Thus it was that John the Baptizer appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance. (Mk 1:4)

John the Baptist is the man of whom Jesus would say, "History has not known a man born of woman greater than John." That's quite a statement. Greater than all the pharaohs of Egypt? Greater than King Solomon? Really. It just goes to show that you can't tell a book by its cover.

John the Baptist's life didn't look like a great one. He probably died thinking his life was a failure. The Messiah who came was embarrassingly unlike the one he had preached about. The Messiah, after all, was to wield a winnowing-fan and set all things right. John prepared the way. Jesus came and announced that the kingdom was at hand ... and there was John in jail. He even had to send some of his disciples to ask, "Are you 'He who is to come,' or do we look for another?"...