3M Reflection & Hymn - Are You the One? (Matthew 11: 2-11)

Are You the One? - Matthew 11: 2-11
3rd Week Advent, Sunday

0:00 Begin
2:39 Hymn

A reflection on the Gospel of St Matthew 11: 2-11.

Here Matthew invites us into a moment of holy questioning. John the Baptist, imprisoned and approaching the end of his earthly mission, sends his disciples to Jesus with a profound and vulnerable inquiry: “Are You the one who is to come, or must we wait for another?” John, the fearless herald of repentance, now seeks reassurance. His question is not rooted in doubt alone but in a deep desire for clarity, a desire that echoes in every human heart that longs for God’s presence yet struggles to see it clearly.

Jesus responds not with explanation but with evidence: “Go back and tell John what you hear and see.” The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor receive good news. In other words, the Kingdom is not an idea but a reality breaking into human experience. Jesus is known by His works of mercy, healing, and restoration.

We are invited to examine our own expectations of God. Like John, we may look for dramatic displays of power, yet Jesus comes quietly, compassionately, transforming lives one broken soul at a time. He calls us to recognise Him in the subtle graces that fill our days—in healing, reconciliation, generosity, and renewed hope.

Jesus honours John as more than a prophet, yet He also widens the horizon: even the least in the Kingdom is greater than he. This is not a diminishment but a reminder that participation in Christ’s life lifts every believer into a new dignity.

During Advent, we wait not for a distant hope but for the One already among us. Christ’s works confirm His identity. Our task is to witness them, trust them, and allow them to reshape our hearts.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus,
When uncertainty clouds our minds, speak to us as You spoke to John: through the quiet works of grace unfolding around us. Open our eyes to see Your healing, our ears to hear Your truth, and our hearts to recognise Your presence in the ordinary and the overlooked. Strengthen our faith when questions arise, and teach us to trust the signs of Your loving Kingdom at work in our lives. May our witness be humble, courageous, and joyful. As we await Your coming, make us bearers of hope for all who long for reassurance.
Amen

Hymn: Are You the One Who Comes?
Verse 1
In prisoned doubt John sent his word,
“Are You the promised One?”
And Jesus answered with His deeds—
The Kingdom had begun.
Chorus
O Christ, our Light, our promised Lord,
Your works our hearts restore.
In every sign of healing love
We trust You evermore.
Verse 2
The blind received their blessed sight,
The lame rose up to stand;
The poor heard news of mercy’s dawn
Across the waiting land.
Chorus
O Christ, our Light, our promised Lord,
Your works our hearts restore.
In every sign of healing love
We trust You evermore
Verse 3
No rushing storm, no mighty throne,
But love in humble guise;
The Holy One walked among the weak
With healing in His eyes.
Chorus
O Christ, our Light, our promised Lord,
Your works our hearts restore.
In every sign of healing love
We trust You evermore.
Bridge
When shadows fall and questions rise,
Your gentle Word remains:
“The Kingdom lives within your midst—
Believe, for Love still reigns.”
Verse 4
And still His Kingdom comes today
Wherever grace is shown;
In every act of quiet hope
His living truth is known.
Chorus
O Christ, our Light, our promised Lord,
Your works our hearts restore.
In every sign of healing love
We trust You evermore.