Saint Francis of Assisi by Ermes Dovico

GOSPEL PEARLS

With immense humility

He who comes after me existed before me (Jn 1: 15)

Gospel Pearls 31_12_2019

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only-begotten Son, full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'" From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of  grace, because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father's side, has revealed him. (Jn 1: 15)

Saint John the Baptist, in his humility, not only did not draw attention to himself but also told everyone, including his own disciples, that they should follow Jesus the expected Messiah. John even said that he was not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals. In his own turn, Jesus, with immense humility, did not consider his equality with God a gift to be held onto but loved us so much that he accepted lowering himself into our human condition in order to free us from the darkness of sin. Lord, help us to always be more humble, in order to be set free from pride and all its consequences.