Scripture Reflection: for Saturday, January 12, 2008

Scripture: I John 5:14-21. Psalm 149:1-6,9. John 3:22-30. Lectionary #
218:

We all like counselors and spiritual directors who have the gift of
listening to us. Listening is a form of reverence for the other person who
is speaking to us or seeking advice from time to time. The gift of
listening shows us a person's attentiveness, kindness, and patience. We
all like such persons. In today's Gospel the theme of listening comes to
mind as we focus upon John the Baptist dialoguing and listening to what his
disciples are saying. There even seems to be some sort of controversy
about another person doing what John is doing (Jesus is said to be
baptizing!). John is the forerunner, the herald, and the witness to the
one who is coming and apparently in this scene has already appeared doing
some of the same rituals as John the Baptist. John is not upset for he
too has waited for the one who is to come, the Messiah. Now that he knows
that he has arrived, John compares himself to the bestman in a wedding. He
pays attention to the bridegroom and not to himself. He tells us that this
best friend of the groom just waits there listening for his arrival; he is
overjoyed when he hears his voice. His joy now is complete. "He, the
Messiah Jesus of Nazareth must increase, while I, John, must decrease." We
see that John has no feelings of envy or jealousy about Jesus; nor does he
complain when some of his best disciples follow Jesus and leave their
former master, the Baptist. Jesus, afterall, is the bridegroom, the
friend, the Messiah. Such honesty and truthfulness on his part are added
strengths of the Baptist in addition to his great ability to listen. Today
we have an opportunity to listen to others, to listen to God's word in the
Scriptures, and to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within our
hearts. Amen.