1 John 2:22-28; Ps 98(97):1. 2-3b. 3c-4; John 1:19-28
We pick up John's Gospel, which following the prologue (cf. Monday) now goes directly to the ministry of John the Baptist. John came to witness to the Christ, and he is quick to suppress the rumours that he himself is the Messiah. The entire feel of this section of John's Gospel might be summed up "I must decrease, that He might increase".
John's Baptism moved people from an old way of life, into a new way: the way of the Lord. We have been baptised in an even more radical way - by the Holy Spirit, we become part of Christ's Body on Earth, and He, becomes part of us. Once baptised we have the gifts of the Spirit to console, protect, strengthen us. As the 1st Letter of John says:
little children, abide in him,
so that when he appears we may have confidence
and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
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