Those who are convinced that he or she is wonderful, please declare with me, this time as sincerely and loudly as we can: “I praise You, for I am wonderfully made!” John the Baptist – whom Jesus once referred to as “most blest of all born of women” (Cf. Mt 11:11 and Lk 7:28) – was a wonderful creation of God. He was God’s answer to his parents’ prayer. He was a miracle himself, being born of a mother who was not only supposed to be beyond the age of conception but also barren. He was a prophet of God’s mercy to His People, calling them to a change of heart so that the promised Christ might find a people worthy of His coming. John did not only speak about the Messiah, he actually pointed Him to the people, declaring, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (Cf. Jn 1:29).
Pero kapag hindi na makaiwas sa tanong, “Anong trabaho ng tatay mo? Ang nanay mo, anong trabaho?” may karugtong na “lang” ang sagot: “basurero lang po, labandera lang po, tsuper lang po, katulong lang po, tubero lang po, kusinera lang po, karpintero lang po.” Pero, teka, ayon sa Ebanghelyo natin ngayon (Mt 13:55), hindi ba karpintero rin ang nakilalang tatay ni Jesus? Nakakahiya ba ‘yun? Hindi, karpintero ang nagtaguyod, nagpakain, nagpalaki, at nagtustos sa mga pangangailangan ng Anak ng Diyos! Oo nga, kaya nabuong-tao ang Salita ng Diyos ay dahil sa sinapupunan ng bukod na pinagpala sa babaeng lahat, pero kaya naisilang nang ligtas at natutong maging ganap na lalaki ang Salitang-Nagkatawang-Tao ay dahil sa isang karpintero.