8 December 2025

Jesus and John were both baptising. More people were going to Jesus than John. His disciples were concerned but John was  not disturbed by the news. In this, he gives us a pattern of a true and sincere discipleship. He says three things.

Firstly, my gift comes from God. ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.’ he says. How we would love to have different gifts, more effective gifts or gifts which others notice. But we only have the gifts which God has chosen to give us for the common good.

Secondly, I am the bridegroom’s friend.  Not only that but he ‘rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice’. Far from being bitter at playing second fiddle, he finds joy in the front-runner, the one who is more successful at baptising greater numbers.  And there’s something very holy in this joy!

Thirdly, I must decrease. John shows great discernment here. Not only does he value his own gift and recognises the gift which God has given Jesus but he sees how the two are manifested for the common good and that harmony comes from his call to decrease whilst Jesus increases.

This shows enormous spiritual strength for John shows us that the gifts which we are given do not last. They are imbued with our mortality. We may not use them. We may try to hold onto them beyond their sell by date. Or we can discern the right time to let them go.

Our vocation is not to be the Messiah. Our vocation is to prepare the way for the Spirit of the risen Christ to come and work its cure. In this we have to learn to decrease whilst the Spirit increases. There is a ministry of presence and also a ministry of absence.