John the Baptist, imprisoned and nearing the end of his life, sends his disciples to ask Jesus a profound question: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we wait for another?” Though John had boldly proclaimed Jesus earlier, this moment reveals doubt, suffering, and longing. Matthew places this scene carefully in the Gospel to help readers reflect on what it truly means to follow Jesus. Jesus’ reply—“Go and tell John what you hear and see”—is not only for John, but for all believers, inviting them to look at Jesus’ words and actions and discern his identity through his ministry.
Jesus points to tangible signs of God’s kingdom: the blind see, the lame walk, the sick are healed, the dead are raised, and the poor hear good news. These signs summarize what has unfolded since the Sermon on the Mount and reveal how God is transforming lives. This message calls believers to reflect on what they themselves have heard and seen in Jesus—how his teaching and presence shape their understanding of the world, themselves, and God. Faith is not abstract belief but lived experience, grounded in how Jesus makes a real difference in life.
Drawing on St Anthony of Padua, the passage challenges the Church to embody Jesus’ healing work in the world. Anthony interprets physical healing as a call to spiritual transformation—addressing pride, hypocrisy, exclusion, and spiritual blindness through humility, truth, and compassion. The question “Is Jesus the one?” becomes personal: has Jesus truly changed how we live, or are we still clinging to old ways? Christian faith, then, is not private or passive, but active—proclaiming through our lives who Jesus is and working with him to bring healing, hope, and renewal to the world.