Father Thomas Welbers' Homily

What we just heard is part of the very first chapter of John’s Gospel, in which John the Baptist is seen as handing his followers over to become disciples of Jesus. This scene leads to some of the first signs that Jesus performed to demonstrate his identity – the changing of water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana, his cleansing of the temple of the money changers and merchants, and his midnight teaching to Nicodemus about being born again of water and the Holy Spirit – and then John the Baptist reappears to put closure on his own ministry with the words that we find near the end of chapter three, “He must increase, and I must decrease.”

Imagine how difficult those words must have been both to say and to hear. John was well aware that he had a special call from God to “make straight God’s paths” to proclaim and prepare for a new and wonderful work of God’s power, the coming of a new kingdom in which God’s way, not human ways, would be the guiding principle. And John was popular; he had a large and committed following of diverse people from all walks of life. There were many who had left everything to follow him, and who eagerly listened to his every word, and found meaning for their lives in his teaching.

Imagine, then, John the Baptist saying, “Look, there is the Lamb of God, the one who takes away the sin of the world. Look, he’s the one who has the power to bring about what I have only hinted at. Follow him!” How many famous and popular leaders would do that? Can you imagine a hugely successful president stepping down, and saying “Follow this person, he’s better than I am”? Can you imagine a rock star telling people to go to someone else’s concerts rather than his own? Well . . . can you even imagine a pastor telling his congregation to go and support another church because they do a better job of proclaiming and living the Gospel? No, I can’t imagine that either!

But that’s exactly what John the Baptist did. That’s just what his most dedicated followers heard. Stop following me; go and follow Jesus. “He must increase; I must decrease.” And, for those who had invested everything in being John’s disciples, those must have been hard words to hear as well. Especially since this Jesus seemed so ordinary. He even submitted to John’s baptism along with them. He and his friends went to wedding parties, and drank all their wine. There’s no indication that Jesus had the striking appearance or imposing presence of John. He didn’t wear animal skins and eat insects. Nobody could say, at that time at least, as was said of John, everyone was leaving their homes and flocking to hear him. Nor did it seem he had a plan to do what everyone expected the Messiah would do: gather a great army, defeat the Roman occupying forces, and impose the rule of Israel on the whole world, as the Romans had imposed their rule on the world. This Jesus was just too ordinary and even too humble to expect great things from. And yet, John was saying, “Go to him.”

God does work in strange ways. One of the things we see here is a pattern of paradox, apparent contradictions, which God seems to use throughout all history, and in our own lives, to bring about his designs, and which ultimately show that obedience, even in circumstances where we don’t see or understand fully, obedience best allows the power of his love to prevail.

And so, today, we may want to ponder those words: “He must increase; I must decrease.” And try to see what meaning they have for our own lives. How do I need to change my priorities, my attitudes, my ways of doing things, to put Jesus first? How well do I succeed or fail to put Jesus first? And how should I pray to change my life, so that he may increase, and I, as the servant of his love may point to him in everything I say and do?

© 2005 Thomas Welbers