“He Must Increase; I Must Decrease” by Melanie Rigney

“He Must Increase; I Must Decrease” by Melanie Rigney 

Saturday after Epiphany

St. John the Baptist

We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. (1 John 5:19-20) 

The Lord takes delight in his people. (Psalm 149:4a)

“So, this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30) 

Piety

Jesus, help me to find comfort in decreasing.

Study

Read them out loud right now, wherever you are, the words of John the Baptist in John 3:30: 

“He must increase; I must decrease.”

If this didn’t give you the shivers or goosebumps, read them out loud again, right now. 

It is John the Baptist’s final witness, this man sent to prepare the way. Jesus had begun His public ministry, and John knew that meant his work was done. And so, he… decreased.

The lives of saints are full of stories of people who served their purpose… then faded from public view. Consider the life of the French nun Catherine Labouré, who shared the Blessed Virgin’s instructions for the Miraculous Medal of Our Lady. Public devotion to the medal began almost as soon as it was struck. Bernadette and Lucia spent most of their years after Lourdes and Fatima in convents. 

If you’ve had a taste of public evangelization, you may find it personally enjoyable. But there will come a day if you listen closely when you are called to decrease because you have completed your mission. And that day is not a day for sorrow or mourning (or at least, not much of it); it is a day for faith-filled joy because you’ve prepared His way. Well done, good and faithful—and, hopefully, humble—servant. Now, let Him take over.

Action

Step away from the head table in one of your ministries. Trust that someone else will step up—or that perhaps the ministry has served its purpose.

And the image credit is:Annibale Carracci, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saint_John_the_Baptist_Bearing_Witness_MET_DP220449.jpg