The next day [John the Baptist] he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! — (John 1:29)

In John 1:29 John the Baptist meets Jesus. The Holy Spirit reveals to John that the man approaching is the Lamb of God and his core mission is to take away the sin from the world. John had been close to Jesus before. At the time both Jesus and John were unborn miracle babies. One conceived by a very young virgin and the other conceived by a woman who had long passed the age or maternity. Two impossible babies —but all is possible to God— sensed each other’s presence and leaped for joy.

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?  For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’ — (Luke 1:39-45)

Many years later, John would say of Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” but even in that context John saw the fulfillment of his joy.

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 all are going to him.’  John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.  You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’—(John 3:36-30)

The joy that is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is present in those three places in Scripture when John and Jesus are shown.

I was thinking about that today and it occurred to me that we are in a similar predicament. We are all naturally decreasing as we age and approach the end of our life. At the same time, the moment when we will meet our Maker looms in the horizon before us. We must decrease and He must increase.

I added to that thought that perhaps we are living in an age when the whole of mankind will have to face the final approach to Jesus collectively. If we are true Christians we should feel like John the Baptist. We should leap for joy. Not my commandment but Jesus’. Hear what He says:

People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’ — (Luke 21:26-28)

Jesus comments how people will feel but he orders us who love Him:  “stand up and raise your heads” because the moment of our redemption is coming. We should react just like baby John reacted: leaping for joy as we sense, even in the darkness of this age. A situation comparable to the darkness of the womb where John was when Jesus first approached him. Joy is light and light cannot be overpowered by darkness. (cf. John 1:5)

Now, the conversation I was having with a friend of mine who was kind enough to hear my ruminations about some recent events. Many years ago I read the predictions of a saintly lady from Betania, Venezuela. I am quoting from memory so please bear with me. Her name was Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini. She was given many graces among them prophecy and the gift of healing. Her cause of canonization is active as we speak.

Maria Esperanza mentioned a time when troubles will hit Venezuela and France thus marking the time when mankind will enter a season of tribulation on a global scale never before seen. Others indicated that Argentina, Germany, and Italy are marked for these times of trouble as well.

We have seen many unusual things occur in rapid succession in the last few months. I marvel at the fact that the attempt on President Trump’s life is rapidly moving towards the back pages of news sites and newspapers. Open mocking of God’s laws has also accelerated and grown. Darkness seem to advance over the whole world. News hit me last week from Nigeria, France, Venezuela, the US, Ukraine, Poland … the list seems to be growing as days go by.

I got a sense that we are entering a perilous time. May God protect you and your loved ones. May God have mercy on us and save mankind from its own stupidity. It is time to pray.

‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’— (Luke 21:34-36)