1 John 5:14-21 / John 3:22-30
In one of the most profound revelations in the readings after the feast of Epiphany, we come to the gospel text of today that talks about John the Baptist and his role as the one who prepares the way for Jesus.
And as the gospel text puts it, that was before John was put into prison, which effectively ended his ministry and later it would also end his life.
John was baptising, and so was Jesus, and hence John's disciples brought out this issue to him and was concerned that everyone was going to Jesus.
Yet John was graciously profound when he said he was not the Christ and that he was just the one who has been sent before the Christ.
John knew he was not the bridegroom but just the best-man he was not the Christ but just the baptizer; and that he must grow smaller and the Christ must grow greater.
And with that comes a statement from John the Baptist that revealed his self-understanding, and at the same time something that we ourselves need to understand.
He said, "A man can lay claim only to what is given him from above." And with those words he stepped aside for Jesus and he faded off and faded away.
John knew what he was given from above and he claimed that authority and fulfilled his mission.
We too know what we have been given from above. The 1st reading says that the Son of God has come and has given us the power to know the true God.
To know the true God is to acknowledge Jesus is Lord and to gain from Him the reward of eternal life.
To desire and yearn for passing things is to worship a false god, and to lose what we have been given from above.
Yet in order to lay claim to what we have been given from above, we need to grow smaller and to let God grow greater.
That is what our life is all about on earth; and that is also what eternal life is all about.