Posted by The WORD in other words (2002) by Fr Ben Limsuan SVD
January 3 – Before Epiphany
A story was once told of a judge at the end of a long line of penitents waiting to go to confession. Encouraged by a priest who told him to go to the sacristy where he could be attended to promptly, the well known jurist politely replied, “Thank you Father, I’ll wait for my turn, elsewhere I am the judge, this time I am the culprit, humbly awaiting judgment.”
“After me is to come a person who ranks ahead of me, because he was before me.” (John 1,30) We picture John as that fiery and towering prophet, preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah. His presence commanded awe and reverence by the people who came to repent and be baptized. Asked who he was, he would say, with firmness and clarity, “I will baptize with water but the one who is coming will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandals.” (cf Matthew 3,11)
Indeed, true greatness lies, not in fulfilling one’s personal interest and ambition, not even in self-immolation for a human cause but in knowing one’s finite self called to be a partner of God’s mission to build his kingdom of love and truth.
From human experience, it is not easy to find oneself under the shadow of another. John shows us the way to complete joy by living out what he said of Christ, “It is necessary that he increases but that I decrease.” (John 3,30) Sometimes when we find ourselves confronted with other ideas and ways of doing things, it is so difficult to accept that others could have better ideas and could do it better. John’s humility uncovers the simplicity of divine truth and love.
