Saturday after Epiphany
"Jn 3:22-30"
They came to John, and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptising, and all are going to him." John answered, "No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. He must increase, but I must decrease."
The disciples of St John the Baptist thought that he would be concerned or upset about Jesus, but the saint was beaming with joy. Mission accomplished! His mission was to prepare everything for Jesus. Now Jesus was at work. No more preparations, no more waiting, no more uncertainty or confusion: 'Operation Redemption' had begun!
John's disciples may have wanted more prominence, more public recognition for him... but he just wanted to hide and disappear, so that only Jesus would shine: "He must increase, but I must decrease," he said. His mission was to point out the light of Jesus, not to shine himself.
St John Henry Newman explains: "God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission... He has not created me for naught." And He has risked a lot. God is like a good football coach who has chosen to train you. He helps you to develop your skills. He teaches you all you need. He invests His money, time and gifts in you. But you are free. You can turn your back on Him and decide to do synchronised swimming. You might be good at it and be famous. But your coach would feel disappointed... and your team will be missing a vital player.
"Vocation does not come from a voice out there calling me to be something I am not." Thomas Merton explains. "It comes from a voice in here calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfil the original selfhood given me at birth by God... For each one of us, there is only one thing necessary: to fulfil our own destiny, according to God's will, to be what God wants us to be." Mary, Virgin Most Faithful, may I be faithful to my vocation.
