking All for Christ



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On two Sundays of Advent this year we are presented with the fabulous but disturbing image of a man who stands in a desert telling people to “Prepare the way of the Lord!” 



The great John the Baptist calls us to repent of our sins and to make straight all our distorted habits and lifestyles. That is a tough but important message that goes directly against a society that drags us more and more into sin and away from God. John wants us fully ready for Christ! 



That’s why he is willing to tell us not what we want to hear but what we need to hear in order to prepare us for Christ’s coming. He reminds us that we must straighten out our lives in order to be better able to receive the Redeemer. 



It is helpful to remind ourselves of the risks that John the Baptist took to live out his own calling as the Precursor of the Messiah. Above all, he issued a challenge to King Herod who was an immoral man with a murderous temperament. You may also recall that he labeled the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” for their lack of repentance! 



Clearly, John did not fear Herod or any other man. The one John feared most was God. John so desperately wanted the whole world to be prepared for Christ that he was willing to risk even the wrath of the most powerful men of his day in the hope that these leaders would have a true conversion of heart and lead their people to conversion. 



John lost his life for preaching that message, but John did not fail. His witness lives on, while Herod and the Pharisees live on only as bad examples for the rest of us! 



The point of John’s life is clear, though: Being a Christian always requires some level of risk, if we wish to make a difference for good in this world. 



Are we willing to risk a friendship or family relationship in order to address a moral issue with a loved one who is not living as Christ commands? Is someone in your family or close circle living in sin? Have you remained quiet to keep the peace or is Christ calling you to address that situation? 



Let’s be honest: Prophetic messages are never easy to deliver—or hear. In fact, they’re heart-wrenching at times, but what happens when immortal souls are at stake? Wouldn’t we want to risk everything for those we love?



Or perhaps our particular risk involves the sacrifice of standing fast when the world wants us to compromise on our Catholic values. But we don’t compromise the Truth of Christ for anyone or anything. 



John the Baptist didn’t seem to have much regard for worldly standards; he lived in the desert, clothed himself in camel’s hair and ate locusts and honey! And yet, because of that sacrificial lifestyle, he had an authority the religious leaders of his day did not have. Nor did he back down to the worldly-minded men who opposed him but rather, reminded them that God has rights too.



Above all, John challenges us to greater zeal for Christ in this Advent season. Renewed hearts are the only real way to renew the world. Social programs and political schemes have their place in making change, but they usually only rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic of our failing society. 



The message of Advent is that we serve society best by being more deeply and personally converted to Christ. 



The transformation of hearts and society is going to require a whole Church full of prophets and saints who are willing to risk many things—including reputations and relationships—for the sake of Christ, who is coming…soon!



Yours gratefully in Christ,







Thomas J. McKenna



Founder and President



Catholic Action for Faith and Family



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