Episode Transcript  

One

The Unique Place of John the Baptist

There are only three people whose birth and entrance into eternal life the Church celebrates liturgically: Jesus, Mary, and John the Baptist. We celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas and His Passion, Death, and Resurrection in the Easter Triduum. We celebrate Mary's birth on September 8th and her Assumption on August 15th. And we celebrate the birth of John the Baptist on June 24th and his martyrdom on August 29th. Why does John hold such a unique place?

Jesus Himself said, “Among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Matthew 11:11

John is the last and greatest of the prophets because he does not merely foretell the coming of Christ. He sees Him. He points Him out. And he baptizes Him. For centuries the prophets could only say, “He is coming.” John is the one who finally points to Jesus and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Two

His Meteoric Rise

John the Baptist and Jesus were relatives through Mary and Elizabeth. John was born about six months before Jesus. Then John disappears into the wilderness, where he remains in obscurity until the beginning of his public ministry. Suddenly, he appears at the Jordan preaching repentance.

Matthew tells us, “Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan.” Matthew 3:5

John becomes a rock star. People are flocking to him, ordinary people, tax collectors, soldiers, even Pharisees and Sadducees. They confess their sins, receive his baptism of repentance, change their lives, and disciples begin gathering around him. John becomes so popular that people begin wondering whether he is the Messiah. Then Jesus comes to the Jordan. John sees Him and declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Then John explains, “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

John then bears witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him… he on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And finally John declares, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” John 1:29–34

John has risen from thirty years of obscurity to become one of the most famous religious figures in Israel. But now the entire purpose of his life has arrived. John has become great so that he can point everyone away from himself and toward Jesus.

Three

Martyrdom

John begins sending his own disciples to follow Jesus, and as Jesus’ popularity rises, John’s begins to fall. His disciples come to him concerned, “Rabbi… all are going to him.” John replies, “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom… rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now full.” Then John gives us the key to his entire life, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Soon afterward, Herod arrests John because John courageously speaks the truth about the sin of divorce and remarriage. Herod had taken Herodias, his brother’s wife, and John told him plainly, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias hated John for speaking the truth and wanted him dead. Eventually, at her request, Herod had John beheaded.

Today we celebrate John’s martyrdom, his ultimate witness to Christ and to the truth. John willingly surrendered his disciples, his popularity, his freedom, and finally his life. He must increase. I must decrease.

Four

The Plan

The key to John's life was, “He must increase and I must decrease.” That should become the program of our lives as well. What would that look like in practice? I think it involves four steps. Let's begin with the first two.

First, desire God above all things. Not God plus good health. Not God plus success. Not God plus relationships, recognition, pleasure, security, or anything else. All of these can be genuine goods. Receive them gratefully when God gives them. But don't make any of them a condition for happiness. Say, “I want God, not God plus something else” Then God Himself becomes your treasure.

Second, let go of the pressure. The pressure comes from believing: I need this to happen, I need this person to change, I need my health to improve, I need this relationship, I need to succeed, I need to make this happen in order to be happy. But if God is my treasure, none of those things is ultimately necessary for my happiness. This doesn't mean becoming passive. Work, love, plan, ask, and do everything God gives you to do. But you don't have to force the outcome. Do what you can. Let go of the pressure. Trust God with the outcome. You already possess the One you ultimately need.

Five

Remain with God and Always be Content

Third, remain in loving attention to God. The Trinity already dwells within the soul in grace. We don't have to chase God somewhere else or manufacture an experience of Him. John of the Cross repeatedly counsels us toward peaceful, loving attentiveness to God. So instead of returning mentally again and again to what we're trying to acquire, fix, preserve, or control: Become quiet. Turn to God dwelling within you. Remain with Him. Love Him. Let Him love you. This is where “He must increase” becomes something positive rather than merely renunciation. I decrease not simply by thinking less about myself, but by giving less attention to what I think I need and more attention to Him.

Fourth, always be content. This is the test of whether the first three are actually working. St. Maryam of Bethlehem gives us the simple maxim, “Always be content.” And St. Paul gives us the reason. In Philippians 4:11–13, Paul says he has learned to live with abundance and want, fullness and hunger. Then he says, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Paul doesn't mean, Christ will give me the power to accomplish whatever I want. He means Christ gives me the strength to remain content whether I possess the created good or go without it.

If God gives it to me, thank God. If God doesn't give it to me, thank God. If God allows me to lose it, thank God. I can always be content because I possess God.

So here is our resolution: Want God. Let go of the pressure. Remain with God. Be content. He must increase. I must decrease.

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