Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Reading: 1 Jn 2:22–28
Gospel: Jn 1:19–28
This was the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” John recognized the truth and did not deny it. He said, “I am not the Messiah.”And they asked him, “Then who are you? Elijah?” He answered, “I am not.” They said, “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?” And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, “I am the voice crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.”Those who had been sent were Pharisees; so they put a further question to John: “Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” John answered, “I baptize you with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.”This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The line of questioning of the people regarding John’s identity indicated that they were ready to take him for a Messiah. But John was candid about his identity. He told them frankly he was just the poor voice shouting out in the desert, “Prepare the way of the Lord!”
Today’s Gospel reading reminds us of the importance of a healthy self-image in our role as heralds of God. Yes, we are heralds of God in a way. Our task is to announce the good news of the mystery of the incarnation. This mystery is all about humility. If we do not have a healthy self- image pride breaks loose. We then behave like God. Good if we act like God in his cardinal attributes of love and justice.
Most likely we’d be exacting justice and love from others, never from ourselves. A person with unhealthy self- image turns into a monster because in his attempt to become like God he stops behaving like a human being. A monster like this is not only dangerous to others but also to himself.
We can cultivate healthy self -image by injecting the world its daily dosage of love. This is no tall order!
“Nature”, wrote Jean-Jacques Rousseau in Emile, “never deceives us; it is always we who deceive ourselves.” It is our nature to love because the God who created us is Love. Man became selfish when sin came in. When not oppressed by sin which generates inordinate desires, and when the heart is allowed to beat on its own, loving comes out so naturally in us. With healthy self- image we can be as efficient as John the Baptist in proclaiming God to the world. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M., Email: [email protected]
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