Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according Saint John 1, 19-28
This is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted,
“I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent.
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.
The fear to overcome
1. Make the decision. In John the Baptist we see the figure of a man who faces his mission, who accepts his mission and his life purpose. Today, you must make a decision in order to face the fear that you feel. Do not let anxiety get in your way. New year; new decisions… and of course, everything may turn upside down. But you have to take courage because you cannot postpone it forever. Either you decide, or life will force you to do so.
2. Prepare and confront. This is the next thing to do after making the decision. Prepare for what is new and for what it implies in your life. Prepare yourself as a mother or father to speak to your child; as a husband or wife to talk to your spouse; or as a priest or religious person to speak to your community. Learn to prepare yourself and face things, as John the Baptist did. He made it clear who he was and what pertained to him and what didn’t. If today you must leave something behind, get ready and face it; and if today you must take a step towards something or someone, get ready and face it. You might feel internal contradiction, but once you take this step you will feel free.
3. Enjoy and learn. Once you have decided and prepared yourself to face a situation, you are ready to continue on your life’s journey. You can gain something good even out of failure. That’s why when you face fear, once you take the step, you’ll be able to enjoy life and learn. John enjoyed seeing how many people discovered God and had their lives changed by Jesus. He also learned that his path was in a different direction. Enjoy life and overcome fear because fear makes you forget what you are here for and where you are going. But you must also learn that life goes on and that every step you take will leave a great lesson for you. The decisions in your life are in your hands, not in mine, nor in anyone else’s. Even God gave you the gift of freedom. Make the decision, prepare yourself and face each situation; enjoy and learn. These are the steps you must take to embark on your life to eternal happiness.
Always remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
