GOALS ENDING: BEING THE FUTURE Are you the type of person who picks up a good book-length story and read the last chapter first? Are you the kind of reader who says, I never read a whole book unless I like the ending? If so, some people will criticize you for it, but you may be wise after all. Jesus tells us, Dont lay out the book of your life without planning the end of it first. Never choose a way of life unless you like the ending. -Bernard Mischke- THINK! Our gospel reading of today John 1:29-34 (John the Baptists Testimony to Jesus). John the Baptist belongs to Israels tribe of priest (Lk.1:5) who, for a week at a time, twice a year, serve in the Jerusalem temple. But John sets aside his priestly right and privileges and freely chooses a vocation outside the established institutions of Israel. Forsaking comfort, security and the modest conveniences of life in inhabited areas, he goes to the wilderness and lives the life of a prophet. He emerges as the Baptist who preaches repentance, conversion and baptism by water to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. I HAVE SEEN AND TESTIFIED (v34). Johns task is to make Jesus known. He testifies that Jesus is the Son of God. Using the symbolism of immersion in water, John stresses the need for purification in preparation for the perfect baptism to be administered by the Messiah, who alone will give the Holy Spirit(v33). He plainly states his life s purpose: to make Jesus known to Israel. John points to the person of Jesus. He plays his role to the full, without attempting to steal the limelight from Jesus. After he fulfills his mission, John walks away and disappears from the scene. He does not cling to his position; he does not interfere in the events about to unravel. Do we comprehend the wisdom of infant baptism? Do we appreciate the moment we were baptized and assumed a Christian name? Do we renew our baptismal vows? What else are the sacraments (all of them!), if not the action of Christ in the Holy Spirit? When the Church baptizes, it is Christ who baptizes (John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope). As followers of Jesus, we are called to be his witnesses and to proclaim his good news through lives of caring and loving especially the poor. After we have done our job, let us fade into the background. Let us not steal the scene from Jesus who should be the center of attention. We play only the supporting roles. Jesus is our superstar. In our first reading of today (1 John 2:29-3:6) Beloved, we are Gods children now, what we shall be has not yet been revealed (v.2). I remember being told as a teenager, Love God. Study well. Behave responsibly. Be all you can be. You are the future. Back then, I didnt quite understand the value of those words. People around me would say it so often, I thought it was just another one of those standard sermons the elders would give. Besides, to a teenager, the future seemed so far away. Now that I am older, I can reflect on those words with a new perspective. I realize now that people kept saying those platitudes because they were true. I am the future. I know this now because one day I woke up and it hit me that the future had arrived. It was right in my hands. And even though I still cant predict the future, I had a say in the kind and quality of future I wanted to have---for myself, my family, my community, my country. The decisions and actions I take today affect tomorrow. I understand now that the future is an unraveling mystery, constantly revealed by how we live our lives in the present. It is my prayer that our decisions and actions will be a living testimony to the strength and beauty of our true character---as a human being, as a Filipino and as Gods child. What sort of future do we want? What are we doing today to achieve it? What is our lifes purpose? Does knowing about our lifes purpose make a significant change in the way we are living our life today? Can we undertake the mission of making Jesus known to more people in a low-profile way? Lord, help us build a future dedicated to You. Amen. Pray! Pten
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 06:20:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015