1 John 2:22-28 / John 1:19-28
There is this story of a missionary priest who worked among the natives.
As he was converting and baptising them, he was quite puzzled with this one man who attended his catechism classes but refused to be baptized and he didn't give a reason for it.
One day, a couple of years later, that man came to the priest and said that he was ready for baptism.
Of course the priest was happy about it, and he asked the man what took him so long to decide.
The man said that he wanted to see if those who were baptized had any significant changes in their lives. And now he wanted to be like them.
Of course that was a happy conclusion. But it may not always be a happy conclusion such as this.
Because there are cases when during the period of instruction and formation, the candidates are full of fervour and zest.
But after baptism, or confirmation, or final profession, or ordination, things begin to slowly change for the worse and deteriorate.
And that is because people forget that they are anointed with the truth and not with a lie (cf 1st reading); they forget who they are and what they stand for.
Like John the Baptist, we are also a voice of truth that cries in the wilderness. May we also walk that straight path to the Lord.