Points to Ponder

For me one of the great thrills of return visits home to Cork is meeting people, especially the young, whose lives I have been privileged to touch and who in turn, have touched mine. Many are former pupil I taught, others are scouts I hiked and camped with, while more are parishioners and others at the time of marriage or at the bereavement of a loved one. On so many occasions, it was an enriching joy to be an instrument of God's love, pointing out his presence and suggesting ways to grow in his relationships.
In today's gospel, John the Baptist has a similar role. He points out Jesus as the Lamb of God to his youthful disciples Andrew and John, both of whom commit their lives to Jesus. Then Andrew goes immediately to share his find with the older brother, Peter ans do the community of the disciples is born. The Baptist's task was to help others to recognize where God would be found and where he was calling them.
We all need Baptists in our lives as individuals and communities, to prod is to move to the greatness to which God is calling us. In turn, being a believer empowers each one of us to be a Baptist to others. Parents do it every day as they guide their children to full development and genuine happiness. But the role is not confined to parents, preachers, or teachers. It is open to every friend. Indeed, to be a true friend to another will always involve helping the other person to discover hi or her true destiny and to follow it with courage and generosity.