He Must Increase

This final Day of the Advent/Christmas cycle, John the Baptizer appears again, not to announce the message of repentance with which we began the cycle, but with the message of humility and self-effacement, of relinquishment of what we might deem "important" or "necessary" and to complete abandonment to the will of the Father. As Jesus emerges to begin his ministry, John realizes that his work is done,  His joy is complete and he proclaims, "He must increase, I must decrease." (Jn 3:30). 
These words might be our prayer and our goal as we move ahead into Ordinary Time on Monday and the months ahead in 2014.  It is the message of humble, selfless servanthood that Jesus will proclaim by his life, his preaching and his deeds, yes, even to the total gift of himself on the cross. Jay Cormier, in his little Advent/Christmas booklet, Waiting in Joyful Hope, writes: To walk with Jesus in the coming year means embracing John's attitude of selflessness:  to place ourselves last for the sake of others; to seek reconciliation and peace before the satisfaction of our own needs and egos; to work to establish God's kingdom of compassion and justice before securing our own needs and security. What a perfect template for our New Year's Resolutions, even if it comes a bit after January 1.
Bro. Rene