Saturday after Epiphany
In today’s Gospel, Jesus and John the Baptist are baptizing people. John’s disciples approach John and tell him that many people are coming to Jesus, who used to accompany John, to be baptized. Perhaps more people were going to Jesus than John or maybe many of Jesus’ followers were following Jesus instead. Rather than get upset, John is happy, even joyful, that people are going to Jesus. Through John, I believe this reading can teach us about humility.
When I started out in college campus ministry, young adult ministry, and vocation ministry, I compared the programs and events I organized to other people’s and group’s, especially in attendance as if that was a measure of success. I also compared myself to other ministers I worked with. How is it that they always seem to attract people and I don’t, or people reach out to them all the time but not me? However, if I stayed focused on my envy, I would have missed that it is a blessing that a student reached out to a campus minister even if it wasn’t me, a young adult chose to live out their faith by attending a Catholic young adult event even if I didn’t organize it, and someone decided to pursue discernment to vowed religious life even if it’s not with the religious congregation that I’m in. Jesus is working with them and in all those situations.
We are all “the best man”, as John referred to himself, who arranges the wedding of the bridegroom, and therefore competition between the two of them is unthinkable. John said, “[Jesus] must increase; I must decrease,” (John 3:30). That applies to us too. When we rely too much on our own effort in doing God’s work, our ego can get in the way of God. When we are more humble, Jesus is more visible. Let us pray for the humility for Jesus to be seen through us.
—Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI