Mission

“John was a lamp that burned and gave light...” John 5:35

John the Baptist is one mysterious character! Imagine living as a hermit for years, wearing camel skin and eating locusts and wild honey. When he turned 30, he started preaching to call men to conversion 'for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand'.

I can imagine that the whole time John was living as a hermit, he was praying, fasting, trying to listen to God, really honing his connection to God. He said in the 1st chapter of John, verses 33 and 34 that, "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 had a clear sense of his mission. You can't get that without being close to the GIVER OF THE MISSION. We can't hear God's voice if we don't spend time with Him. For this new liturgical year, when the Philippine Catholic Church launches the Year of Mission, with the theme, “Gifted to Give”, let's resolve to be more sensitive to God's voice, in whatever way He chooses to speak!