John 1:29-34 Jesus Coming Towards Me

John 1:29-34 Jesus Coming Towards Me

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If I saw Jesus, would I recognize him? If he came towards me, would I bow down before him or would I run away from him - turn my back on him? This question is not so hypothetical. In fact, it is easily answered by the choices I have made in the difficult times of my life. Have I chosen God over myself? His Will over mine; his selflessness or my selfishness? This is a question we can all answer. Have I abandoned my spouse, broken my promises or vows, thrown chaos and confusion, darkness and fury over all who are around me? Yes, I can answer this question too. All I need to do is open my eyes and see what I have done.

John saw the Lord coming towards him and immediately recognized him. He told his disciples, the gems of his hard labor, to no longer follow him but to follow the Lord. Saints do not give to the world themselves; they give to the world Christ. John, like Mary, gave to the world the Son of God. Lord, let there be light, and there was Light!

A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me. What does it take to be a disciple of the Lord? Humility. What does it mean to be humble? To accept myself for what I am. I am a speck of sand – in time and in space! I am a dot in the universe – in length and in width! Our planet is not even in the center of our solar system! Copernicus pushed us off to the side! Hubble kicked us out of our unique galaxy! And I think to myself…How comforting this is. Nothing I do makes any difference. I can do whatever I want.

But in reality, in the eyes of all that can see, I am a spiritual giant! Taller than any redwood, more conscious than any existing matter, more intelligent than our sun, more nurturing than Mother Nature, more loving than all the precious stones below, and much more forgiving than the Universe! I belong to my Creator in a unique, singular way! I belong to the Lord who is my Father, my brother, my God. Only man and woman can look up into the sky and say, “What a beautiful night.” No animal, no-thing can do that! Only man and woman can say, “I am here”, and no one can take my place. And what is truly remarkable is: My God knows me. “To those who accepted him, he gave power to become children of God.” Now I know who I am. I can make a difference! “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will!”

Now I must accept who the Lord has made me to be: his child. I will not run away from the Lord. I will run to the Lord and embrace Him. He has given me depth and length, purpose and meaning. He who ranks ahead of me is coming to me! I am his and he is mine. I am not an insignificant speck. I am a drop of God’s infinite love, capable of making another smile, of bringing joy to another, of opening heaven to those sunk into despair.

This power to become children of God means to rise above the existing confusion of this world and set some order to it! We have been called to bring some light; to open the skies and discover the heavens above. To see life for what it is: an overflow of God’s love. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I will not succumb to the greatest lie ever! That is, “I’m so sorry. I can’t help you.”

We will soon be witnessing the beatification of John Paul II. He was a giant. He was a speck in the eyes of evil. Born in an insignificant country; orphaned at an early age. His nation was run over by Nazis and then Communists, but he stood straight up and faced the evil giants that surrounded him. He did so because he loved God. This is what love can do!

May I never be comforted in thinking that I am a speck! May I be terrified in knowing that I am a drop of love – infinite love – from God! This drop makes all the difference in the world.