What We Shall Be

Christmas Weekday

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.  We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.  Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.  1 John 3:2-3

John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.  I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’  Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”  John 1:32-34

Piety

Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue (Part 3)

And the Lord, seeking his laborer in the multitude to whom He thus cries out, says again, "Who is the one who will have life, and desires to see good days" (Ps. 33[34]:13)?  And if, hearing Him, you answer, "I am the one," God says to you, "If you will have true and everlasting life, keep your tongue from evil and your lips that they speak no guile.  Turn away from evil and do good; seek after peace and pursue it" (Ps. 33[34]:14-15).  And when you have done these things, My eyes shall be upon you and My ears open to your prayers; and before you call upon Me, I will say to you, 'Behold, here I am'" (Ps. 33[34]:16; Is. 65:24; 58:9).

What can be sweeter to us, dear ones, than this voice of the Lord inviting us?  Behold, in His loving kindness the Lord shows us the way of life.

Study

Revealed.

Usually, the prefix “re-“ on a word means that something has been done again or “re-“peated.  Examples are:  regenerate; refurbish; retype; retrace; revert, revisit; return; reveal.

The vision which revealed Jesus to John the Baptist was not a withdrawal or backward motion.  It was the opposite.  Religion moved forward in giant steps with the revelation of Emmanuel (God-among-us).  God’s presence was laid open to view by the shepherds, the magi and the Baptizer. Ultimately, God also is open to view to us. 

Action

Once God is revealed, what are we supposed to do about it?  John’s reaction gives us a clue.  Once he saw the Lord, John was moved to action – specifically to testifying and baptizing on behalf of the Son of God.

The revelation has occurred in the past.  That is what we can based our actions upon.  The first reading looks forward.  We cannot predict the future.  We cannot change the past.  We can only act in the present moment.