Reflection for January 3
Today’s gospel shows us how John the Baptist, who many regarded as someone sent by God, was able to identify Jesus as the real one sent by God because he saw the Spirit in the form of a dove descend upon him. He always said someone greater than he was coming, now he identifies that person and says he baptized with water but this man, Jesus, will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
Many of us have been in roles where we proclaimed the Gospels, we taught the Good News, and were admired by many. But were we, and even to this day, are we able to step back from those people and say, “It’s not about me, it’s about Him, Jesus, the Son of God.”
The first reading said the reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Think about some of the discussions you have recently had with others that did not end up on good terms. You may have been trying to proclaim God’s word again and others did not get it because they may not yet know him. Then what are we to do? Like John, do what you can but when the time comes, step back and let Jesus and the Holy Spirit enter the scene.
Bev Brazauskas