MISSING THE REAL ONE

1st READING - 1 John 2:22-28

P S A L M - Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

G O S P E L - John 1:19-28

SABBATH

“Come on, join us in this life raft!” his neighbors prodded him as he stood in knee-deep water on his front porch. But he would hear nothing of it. “My Lord will save me and I shall wait till He comes and rescues me,” he told himself. The rains continued to pound their town. The floodwaters rose steadily and he had to climb up the stairs to reach higher ground. A much larger boat came filled with the last remaining evacuees of the town. The head of the rescue team pleaded with him, “Come on, this will be our last trip back to gather the remaining people of this town. There won’t be anyone else to come back for you. Join us now or you will perish in this deluge.” But he held his ground. He shouted back, “Worry not, I trust in my Lord. He will save me.” And that became his last conversation on earth. He was a good man so he reached heaven soon afterwards. He asked the Lord, “I thought You’d come and save me. Why did you let me perish?” Then the Lord said, “I did. Twice! But you ignored Me.” The Jewish people’s questions about Jesus’ identity reveals something about their knowledge of all that was happening. They knew that a messiah was coming — someone who would bring about peace over all the earth, lift them up to their real stature before men and before God, save them and restore them as a chosen race. The awaited One came alright, but they failed to notice Him. And so until now they wait for the time when the One sent by God would come and visit them. He came and it was us, Christians, who noticed. Now, if only we would recognize how privileged we are for having noticed His coming, for not dismissing Him, for heeding His invitation to “ride His boat.” Then the regretful sigh on John the Baptist’s words, “There is one among you whom you do not recognize,” will be no more. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes   REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How sensitive are you to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you welcome Him or do you dismiss Him?   May I be ever attuned to the work of Your Spirit in me, Lord God.