When Jesus heard that John had been arrested … Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” St. Matthew reports that the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus flowed from the work that John the Baptist had been doing. The gospels are almost apologetic that Jesus had a mentor! But this should not be a surprise — we can all testify in our lives how important it was to have someone to model, to embody, to direct us toward the right path. As we begin a new year let us give thanks for those who have mentored us over the years — and let us seek occasions when we might point out to the next generation the way to go.
