Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel…. Wednesday 2 January 2019
"Who are you?” ( John 1, 19 ) - are the people asking John the Baptist . During the first days of the new year lets ask ourselves this question : Who am I ? Because if we can give a satisfactory answer to this question , then we will also know that where, which way do we have to go!
Before we give our own answer , lets think about the reply of Saint John the Baptist ! He is being offered nice flattering titles , but the man living in the desert rejects them all . He is not a delegate of God , neither His prophet , he simply says about himself that he is the voice crying out in the wilderness If we pay attention : he determines himself regarding his relation with God : Not only does he not regard himself as the Messiah , but states that” he is not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.”
Thinking about John’s "ars poetica “ lets try to determine ourselves based on our relationship with God ! To get a clear picture of of ourselves our existence has to be looked at how we measure up to the Infinity !
Who am I ? Who is Böjte Csaba ? I would like to be a consoler, among my companions on the journey , walking slowly, holding up high the shining light of hope ! I would also like be a voice crying out into the world that resounds : the golden age, the land of miracles, the Kingdom of God is not behind us but ahead of us and we are not heading towards destruction, but if we persevere we are going to reach the boundaries of the kingdom of love ! Yes aware of my own weaknesses I would like to be a consoler , encourager , fortifier beside the bruised reed !
I would like to protect the light of the flickering candle with two hands so that no-one has to stumble in the darkness of the night !
In the quietness at the start of the year you should also try to make clear for yourself who do you really thinks you are , and who would you really like to be ?!
Compose it , write it down , who actually are you on 2 January 2019.
With love,
Father Csaba
translated by dr k.e.
The Word of God
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
John 1:19-28
Father Csaba’s reflection on the gospel…. Wednesday 2 January 2019