He Must Increase; I Must Decrease

JANUARY 08, 2022, SATURDAY
SATURDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (White)
CYCLE C - YEAR II
Lectionary: 217

Reading I
1 Jn 5:14-21

Beloved:

We have this confidence in him

that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 

And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,

we know that what we have asked him for is ours. 

If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,

he should pray to God and he will give him life. 

This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. 

There is such a thing as deadly sin,

about which I do not say that you should pray. 

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.

We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;

but the one begotten by God he protects,

and the Evil One cannot touch him. 

We know that we belong to God,

and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. 

We also know that the Son of God has come

and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. 

And we are in the one who is true,

in his Son Jesus Christ. 

He is the true God and eternal life. 

Children, be on your guard against idols.

Responsorial Psalm
149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

R.        (see 4a)  The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.        Alleluia.

Sing to the LORD a new song

            of praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel be glad in their maker,

            let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.

R.        The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.        Alleluia.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,

            let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the LORD loves his people,

            and he adorns the lowly with victory.

R.        The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.        Alleluia.

Let the faithful exult in glory;

            let them sing for joy upon their couches;

Let the high praises of God be in their throats.

            This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.

R.        The Lord takes delight in his people.

or:

R.        Alleluia.

Alleluia
Mt 4:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,

on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death

light has arisen.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 3:22-30

Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,

where he spent some time with them baptizing. 

John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,

because there was an abundance of water there,

and people came to be baptized,

for John had not yet been imprisoned. 

Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew

about ceremonial washings. 

So they came to John and said to him,

“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,

to whom you testified,

here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”

John answered and said,

“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 

You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,

but that I was sent before him. 

The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;

the best man, who stands and listens for him,

rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. 

So this joy of mine has been made complete. 

He must increase; I must decrease.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION:

John the Baptist knew who he was in the sight of God. He knew his strengths and his weaknesses, and knew that his life was to be centered on the one to come. This was not a drudge or burden for him: he rejoiced in the coming of Jesus and in his place in the mission and life of Jesus. He knew he was the announcer of good news, but not the good news itself. Something in him faded into insignificance when Jesus arrived; but this sense that he was second to another has made him first among many. In being humble we are big in the sight of God. Prayer can be an offering of self totally to God, giving and receiving life and love.

PRAYER:

Loving Father, you wake me from sleep today and call me into life and service. You want something of your goodness to shine through my frailty and brokenness. Bless this day!