First Reading (John 5,14-21).
Reading of the First Letter of Saint John.
Dear friends, this is the trust we have in God: if we ask him for anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in everything we ask of him, we know that we have what we asked for. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, let him pray, and God will give him life; this, if, in fact, the sin committed does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death, but that is not what I say one should pray about. All iniquity is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that whoever was born of God does not sin. He who is generated by God guards him, and the Evil One cannot reach him. We know that we are from God, while the entire world is under the power of the Evil One. We know that the Son of God came and gave us intelligence to know Him who is the True One. And we are with the True One, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal Life. Little children, beware of idols.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (John 3,22-30).
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus went with his disciples to the region of Judea. He remained there with them and baptized. John was also baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, where there was plenty of water. Then people arrived and were baptized. João had not yet been put in prison. Some of John’s disciples were arguing with a Jew about purification. They went to John and said, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan and to whom you testified, is now baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” John replied, “No one can receive anything unless it is given to him from heaven. You yourselves are witnesses of what I said: ‘I am not the Messiah, but I was sent before him’. It is the groom who receives the bride, but the friend, who is present and listens to him, is filled with joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This is my joy, and it is complete.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
“He must grow and I must shrink.” These words of John the Baptist, so simple and at the same time so profound, invite us today to reflect on humility, trust and true identity in Christ.
In the first reading, John presents us with an extraordinary truth about our relationship with God: “This is the confidence we have in him: if we ask anything according to his will, he answers us.” What a powerful promise! But note the crucial detail: “according to your will.” John the Baptist, in the gospel, perfectly exemplifies this attitude of alignment with the divine will.
Imagine the scene described in the gospel. John’s disciples come to him, apparently worried: “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, and to whom you testified, is baptizing, and everyone is coming to him.” We can feel the anxiety in his words, perhaps even a touch of jealousy on behalf of his master. After all, John had been the big attraction, the desert prophet who attracted crowds. And now?
John the Baptist’s response is a masterpiece of spiritual humility: “No man can receive anything unless it is given him from heaven.” With these words, he recognizes a fundamental truth that we all need to embrace: everything we have and are is a gift from God.
João continues with a beautiful analogy: he compares himself to the groom’s friend, who rejoices when he hears the groom’s voice. There is no envy, no competition, just genuine joy in seeing God’s plan unfold. “This is my joy, and it is complete.”
This attitude of John the Baptist dialogues perfectly with what the first reading of John teaches us about true life in Christ. “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin.” This does not mean impossible perfection, but a fundamental orientation of the heart. When we truly understand who we are in Christ, when our identity is firmly anchored in Him, we don’t need to compete, we don’t need to cling to positions or status.
John the Baptist knew who he was. He knew his role in God’s plan. And, most importantly, he knew when it was time to step back so Christ could step forward. “He must grow and I must shrink.” What a lesson for us today! In a world obsessed with self-affirmation and self-promotion, these words are revolutionary.
How often do we find ourselves fighting to maintain control, to preserve our influence, to protect our territory? How often does our prayer become a wish list instead of an exercise in aligning ourselves with God’s will?
John’s first letter warns us about idols: “Little children, beware of idols.” Idols are not always statues or images. Often it is our own ambitions, our desire for recognition, our need for control. John the Baptist shows us the path to freedom from these idols: recognizing that our true joy is in seeing Christ exalted, even if it means our own “diminishment.”
So how do we apply these truths to our lives? First, we need to honestly examine our hearts. Where are we trying to “grow” in areas where Christ should be growing? Where is our will competing with God’s will?
Second, we need to cultivate that confidence that John speaks of in the first reading. Confidence that God hears us, that He cares about our needs, but also confidence that His will is always better than ours.
Third, we need to find our joy not in our own success or recognition, but in seeing the Kingdom of God advance, even if that means others get the credit or attention.
My brothers and sisters, may we today learn from John the Baptist this profound lesson of humility and joy. May we find our true identity and purpose not in self-exaltation, but in pointing to Christ. And may our prayers increasingly reflect not our will, but the sincere search for God’s will.
May the Lord give us the grace to say, with sincerity and joy, “He must increase and I must decrease.” Amen.
