Knowing My Place

The 1st letter of John from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today continues this inspired understanding of the relationship between humans and God. John speaks of harmony with the will of God. This harmony is more than intellectual agreement. Surely a “meeting of the minds” with the Divine is an extreme proposition of a very over important ego! This meeting is of the nature of Parent with child. Parent delights in the child and interacts fully with the child. The observer can see each participant “in the proper place”. “Knowing our place” is a marvelous blessing. It is a revelation that in the relationship with the Divine, thought the indwelling Spirit, we are fully loved and we come to understand the “will” of God for us. It is our choice to embrace that will. It is the path of enhanced Life. It is the path guided by Divine light. We know our place. We accept our place. In the passage from John’s gospel, John the Baptist assures his disciples that he understands the will of God concerning his place relative to Jesus. In the world where competition of ideas and traditions often marks our development, the transition from one spiritual leadership to a succeeding leader is a model to ponder.