In
the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A number of years ago, Al Gore
released his book, An
Inconvenient Truth,
a supposed bombshell about climate change and the need for reform in
our energy consumption. Regardless of what you think of the book, Al
Gore, or climate change, he did hit upon a curious, but helpful way
of speaking about the truth.
Often, the truth of a matter is inconvenient. It is unhandy to
confront reality in many circumstances. To confront the facts means
that you must do something about them. You must change. You must
account for your own behavior with regard to them. It is especially
inconvenient when the facts of the matter are something you do not
want to hear, when they force changes you do not want to make.
Such is the person and work of St. John the Baptist. Even from his
very beginning, John was inconvenient to those around him. His
conception was announced by the angel Gabriel in such a manner that
his father Zechariah doubted the angel's word, and for such was
rendered mute for the next nine months. Rather than following social
norms, the foretold child received the name John, as was instructed
by the angel.
