For the man (focused) on a mission

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of St. John The Baptist (JTB). Isaiah proclaims the mission of the man who would baptise Jesus:

"You are my servant, he said to me,
Israel, through whom I show my glory...
Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God...
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."
- Is 49:3-4,6 (NAB)

When JTB's story finally comes in the Gospels, and people were starting to talk about him being the promised saviour, he made it clear that he himself is not the Messiah, that instead he was just "a voice of one crying in the wilderness" (Lk 3:4, RSV-CE2). And when he eventually saw Jesus, he did not react out of worry and jealousy, "Darn! Now my disciples will leave me". In fact, he stood and welcomed, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world" (Jn 1:29). JTB had always been very focused on his mission in life - to being people to God, and to point the way to Jesus.

The celebration of the Solemnity is inserted wisely this week to break the flow. But, I don't think it is for the sake of highlighting JTB's birth and mission. The occasion should help us look ahead and realise that we're six months away from the real big news: the birth of Jesus. It provides a good opportunity to to take stock of the distance - or the lack thereof - we have come since the last Christmas.

Have we been the "voice" of/for God, sharing and proclaiming His love for us all? We don't have to stand in the streets to preach. Never mind if we don't know Scriptures well. Never mind if we don't know our traditions at the tip of our fingers. Have we made the little effort to affirm and praise God for the little good we do in our lives? Whenever we do something nice for someone, and they thank us, do we simply accept, or do we make the effort to go a little more, and affirm that it is God working through us?

Isaiah's prophecy surely is a message for us too. God was to use us, His servants, to show His glory. He wants to use us as light for all the nations. We are called to be JTB's in our own little worlds - to show the way to God. Have we responded? All we need to do is try hard - I mean honestly, try hard. And none of our efforts will be wasted.

That has been something I've had to grapple with all my years in ministry, this working in vain. But God has been kind to remind me that "though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength," my reward is God. And I cannot testify strongly enough that my relationship with Him has soared each time I've related my disappointments to His; I've gotten closer to Him each time I shared my betrayals with His. It has given me strength to keep going, regardless of my own feelings.

"You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and inheritance" (Nm 18:20). Indeed, our reward will be God Himself. I can't think of a better prize.

Try. Start today. And claim your reward.

- Updated 13 Jul 2007