John aims for his message to reach all people, putting no limits on who should hear him and carrying every expectation that his testimony will bear fruit.

As he takes to the region a message for all of humanity, his actions seem audacious, even today. We are in a world designed to make communication across oceans as simple as a call or instant message. Even so, the idea of reaching all people is challenging and feels impossible for many of us. What will it take to get over our assumptions regarding who will listen and to stretch our voices beyond the comfort of faith communities and friend networks? How can we become so excited, so inspired, so moved to tell the good news that we persist despite the odds?

It may be that we must engage by faith in our own cries out of the wilderness spaces of our lives. But what does it mean to cry out? Should we cry, shout, whisper, sing, or pause in silence? Just as Jesus comes through the pain of childbirth, announcements of angels, and leaps in wombs, so we can be attentive to place and time. Discernment of how to share the good news is not easy work, but what if we listen more intently for our unique gifts and unique circumstances before we spread the good news?

We must remember that the desire of John for all people to see God at work has not changed. But many methods, people, and places are different today. It helps to know that no matter how hard we try, even John knew that everyone not everyone will open themselves to receive this good news. Still, our call is to faithfully proclaim it.