In the year 1995, in the seventeenth year of my life, when Fife Symington was governor of Arizona, Bill Clinton was president of the United States, Chuck Keiffer was pastor of St. Theresa parish in Phoenix, Arizona, and Ron and Mary were my parents, the word of God came to my youth minister Eric and through him I started to see the salvation of God. Soon, Christ came into my life never to leave. I’m thankful beyond words.  
Why am I being so specific, you ask? Because in the Gospel this week we hear the specific names of people holding civic and religious authority in first century Palestine when “the word of God came to John the Baptist:” Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Philip, Lysanias, Annas, Caiaphas, and Zechariah. All this is meant to help us see that God breaks into our history, into real human events. Jesus is no mere myth. He is the Word-which-breaks-in, in concrete moments, you might say. And now we anticipate his coming once again in our specific situations. 
Advent challenge: Name as many civic and religious leaders who are in authority currently in your life. Now, name who the potential John the Baptists may be. A spouse? A friend? A podcaster? A work colleague who brings God’s word to you? Spend a moment considering that this comprises the concrete, historical setting into which Christ wishes to come. Then, with these specifics in mind, pray: “Come, Lord Jesus. Come.”   ©LPi