“It is necessary for him to grow and for me to decrease.” Jn. 3:22-30

The Baptism that Jesus proclaims as a sign of God’s presence in the midst of his people contrasts with that of John the Baptist, which is a baptism of conversion. John is a lamp, a messenger to draw attention to Jesus. He was not looking for anything for himself; therefore, he was not jealous of Jesus. John’s joy was that Jesus be known and accepted. John’s joy foreshadows the joy that Jesus promises to his disciples. There was no problem between the two, although there were tensions among and within their communities. Today we have much to learn from John’s humility and much to review in our community and ecclesial relationships.