From today’s Scripture: “He must increase; I must decrease.”—Jn 3:30

This one-liner from St. John the Baptist may be the best synopsis of Christian discipleship ever articulated. In our psychologically oriented age, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on self: Self-esteem, self-assertiveness, self-actualization…and so on.

But as the Prayer of St. Francis so beautifully describes, the Christian journey moves ultimately in an opposite direction: getting the focus off of me. Surrender to the Father and his will, as Jesus did, is how we find our truest selves and life’s deepest meaning.

Let us pray: Lord God, fill me with your Holy Spirit. May your will be done in me.

Today’s author is Polly Duncan Collum, former parish lay missioner and now director of Glenmary’s Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.

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