24 June 2014 - he must increase

24 June 2014 - he must increase

Jesus tells us that John the Baptist is the greatest of those born of women (cf. Mat. 11:11).  What can we learn from him?  It is summarized in his words about his relationship to Jesus, "He must increase; I must decrease" (cf. Joh. 3:30).  These words are so profound that Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing uses them as his motto as bishop. 

It is adherence to this ideal that makes John a "sharp-edged sword".  Desire to be in the spotlight himself is disastrous for one who needs to be "proclaiming a baptism of repentance".  If he has that desire all such attempts are sabotaged.  But John does not have that desire.  The focus of his thoughts, words, and deeds is entirely on the word of God, Jesus Christ.  The word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword (cf. Heb. 2:14) but our words are not.  This is that about which Paul warns Timothy "Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:14).  If John has the plank of pride in his own eye cannot effectively turn the hearts of parents to their children (cf. Mal. 4:6) or to call the people to generosity and to righteousness (cf. Luk. 3:11-13). 

But John's eye is ever on the Lamb of God.  His purpose is ever to declare him.  His proclamation is always "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (cf. Joh. 1:29).  He constantly shifts the focus from himself to Jesus.

‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’

How does John become such a big deal?  He does no miracles that we see recorded.  He preaches a message of repentance.  That is seldom popular.  Why do people come to him from everywhere for baptism (cf. Joh. 3:23)?  It is precisely because he lets Jesus shine through.

His joy is in Jesus (through Mary) from his mother's womb, where he leaps in exultation (cf. Luk. 1:44).  John knows well that he himself is "wonderfully made".  He does not need to exult himself to counterbalance some self-loathing.  He is able to exist entirely to proclaim the one who is to come.  He knows that he isn't a mistake.  God knows him through and through.  He doesn't chose him for to "decrease" because there is something wrong with him.  Decreasing for that reason does not glorify God.  God chooses him to decrease because John knows the joy that comes from Jesus and he wants him to know it more and more.

My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.

We all need to learn to decrease so that Jesus may be our joy and our hope.  We do this in one way by using our words for Jesus and his kingdom, whether or not they are about that explicitly.  Jesus is the word of God that gives meaning to our words.  Look at Zechariah.  His words are made to decrease until he learns to let God increase.  Zechariah is empowered to speak when he uses his speech to further God's plan for the kingdom.  John is the manifestation of that plan.  Just as his name opens Zechariah's mouth to speak again so too can John's example teach us how to speak with a new anointing, a new relevance, a new profundity of meaning. 

After all, the prophecy of the first reading refers not only to John, but to us:

I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.