"He must increase, but I must decrease" It demonstrates John' humility.

John acknowledges that Jesus is greater and

that his own importance should lessen as Jesus's increases.

Emphasizing that the ultimate purpose is to exalt Jesus.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Isaiah 49:1-68

Listen to me,

O islands, pay attention, people from distant lands. The Lord called me from my mother's womb;

he pronounced my name before I was born. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword.

He hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made me into a polished arrow set apart in his quiver.

He said to me, "You are Israel, my servant, through you I will be known."

"I have labored in vain," I thought, "and spent my strength for nothing."

 

Yet what is due me was in the hand of the Lord, and my reward was with my God.

I am important in the sight of the Lord, and my God is my strength. And now the Lord has spoken,

he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him.

He said: "It is not enough that you be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob, to bring back the remnant of Israel.

I will make you the light of the nations, that my salvation will reach to the ends of the earth."

 

Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15 I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 13:22-26

After that time, God removed him and raised up David as king, to whom he bore witness saying:

I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will do all I want him to do.

It is from the descendants of David that God has now raised up the promised Savior of Israel, Jesus.

Before he appeared, John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for all the people of Israel.

As John was ending his life’s work, he said: ‘I am not what you think I am, for, after me, another one is coming,

whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’ Brothers, children and descendants of Abraham,

and you, also, who fear God, it is to you that this message of salvation has been sent.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 1:57-66, 80

When the time came for Elizabeth, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard

that the merciful Lord had done a wonderful thing for her, and they rejoiced with her.

When, on the eighth day, they came to attend the circumcision of the child, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father.

But his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John." They said to her, "But no one in your family has that name!"

and they made signs to his father for the name he wanted to give him. Zechariah asked for a writing tablet,

 

and wrote on it, "His name is John;" and they were very surprised. Immediately, Zechariah could speak again, and his first words were in praise of God.

A holy fear came on all in the neighborhood, and throughout the hill country of Judea the people talked about these events.

All who heard of it, pondered in their minds, and wondered, "What will this child be?" For they understood that the hand of the Lord was with him.

As the child grew up, he was seen to be strong in the Spirit; and he lived in the desert until the day when he appeared openly in Israel.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"To serve the Lord with humility."

In some countries, such as the Philippines, the hours of daylight in June and December are quite similar. However,

other countries, like Scotland, have a stark difference between the two, with a very long day in June and a very short day in December.

The feasts celebrating the birth of John the Baptist and of our Lord

were established around the summer and winter solstices of the northern hemisphere,

so that even the seasons reflect the relationship between the precursor and the Saviour,

between the one who prepares the way and the One who is the Way. John the Baptist's feast occurs near the longest day,

 

so that as we get closer to Christmas, John's days get shorter, and then with the birth of Christ,

Christ's days get longer. Thus, the seasons reflect John's humility, when he says,

"It is necessary that he increase but that I decrease" (Jn 3:30).

He has been specially chosen to preach a message of repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah,

but this great task must always be done with humility. We are to serve the Lord with humility,

too, and like John, allow Christ to grow ever greater in our lives.