Evening Prayer 2-10-11

Silas, Fellow Worker of Sts. Peter and Paul

Reading:
John 3:22-4:6

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

St. John the Baptist, who as the Scriptures recorded there was none greater born among men. (Luke 7:28)  He baptized thousands in the Jordan river for a sign of repentance.  He proclaimed God's Kingdom was at hand and when he saw Jesus approaching him, he proclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God, behold that takes away the sin of the world."  (John 1:29)  This is the man that had crowds coming to him to have the Word of God proclaimed and yet he does not take the honor onto himself.

No rather, he realizes that he must decrease. This means that John knew for well that the salvation of the world was not about him.  John declares that there is one coming whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. (Mark 1:7)  John realizes that he is not the one that is going to take the sin of the world upon himself and die on the cross.  He realizes that his job is to proclaim that the kingdom of God is at hand and to make straight the way of the Lord.  He was to help prepare the way for Jesus' message of salvation in the Gospel.  But this meant that he had to decrease and Jesus would increase.

This is how it is for us as well.  We must decrease so that Christ can increase in us.  As we die to self and we drown our works of self righteousness in the waters of the Baptism, Christ can increase in us.  We must first die though so that the new man in Christ, who is born again from above can live in and through us.  For the one that comes from heaven, (Jesus) is above all.  This is the One that now comes to you can gives you faith so that you can trust Him as your only way of salvation.  Don't try to find a cure for your 'self', that is the problem.  The self must die and then Christ lives and shines through you as you begin to see others through the eyes of Jesus.  Our needs come second and others needs come first.  So that you minister to them in the name of Christ.