Make space for Jesus

In today’s reflection on the daily mass readings, Fr Richard considers John the Baptist as an example of one who steps back to let Jesus enter in.

Readings for 2 January: 1 John 2:22-28; Psalm 98:1-4; John 1:19-28. Text of readings can be found here.

We human beings tend to define or describe ourselves by the things we do, or even the place we’re from. “I’m a doctor”; “I’m a teacher”; “I’m a mother” (or grandmother!); “I’m Welsh” are all things we might say about ourselves. We might even say “I’m a Christian”. Against this backdrop it’s interesting that John the Baptist in today’s Gospel defines himself by what he is not. To those sent from Jerusalem to find out about him, John says “I am not the Christ”; when asked if he is Elijah, John replies “I am not”, and to the question “Are you the prophet”, he replies “no”. 

Instead, John defines himself not so much by what he is – his status – but by what he does, and in relation to Jesus. He tells the Levites that he is “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness” from Isaiah, to get people ready for the coming of the Messiah. John also acknowledges his own relative lack of importance compared to Jesus: “the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie”. John’s humility is striking: his role is not to be at the centre, but to make space for another.

This time of the year is often one for resolutions, ambitions and plans for the year ahead. If we are not careful, these things can place the focus solely on ourselves. John reminds us that the Christian life is not about self-assertion but about attentiveness: recognising who we are, and who we are not, and allowing God to work through us. May we be people this year who point beyond ourselves to the one who is greater than we are, and in so doing prepare the way for the Lord to work in our lives and the lives of those around us.

Mass is in St Saviour’s today at 10am

If you’d like more resources for daily prayer then check out our Day by Day pages.