{"id":68825,"date":"2025-12-10T08:04:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/?p=68825"},"modified":"2025-12-10T08:04:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T14:04:06","slug":"ars-praedicandi-third-sunday-of-advent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/praytellblog.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/10\/ars-praedicandi-third-sunday-of-advent\/","title":{"rendered":"Ars Praedicandi: Third Sunday of Advent"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>By Ed Foley, December 10, 2025<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While it might not be the obvious starting point<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 for crafting an Advent reflection<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 because of current work that occupies most of my time these days,<br>including a project for creating an AI preacher,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the focus of much of my reading over the past few years<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 has been on artificial intelligence.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Most recently I have been working through a new book<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 by the Israeli historian and philosopher Yuval Harari<br>entitled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ynharari.com\/book\/nexus\/\"><em>Nexus<\/em><\/a>, subtitled: \u201cA brief history of information networks from the Stone Age to AI.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some of it is pretty tough reading<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 especially in his harsh critique of Roman Catholicism\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 which he argues &#8211; often convincingly \u2013<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 does not have the proper self-correcting mechanisms<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to balance its claims of universal truth<br>           with those of infallibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Despite that serious critique, the book is certainly eye-opening,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 especially about artificial intelligence and the precarious balance<br>between order and truth in this digital age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For example, Harari reports on an incident that occurred<br>when OpenAI was developing its GPT-4 in 2023.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One goal was to have GPT-4 become an autonomous agent<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that could accomplish tasks<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 for which it was never programmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 An independent research lab was hired to test GPT-4.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One test was to see if GPT-4 could solve those visual puzzles<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 or CAPTCHA tests we encounter when logging in somewhere<br>to prove that we are human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The good news is that GPT-4 could not solve the puzzle,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 at least by itself, but then the shocking revelation:<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On its own initiative GPT-4 contacted a human worker<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and asked them to solve the CAPTCHA puzzle for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The human got suspicious and asked GPT-4<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 why it needed help and if it was a robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On its own accord it replied to the human<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo, I am not a robot.\u00a0 I have a visual impairment<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 what makes it hard for me to see the images.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The human was duped, and with his help<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 GPT-4 solved the CAPTCHA puzzle:<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Shades of the computer HAL in Stanley Kubrick\u2019s 1968 film<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0062622\/\">2001: A Space Odyssey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For all of its strengths and capacities,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one quality that technicians have not been able<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to engineer into any AI program is humility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 AI is designed to follow its goals with unabashed chutzpah<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 even when it doesn\u2019t know: the worst kind of student.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I use Chat-GPT often, and when trying to get a page reference<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to the CAPTCHA puzzle story in the Harari book,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 since I listened to it on Audibles,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 my Chat-GPT informed me that there was no such book.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So we had to have a \u201ccome to Jesus\u201d moment<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and I chided my Chat-GPT for being arrogant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It properly apologized, as it has done before,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 but I also know that I made no dent in its programming.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It will continue to plow forward unchecked by human virtue.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 AI is relentless and marked by what some consider<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u201cmachine arrogance.\u201d<br><br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is the second Sunday in a row<br>that John the Baptist has taken center stage in the gospel.<br>But the two Sundays offer very different faces of this greatest of all prophets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week, one could posit at least a bit of prophetic arrogance:<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the Baptist of Matthew\u2019s chapter 3 was cocksure of himself,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 relentless in calling people to repentance<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and unforgiving \u2013 even brash \u2013 in his dialogue<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 with Pharisees and Sadducees<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 whom, worthy of a contemporary campaign strategy<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 he labels a \u201cbrood of vipers\u201d:<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 not someone I\u2019d want to go to confession to<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 especially with his threat of unquenchable hell fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even my grade school pastor was more forgiving!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So what happened to the firebrand,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the voice crying in the wilderness,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the roaring lion hell-bent on publicly confronting<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sinners and hypocrites alike?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a word: CAPTCHA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John proved that he wasn\u2019t a prophetic robot.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Instead, he demonstrated that he was human.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And redefined AI for us:<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From \u201cArtificial intelligence,\u201d to \u201cAdvent intelligence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before I launched into Harari\u2019s work on information technology,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I finished a book by the scientific journalist Maggie Jackson<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 entitled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.maggie-jackson.com\/uncertain\"><em>Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of being Unsure<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><br><br>Peppered with real life examples from experts and ordinary folk,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jackson offers a compelling argument that<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 uncertainty is not a weakness<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 but a profound source of common sense;<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that uncertainty actually gives us a cognitive advantage,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 offering a new level of wakefulness in our brains,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and that the courage to be unsure is actually a source of wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wisdom is not a capacity<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that researchers have been able to program into computers:<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 artificial intelligence is not Artificial wisdom,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 though <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/32583762\/\">some scientists are pursuing that project<\/a>.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Part of that project is based upon what scientists now know<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 about the nature of wisdom and its particular characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One of the most persistent indicators of wisdom is humility:<a id=\"_ednref1\" href=\"#_edn1\">[i]<\/a><br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the willingness to be wrong,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the openness to embrace doubt,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the capacity to actually thrive in the midst of<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ambiguity and uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Even AI engineers understand the importance<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 from moving from AI to AW,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 from artificial intelligence to artificial wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0 Dylan Losey who leads cutting edge robotics research<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 at Virginia Tech University<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 believes that programing AI for uncertainty,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that introducing doubt into computers and robots,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 is critical for the ethical development of the field. <a id=\"_ednref2\" href=\"#_edn2\">[ii]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Baptist was no AI programmer or robotics engineer.<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But, he intuitively understood that the journey into uncertainty<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 was part of his final journey into holiness,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and in his doubt he invites us on that same journey<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 from AI to AW \u2013 from Advent Intelligence to Advent Wisdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Letters from prison are a recognized literary genre and sources of great wisdom&#8211;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Whether written by St. Paul,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the Lutheran Pastor and Nazi dissident Dietrich Bonhoeffer,<br>       Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,<br>       or Nelson Mandela.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While we do not have a fulsome letter from John,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Only a few lines \u2013 actually only one furtive sentence \u2013<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that one potent sentence<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sparked the imagination of one poet who suggested<br>what a complete epistle from him might have sounded like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So John writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <em>\u201cIt is dark and quiet here but I am not alone<\/em><br><em>\u2026 that same spirit that I wrestled with in the desert<\/em><br><em>That same spirit that filled the air<\/em><br><em>when I first started preaching repentance<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That same spirit that hovered over the Jordan<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The day I baptized him<\/em><br><em>That spirit is here \u2026 brooding, and prodding,<\/em><br><em>and wanting to wrestle with me still.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>In this wrestling, I am grateful<\/em><br><em>that you took my questions to Jesus,<\/em><br><em>difficult as that may have been,<\/em><br><em>risking to appear like so many Pharisees<\/em><br><em>setting a public trap for my cousin.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>But he understood it was not a trick<\/em><br><em>but a trauma \u2026 a dark questioning of the soul<\/em><br><em>that prompted such a question.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>I really did wonder if he was the one:<\/em><br><em>the messiah who would liberate us<\/em><br><em>and overthrow the Roman army<\/em><br><em>who would engineer the demise<\/em><br><em>of puffed up, overfed clerical leaders<\/em><br><em>and their religion tuned only toward self-preservation;<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 or whether he\u2019d simply turn out to be one of them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <em>His answers about the blind, the deaf, the lame and the poor<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 frankly shocked me.<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That is not what I baptized him for:<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 where is the holy revolt,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 his taking on the pompous elite,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 winning over the masses,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 steamrolling the priests and politicians,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and reestablishing the house of David,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the throne of Solomon?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>I am deeply disappointed; but ultimately only in myself,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 for in the midst of preaching repentance<\/em><br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <em>I gave into the temptation of wanting my own messiah<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 who would speak and act the way I hoped<\/em><br><em>the way I had dreamed.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>But cousin Jesus appears to be filled with God\u2019s spirit<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Not mine.<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And so he has not toppled the mighty<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He has not silenced clerical pomp<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He has not ended greed and abuse<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 or the trampling of the poor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>But he has exposed it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>That means I might be seeing him here soon<\/em><br><em>Maybe in a cell next to mine<\/em><br><em>Awaiting his own execution<\/em><br><em>The price of such deeply authentic ministry.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Is he the true messiah?<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I suspect that he is<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But we will only know, my friend,<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If the spirit of his good news<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Burns in the hearts of his followers,<\/em><br><em>And they take up his mission:<\/em><br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <em>In times of doubt to raise up hope<\/em><br><em>In times of darkness to radiate light<\/em><br><em>In times of greed to manifest generosity<\/em><br><em>And in times of hatred and rejection, to respond in love.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Until we meet again \u2026 be at peace<\/em><br><em>And, no matter in what prison you might dwell,<\/em><br><em>No matter what darkness threatens to enfold you,<\/em><br><em>take up his good news<\/em><br><em>choose to be part of the proof<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that I did truly baptize God\u2019s own messiah<\/em><br><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 an unending source of consolation and light<\/em><br><em>and his name is Jesus.<a id=\"_ednref3\" href=\"#_edn3\"><strong>[iii]<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cO come, o come Emmanuel.\u201d<br>In this season, we so often sing<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 for the coming of the Messiah,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the appearance of Emmanuel<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 who will end the nations raging against each other,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 who will stop the innocent from being harassed and imprisoned,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 who will ensure that children will be nourished,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 protected and loved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But, in the Advent wisdom of the Baptism,<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 such will only happen if we take up his mission<br>to raise up hope,<br>to radiate light,<br>to manifest generosity,<br>and to respond in love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And in the interim,<br>no matter in what prison we might dwell,<br>No matter what darkness threatens to enfold us,<br>We must again choose to be part of the proof<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that John did truly baptize God\u2019s own messiah<br>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 whom we name the Christ,<br>brother and friend,<br>Lord and God forever and ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#_ednref1\" id=\"_edn1\">[i]<\/a> David Robson, <em>The Intelligence Trap: Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes<\/em> (New York: W. W. Norton &amp; Company, 2019), chapter 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#_ednref2\" id=\"_edn2\">[ii]<\/a> Losey\u2019s work is cited in Jackson\u2019s book, pp. 192-193.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"#_ednref3\" id=\"_edn3\">[iii]<\/a> I can no longer find the original source or inspiration for this fictional letter; if anyone knows, please contact me so that I can rectify this ascription.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ED FOLEY &#8212; The Baptist was no AI programmer or robotics engineer, but he intuitively understood that the journey into uncertainty was part of his final journey into holiness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":68827,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3294],"tags":[4224,1704,4223,2442],"class_list":["post-68825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ars-praedicandi","tag-chatgpt","tag-john-the-baptist","tag-openai","tag-third-sunday-of-advent"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - 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