Who are we when no one is looking?

By Tim Trainor

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010921.cfm
1 John 5:14-21
John 3:22-30

I would like us now to begin our New-Year together by reflecting on the final line of our Gospel reading from John 3:30, “He must increase; I must decrease.”

In his mercy, Jesus even gives us a solution for “such a thing as deadly sin” which the first reading from 1 Jn 5:14-21 speaks about. That solution is the Sacrament of Confession. Whenever we “decrease” by humbling ourselves – say by taking part in the that sacred tribunal called the Sacrament of Confession — our identity in Christ increases, which our Gospel reading covers.

As some Church Fathers reflected on these words, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” They asked, “What does this mean? God can neither increase nor decrease they reasoned. For if He increases, He is not perfect. If He decreases, He is not God.” This was a great mystery for them to work out.

Before the Lord Jesus came, men were glorifying themselves. The Word came as a man to lessen man’s pride and glory and to increase the glory of God. Jesus came to forgive sin when a man confesses. For man’s confession is man’s humility. God’s pity is God’s glory they reasoned. Therefore, let man acknowledge his own lowliness by repenting his sins and let God show His pity. “He must increase, but I must decrease,” for God must be glorified. This takes place by my confession. This truth Christ and John signified by their deaths, they explained. For John it was shown in a lesser way by his head, Jesus; and Christ was exalted by the cross.

We say, then, may the glory of God then increase in us, and our own glory decrease, so in the end our glory may increase in God. For the more you understand God, He seems to be growing in you; but, God Himself does not grow, as He is perfect. This means, you understood a little yesterday, you understand more today, and you will understand much more tomorrow. 

It is as if one’s eyes were being cured of blindness. We begin to see a little glimmer of light, and the following days see more and more. The light would seem to grow; yet, the light does not change whether one sees it or not. It is also true with our spiritual life. We make progress in God, and God seems to be increasing in us. We ourselves decrease as we conform to God’s will, that we may fall from human pride and glory, and rise into the glory of God.

The Impact on how we play out the life in each of us, perhaps even challenged by God to live as we move thru our life's stages, and explore just how the formula (ncrease via decrease) shows how John the Baptist has outlined for us to follow to Growth in Grace and Goodness. This uniquely works for each of us.

These powerful and prophetic words of St. John the Baptist should echo in our hearts every day. They could help each of us in these two ways:

• First view and go about the roles that God gives each of us to play daily;
  
• Then, deal with our character. That is, who we are when no one is looking.
  

John's role was that of a forerunner, a voice crying out in the wilderness. Jesus' role was that of God's Loving and Saving Shepard.

I think John The Baptist's words should set the tone for moving us from all that we now, both in our role and character, to whom God is calling us to become. We are each growing into saints.

Remember, as noted by the Catechism:

The communion of saints is the spiritual solidarity which binds together the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven in the organic unity of the same mystical body under Christ its head, and in a constant interchange of supernatural offices. The participants in that solidarity are called saints by reason of their destination and of their ultimate partaking of the fruits of their gifted redemption.  

I interpret his role as he is 'OK' with everyone coming to Jesus now instead of him for baptism. John was a 'forerunner' for him. A forerunner is loaded with spiritual meaning. John is the 'best man,’ and Jesus being bridegroom. The Church, you and I, are the bride.

The example John chooses helps his disciples see and understand the what and why he is diminishing his role/activities. He is full of joy about it, because he describes it as a wedding. Note also the past tense in his statement: my joy has been made complete.

Have any of you ever been a 'Best Man' at a wedding? I bet you too felt the decrease in your role as the wedding moved on and your joy was made complete as the newlyweds hit the road on their honeymoon.

The second way God asks of us to 'Decrease so He can increase' is in our personal virtues. The path that God most often chooses is virtue of humility.

A virtue is a habit that perfects the powers of the soul and disposes you to do good. Catholics believe that divine grace is offered to the soul, because without God’s help, humans find it very difficult to do good on their own.

Grace, which is God’s intervention, bolsters a person’s soul, providing the necessary “oomph” to do the right thing.

Catholics believe that virtues prepare and dispose people so that when the grace is offered people readily recognize, accept, and cooperate with it. In other words, God’s grace is necessary, but virtues make it easier for us, with our freewill to work in concert with Him.

Temperance is the virtue which I wish us to zero in on. A person practices balance by the virtue of temperance. Interestingly, the Catechism views humility as contained in the cardinal virtue of temperance.

St. Bernard defines humility as, "The virtue by which a man knowing himself as he truly is.” That is, “It is the virtue which enables a man to see himself in his true colors and thereby to discover his worthlessness.”

Jesus Christ is the ultimate representation of humility. It is the repressing or moderating virtue opposed to pride and vainglory. Humility is included in temperance as meekness and self control are, because all are characteristics that keep human emotions or drives in balance.

Here are three current day working definitions of this humility:

• Not Thinking less of yourself, but thinking less often of yourself
  
• Thinking more often of others first & less often of yourself
  
• Knowing that there is a God and I am not Him
  

When we grow in Virtue, Jesus increasing in our lives. What exactly does this look like or mean?  When John says that he must decrease, he also means that his own will, desires, ambitions, hopes, etc., must dissolve as Jesus takes over. It means that all selfishness must be abandoned and selfless living must be the new founding principle of our lives.

To “decrease” before God means we become humble. Humility is a re-balancing, a  giving up of everything not of God and allowing only God to shine through.

Let’s start our New Year off by reflecting upon this beautiful statement of St. John the Baptist and make it our personal prayer. Say it over and over as we move thru our upcoming days. Let it become the guiding principle of our lives as we transition between roles as we age. Seek to grow in virtue during the coming year.

Hear Saint John's call as a way for us to Grow in Goodness. Let's work on increasing it via thinking more often of others first and less often of ourselves.

Lord, You must increase and I must decrease.  Please come and take complete possession of me. Transform my mind and heart, guide my will, emotions and desires.  Allow me to become a holy vessel of Your divine life and participation in all the Sacraments – to include Confession.

Jesus, I trust that you will arrange for all my future necessary Increases in any Growth in Goodness needed to be a full fledged member of your Communion of Saints.

As Mother Angelica of EWTN use to say, "We are all called to be Great Saints!” I, don’t want to miss that golden and eternal growth opportunity.