John Sends us to Jesus

Today was Gaudete Sunday. Our Gospel passage from Matthew 11 presents us with John in a dark place - death row in Herod’s prison. Hardly a scant trace of joy to be found. John sends his disciples to Jesus to ask him, “Are you the One who is to come or should we wait for another?”  What’s this about? Are those dark prison walls getting to him? Is John disappointed in Jesus? Is he doubting Jesus? Is he thinking, “Was I wrong about you, Jesus?”