Gospel (Mt 11,11-15) - At that time, Jesus said to the crowds: «Truly I say to you: among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; but the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it over. In fact, all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And, if you want to understand, he is the Elijah who is to come. Whoever has ears, listen!

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Jesus points to John the Baptist as an example for believers: «He is the one about whom it is written: Behold, before you I send my messenger, before you he will prepare your way». The Baptist, with his austere life, had prepared his heart for the encounter with God: he fought against himself so that the spiritual man who knows how to wait for the one who was to come, the Messiah, would grow in him. He thus became a man who lets himself be guided by the Spirit of God, not by his own traditions. All of this required a struggle against himself, made up of discipline, commitment, perseverance in prayer, detachment from riches, obedience to the Lord, bonding one's heart to God. John, doing "violence" to himself, he refined the eyes of his heart and was thus able to recognize Jesus as soon as he saw him coming towards him at the Jordan. With his preaching he opened a way in the hearts of the men of his generation so that they too could recognize and welcome the Messiah who was now at their doors. For this reason, Jesus can say of him that he is "the greatest among those born of women", that is, a unique brother sent by God so that we too prepare our hearts to welcome Jesus as the Savior. Furthermore saying that the least in the kingdom, that is, he who is the son of the preaching of Jesus, is greater than the Baptist. It is the invitation that Jesus addresses to all the disciples of the kingdom to understand the greatness of the vocation they have received. We cannot help but ask ourselves in this difficult time that asks for creative love, what are we doing with this trust that the Lord places in each of us? It is a question that in this time of Advent must involve us more closely, aware that the whole world awaits this birth.