John appears in the Gospels of the second and third Sunday of the season. On weekdays, from Thursday of the second week of Advent through Dec. 16, every Gospel from the lectionary for Mass makes some reference to John the Baptist. The scriptures insist that to prepare for Christmas properly we have to heed the message of this prophet.

Although his story appears entirely in the New Testament, John is considered a bridge between the old covenant and the new. His birth preceded that of Jesus, and his entire ministry took place before the Resurrection. Consequently, he is regarded as the last of the great prophets.

However, because Herod murdered John for his preaching, John is also regarded as a proto-martyr. He shed his blood for Christ, as many would do in future generations, but before Jesus himself had died.

John is the forerunner of Christ both in his birth and in his death. Luke tells the story of John's birth in elaborate detail. The annunciation of John's birth (1:5-25) parallels the annunciation of Jesus' birth (1:26-38). The birth of John (1:57-66) parallels that of Jesus (2:1-7).

Luke's interest in drawing these comparisons lies entirely with the significance of the adult John. John became a preacher who attracted a following of disciples, just as Jesus did. John suffered martyrdom at the hands of the state because of his beliefs, just as Jesus did. Luke shows from the very beginning of John's story that what happens to him will happen to Jesus.

The death of John is painstakingly recorded by Mark (6:14-29) and Matthew (14:3-12). Herod, beguiled by the dance of his daughter, succumbed to her repulsive request for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. In both accounts of John's gruesome demise, the evangelists report immediately afterwards that Jesus withdrew with the apostles to a lonely place. It looks like he sought solitude in his grief. But the appearance of a crowd impels him to perform one of his greatest miracles, the feeding of the 5,000.

Some commentators believe that prior to this time, Jesus was a disciple of John, evidenced most strongly by his baptism. When John died, they postulate, Jesus realized that the mantle of prophecy had passed to his shoulders, and he entered public ministry in earnest.

Advent is John the Baptist's season. As an infant, his birth presaged the birth of Jesus. As an adult, his preaching laid the groundwork for Jesus' message. In his death, John's martyrdom ominously foreshadowed Jesus' horrible crucifixion. John's message to his disciples was, "Prepare the way of the Lord." In retrospect, we know that meant, "Prepare the way for birth, prophecy, suffering, and death."

Liturgical music and art have focused on John. Some hymns of Advent refer to his ministry. "Wake, Awake, the Night Is Flying," and "On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry" both integrate the message of John into the congregational singing of this season. Handel celebrated John's proclamations in the opening of his famous oratorio, "Messiah," with the recitative, "The Voice of Him That Crieth in the Wilderness," and the aria, "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted."

John is frequently the subject of artwork. Throughout the Catholic world, John's image appears in numerous baptistries. There, he is often shown in the act of baptizing Jesus, prefiguring Christian baptism.

In our diocese, the most brilliant art work of John the Baptist is the rendering by Caravaggio that hangs in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Born Michelangelo Merisi in 1573, the artist was better known by the place of his birth: Caravaggio, Italy. In 1606, he killed a man in a brawl and fled from Rome. He died in 1610, young and full of talent, having been wounded in another fight and weakened by fever. During his career he developed an eye-catching style of naturalism based on his complete mastery of the drama of light and darkness. In a typical Caravaggio painting, reflection and shadows predominate, but the source of the light never appears on the canvas. His works include three on the life of St. Matthew, the Deposition of Christ, and several of John the Baptist. By wide consent, the most powerful of the John the Baptist paintings is in Kansas City. In the entire United States there are only eight paintings by Caravaggio.

The image in the Nelson-Atkins shows John the Baptist seated on something completely obscured by his body and the blood-red cloth that drapes his athletic figure, the bright color itself foreshadowing John's own gruesome death. The young man lowers his head, and darkened eyes brood over the state of the world. Clad in camel's hair, this John appears not in a desert, but in a glade. Oak and mullein surround him. Oak may have been the wood of the Jesus' cross. Mullein is a plant associated with the Italian celebration of John's feast day. The setting fits an alternate theory of John's career - that he lived for some time in a forest. He holds a cruciform staff, another signal for the coming crucifixion of Jesus.

All in all, John the Baptist appears frequently in our Advent liturgy because of his prophetic role. He announces the coming of the savior, but he also reminds us of our human frailty. That is, he reminds us of the reason why we need a savior at all. We are sinful, helpless, and in need of conversion and trust.

This Advent we will hear again John's invitation to repent of our past and to prepare the way for Christ. Whenever we feel discouraged by our lack of spiritual success, we take heart in the message of John, a dour prophet whose tragic life paved the way for a glorious future.

Father Paul Turner, pastor of St. John Francis Regis Parish, Kansas City, will deliver a slide presentation on John the Baptist at 2 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Admission is free after 1:30 p.m. through the east doors.