December 17th

December 17th, 2023

Mrs. Aduri, Science Teacher 

Readings: Is 61:1-2A, 10-11/1 Thes 5:16-24/Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

In the Gospel, John the Baptist was asked, “Who are you?” and he declared, “I am not the Messiah” (John 1:20) and he went on to say, I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie. (John 1:26-27) In John the Baptist we see a model for our own spirituality, knowing our smallness and nothingness, that we are not worthy to untie even the sandal strap of the Lord. John pointed away from himself to Jesus. Humility, like that of John the Baptist in the Gospel today, brings happiness and leads to God. He gives us a lesson in humility as he presents himself only as a guide to the real light and true Messiah. Saint John the Baptist is a saint of joy because he points always to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. We also can become people of joy when our lives point to Jesus our Lord. We don’t have to be perfect but we do have to keep pointing to the Lord. Just as in the life of John the Baptist, the more we decrease, the more the Lord may increase. It is a challenge for us to live in such a way that we are always witness to the presence of God and God’s love.