IS JESUS THE GOAL OF OUR LIFE? ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Wednesday, 4^th January 2017,

Week before Epiphany

1 Jn 3: 7-10;

Ps 98: 1-9;

Jn 1: 35-42

IS JESUS THE GOAL OF OUR LIFE?

John the Baptist, a human like us, might have been tempted to have all the attention that he was getting from everyone to keep to himself. He could have been self-consumed with his own popularity and not want to point others to Jesus. However that was not what happened. What happened is that John fulfilled his role beautifully, preparing the way for Jesus and pointing others to Him when the time was right. When John tells two of his followers to our Lord: “Behold, the Lamb of God…” They begin to follow Jesus and leave John. Perhaps he must have felt the loss of his followers on one level. But on another level, that experience of loss would have been transformed and alleviated by the joy of knowing that he was fulfilling the purpose of his life by pointing others to Christ.

So it must be with us. It’s easy to get self-consumed in life. It’s easy to want all the attention and, when we receive it, it’s hard to let it go. But true Christian love is always selfless. It is always focused on our Lord and it always points others to Jesus. John set a wonderful example of this life of virtue, we are called to do the same. By pointing others to our Lord we will be satisfied beyond any selfishness and will be rewarded beyond measure.

When two of John’s disciples began to seek Jesus out, Jesus took the initiative to invite them into his company. He did not wait for them to get his attention. Instead he met them halfway. He asked them one of the most fundamental questions of life: “What are you looking for?” What were they looking for in Jesus and what were they aiming to get out of life? Jesus asks each of us the same question: “What’s the goal of your life? What are you aiming for and trying to get out of life?” Jesus invites each of us to "come and see" for ourselves that his word is true and everlasting.

Prayer: Lord, help me to constantly look for ways to point those in my life to You. Help me to be selfless and sacrificial at all times. Help me to realize that love is all about You and is all about helping others come to know You and follow You. When that requires sacrifice on my part, help me to embrace that sacrifice with wholehearted joy and zeal. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.