Reading and Reflection

Reading 1: 1 John 5: 14 - 21
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 149: 1 - 2, 3 - 4, 5 - 6a and 9b
Gospel:  John 3: 22 - 30

I like to think of John the Baptist as one of the “rock stars” of his time. People were fascinated by him, flocked to him … even sometimes mistook him for the Messiah! How could he keep that kind of attention from going to his head? Wouldn’t he want to keep some (or all) of the spotlight for himself? Yet today we hear him say, “[Jesus] must increase; I must decrease.”

John the Baptist is one of the best examples we ever will have of true humility. John knew that his God-given mission was important, but he was not filled with self-importance. When Jesus walked into his life, John was selfless enough to be able to recognize Jesus for who He really was – and to put Jesus on the pedestal.

The question facing us today is this: What small change can I make in my life so that Jesus increases and I decrease?

“We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
And we are in the one who is true,
in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.”(1 Jn. 5:19-20) - lk

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