In my corporate life, we began monthly meetings by acknowledging colleagues who went above and beyond by offering small tokens of appreciation. This fostered a culture of gratitude and encouragement, boosting teamwork and motivation. It was heartwarming for both the giver and receiver, regardless of position, and reinforced a sense of purpose.

This practice calls to mind John the Baptist’s words above. It highlights the importance of humility and giving credit where it’s due. Just as we recognize individual contributions, John’s statement directs us to the ultimate Source of all good. He knew his role was to prepare the way, pointing to the One worthy of praise.

John’s humility serves as a model. True greatness lies not in self-promotion but in selfless service and recognizing a greater purpose. Like those small tokens, our actions, motivated by humility, can uplift others and create genuine appreciation, all while acknowledging the Source of all blessings.

Reng D. Morelos (norinamorelos@gmail.com)

reflect

In what areas of your life do you need to decrease so that Christ may increase?

Lord, in whatever I do or say, may it be always less of me but more of You, so I may give back all the glory to You. Amen.

St. John Camillus the Good, pray for us.

Sin damages our relationships with God and with one another. Let us pray for the grace to never allow sin and temptation into our lives. If only we could keep temptation away, sin would remain there with it.

¹⁴ Beloved: We have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours. ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. ¹⁷ All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. ¹⁸ We know that no one begotten by God sins; but the one begotten by God he protects, and the evil one cannot touch him. ¹⁹ We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one. ²⁰ We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. ²¹ Children, be on your guard against idols.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5, 6, 9 

R: The Lord takes delight in his people.

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. ² Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. (R) ³ Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. ⁴ For the Lord loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. (R) ⁵ Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; ⁶ let the high praises of God be in their throats. ⁹ This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. (R)

Gospel | John 3:22-30

Let us foster the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and listen to His voice speaking to us through prayer, Scriptures, Sacraments, and even through our daily tasks. Let us ask for the grace to be attentive and follow the guiding Word of the Spirit. 

Gospel Acclamation

The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.

²² Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. ²³ John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized, ²⁴ for John had not yet been imprisoned. ²⁵ Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew about ceremonial washings. ²⁶ So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.” ²⁷ John answered and said, “No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before him. ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. ³⁰ He must increase; I must decrease.”

Reflect

Like John the Baptist, how have you “decreased” so Jesus may “increase” in your life?

Read the Bible in one year! Read MATTHEW 17 - 20 today.

A man took his pet to the veterinarian after it had been run over by a car. The veterinarian looked at it and declared, “I’m sorry, Mr. dela Cruz. I’m afraid your pet is dead.” Mr. dela Cruz exclaimed, “How can you be sure? You haven’t done any tests!” The vet left the room and returned with a Labrador Retriever in tow. 

The dog sniffed up and down, then turned away. The veterinarian left again and returned with a cat. He waved the cat back and forth over the dead pet, and there was no response. By this time, the pet owner had faced the fact that his pet was indeed dead.

Afterwards, when the vet gave the owner the bill, Mr. dela Cruz protested, “Fifty thousand pesos just to tell me my pet is dead?” The vet replied, “It would have been only P500 for the office call, but the lab work and cat scan were extra!”

Whenever we sin, something in us dies—and it is something no lab work or cat scan can detect. In today’s First Reading, John warns, “If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. . . . There is a sin that leads to death” (1 John 5:16). This is why we speak of mortal sin. Mortal comes from the Latin mortis, meaning death. Sin kills the life of God in us.

Tomorrow, we will celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, a reminder of the dignity and grace of our own baptism. Baptism cleanses us of original sin but does not take away the later mortal sins that we commit as deciding adults. Only the Sacrament of Reconciliation can cleanse that “sin unto death” John referred to in the First Reading. For your spiritual wellness, go to confession regularly.

Fr. Joel O. Jason

reflection question

Do you pay enough attention to your inner life as much as you do to your physical health?

Father, in Jesus, You made us a new creation. May we become more like Him and be alive in Him. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________________________———