John the Baptist’s Testimony to Himself

Today's Reflections

John the Baptist’s Testimony to Himself 

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Jn 1:19-28

¹⁹This is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²²So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” ²³He said:/ “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert,/ “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’/ as Isaiah the prophet said.” ²⁴Some Pharisees were also sent. ²⁵They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?” ²⁶John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, ²⁷the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Reflection:

I am “the voice of one crying out in the desert.” John the Baptist knows who he is and what his mission is. He does his best, but he never claims to be what he is not. He tells the truth about himself: he is not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet. He is only the voice of one crying out in the desert, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” He is not even worthy to untie the sandal strap of the one coming after him.

John knows that he is not the light but only the spotlight. His mission is to turn the hearts of people to the coming Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord. He does not want to stand on the way of the Lord.

There are many people—even lay, religious, or clerical apostles—who do a lot of good. But then they try to impress others with their talents and achievements that, instead of pointing the way to the Lord, they divert all attention to themselves, and the people fail to know the Lord.

Lead people to Christ.

Do not block the Lord’s way

to their minds and hearts.