Hear The Bridegroom's Voice

Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea, where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there, and people came to be baptized, for John had not yet been imprisoned. Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew about ceremonial washings. So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”

John answered and said, “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.  You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ, but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom; the best man, who stands and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.” (John 3:22-30)

The last line of this Gospel reading seems the most compelling and influential when applied to each one of us: “He (Jesus) must increase; I must decrease.”  It’s a simple understanding and creed to live by.   Nothing else is really needed.  We recite the Nicene Creed at every Mass, but that creed is incomplete and lacking.

The Nicene Creed makes it clear that Jesus is Lord and Son of God transcending all other lords.  But, it says nothing about the historical life of Jesus – his message, his teaching, and public activity.  As Marcus Borg stated: “When we say the creed, we identify with Christians who have said or heard these words or over 1,500 years.  It is a momentary participation in the communion of saints living and dead.”  

We must allow Jesus to increase within and around us.  In that way, we embrace his message and teaching.  Our baptisms are to serve this purpose and are made effective when our parents – or we as parents – “hear the bridegroom's voice,” meaning we focus on more than he died for our sins and the Creed.

We must not limit our faith and belief in Jesus as our Christ to the 4th century Nicene Creed.  Our faith is based on much more than that.  It is based on what Jesus said and did as well.  We must say and do the same.

Deacon David Pierce