my goal is heaven, my reward is my god: 12th sunday B st. john the baptist 2012

There are two important births which mark the longest day of the year and the shortest day of the year.  The longest day of the year or what we call the beginning of Summer, the summer solstice is marked by the birth of John the Baptist.  Though this marks the beginning of summer, this is also the time of the year when the light begins to decrease.  Summer solstice happened last June 21.  In the past Summer solstice fell on June 24 or 25.  We celebrate here the birth of John the Baptist.

The shortest day of the year is what we call the winter solstice.  Though this marks the beginning of winter this is also the time of the year when slowly the light begins to increase and increase, the day becomes longer.  Last year Winter solstice happened in December 21.  In the past, winter solstice fell on December 24 or 25. We celebrate here the birth of Christ.

The circumstances happening on the earth during these solstices explains the role of John the Baptist in relation to Jesus, the role of forerunner in relation to the messiah.  We celebrate St. John’s birth as the light decreases and we celebrate Christ’s birth as the light increases.  This calls to mind what John the Baptist said that Jesus must increase and he, John, must decrease.  As John’s light decreases, the light of Jesus increases.  After all John the Baptist was just a forerunner - he prepared the way for the Lord, and since Jesus was already there, John slowly faded away.  John knew where his place was, he knew where he stood, and because of that Jesus called him the greatest among the prophets.

Our world is a world full of bloated egos.  We desire the limelight.  We crave to become the hero and the star.  We compete for the highest honor, we yearn for the most expansive recognition, and we desire the biggest and highest reward.  We feel slighted when we have become victims of an oversight, we feel bad when our efforts go unrecognized, and we get angry at times when our achievements are dismissed, and when our good intentions are judged harshly or are held suspect.

We are a generation so fond of giving and receiving honors and recognitions.  We have mother’s day to honor our mothers.  Then a little later we thought of a father’s day believing that a good mother can never be had with that good father by her side.  Then still a little later we have grandparents’ day for the obvious reason that parent’s can never be had without them.  Then all of a sudden so many days honoring this and that, kept popping.  We have teacher’s day, we have labor day, a women’s day, we even have a clergy day courtesy of the DMI; in the seminary we have the rector’s day, and every time I speak I get some certificate honoring me for talking to them about this and that topic, when in reality half of them were actually asleep while I was talking.

It is only human, we say, to look after rewards and recognition for the good we have done.  It is only human kon manumboy kita tungod kay ang aton kaayo, indi lamang kay wala ginkilala, kundi ginbaslan pa sang kalain.  It is only human to want to be affirmed, to want to be recognized, to want to be rewarded, to want to be honored.  The truth is we cannot stop and at the same time it seems we cannot get by without honoring somebody and getting honored in return.

Today in our first reading Isaiah got into that mood when he felt bad about himself, about the way he did things, and more so about the dismal results of his work.  But then he realized something and said, “Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly spent my strength, yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God.”  I believe this is what we should hold on to more than working for that fickle, temporary and even unjust human acclaim.  It is the Lord whom I should please because it is the Lord who can reward fully and justly.

Many times we go through the same feeling - unappreciated, unrecognized, unloved.  When this happens things can be difficult.  Here John the Baptist will help us cope, not to be discouraged, not to lose heart.

John decreased, he believed he must decrease.  He had to fade away.  He knew who he was.  He knew where he stands.  He knew that he is not worthy even just to untie the straps of his sandals.  We set our eyes on Jesus.  It is Jesus and his kingdom that matters.  Sometimes I will be recognized and honored and thanked.  Other times I will not even get noticed.  As for me, my goal is heaven.  My reward is my God.