Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Fr Atilano Corcuera SVD – Divine Word Seminary of Tagaytay
January 2 – Before Epiphany
Someone requested me to visit her old and ailing mother for a possible celebration of the sacrament of confession. Reaching the house, I hastened to enter the room of the mother. Unfortunately, she was not informed of my visit. So she was startled to see me in her room.
Her first question was, “Sino ka?” I said, I was a visitor of her daughter. Second question, “Ano ka?” I answered that I was a priest. Third question, “Anong kailangan mo?” Not losing my cool yet, I patiently explained that her daughter requested me to come, in case she wanted to make a confession. It was my turn to get startled, when she said, “Confession? I don’t have sins! You, priests, you have plenty of them!” I could have blurted out, “Amen”!
The first question to John the Baptist by the priests and Levites was, “Who are you?” The second was, “What are you?” The answers John gave made it clear that his identity lay in his mission. “I am not the Messiah, nor the Prophet, nor Elijah. I am the voice crying in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord!’”
John’s mission was about preparing God’s way and ushering his goodness into the hearts of people who had gone astray. John gave his life for his mission. In life and death, John knew himself, who he was and what he was.
A new year lies in front of us. Another year to regain or intensify the knowledge of our mission from the Lord. In good health and in bad, what is my mission in life? What does God want me to do in the situation that I am in? Do I know who I am and what I am?
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