You Do Not Recognize!

Friday, January 2, 2026

1 Jn 2:22-28; Jn 1:19-28

Today’s Gospel highlights John’s testimony about Jesus.

Jews from Jerusalem thoroughly examine John’s identity through seven questions. Hence, the dialogue is not a casual conversation but a serious enquiry. Their intention is to force John to accept that he is the expected Messiah thanks to the popularity he enjoys among people. They seem to believe that someone with John’s authority and influence should be a great figure. 

But John is honest and forthright from the beginning that he is not the expected one. He denies that he is the Christ or Elijah or the prophet. John’s testimony revolves around two things. On the one hand, he outrightly denies that he is the expected Messiah. On the other, he firmly affirms the identity of Jesus as the Messiah while letting them know that it is they who refuse to recognize the Messiah among them.

John’s response claims who he actually is. He says he is the ‘voice,’ not the ‘Word,’ who is Christ alone. His self-understanding lets them know that he is merely a signpost, not the destination itself. Thus, John neither exaggerates his role nor manipulates the expectations of others. He is content to be who he is and does it well. 

Here, John’s denial and resistance should be counted as his virtue, because the crowd of followers would have readily believed him to be the Messiah if he were to say ‘yes.’ Rejecting any such temptation, John walks away from fame or recognition that is only due to the Messiah. The forerunner of Christ is happy to say that he is a witness to Christ.

Let us pray that we may realize our role as Christ’s witnesses in this world and carry it out responsibly.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar