My Joy Has Been Fulfilled

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized— John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. 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 all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’ The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life but must endure God’s wrath. John 3:22-36

Some days, joy is fleeting, others it is nowhere to be found, yet for John the Baptist, his joy was complete for he had told them to prepare so the Messiah could be known. Each of us has a role in life that points to another, whether it is a teacher, a preacher or a parent. We are called to prepare the way not to be the star of the show. Jesus and John also knew their time was short on earth and they each had a story to tell, so all these years later, we might follow the one who came from heaven and lived as we humans do. We face hard roads and difficult days ahead, yet we can be filled with that joy, a joy which reminds us that we are loved beyond measure and children of the living God.

Steadfast Creator, you have been present in every generation

walking with us, hiding with us and facing up to big bullies

for you are love and joy in spite of every manmade crisis.

We live in a country where innocent people are arrested

for the color of their skin and their country of origin

despite the truth that this country is founded on stolen land.

Give us your joy so we might fight back against cruelty

give us your heart so we might face down our fears

and make love and joy dance in our streets again. Amen.