God Who Calls
John 1:29-34
Fr. Jijo Kandamkulathy, CMF
Claretian Missionaries
There is a moment in today’s Gospel that always moves me—not first in the grand declaration, but in the quiet, almost hidden humanity of John the Baptist. He says: “I did not know him.” Think of that. Here is the voice crying in the wilderness, the prophet filled with fire and purpose, the one chosen to prepare the way—and yet, he confesses, I did not know him.
John had been preaching, calling people to repentance, pointing to one greater. He had a mission, a certainty of direction—but not yet a face to put to the promise. Isn’t that so often our own story? We sense a call. We feel a longing. We work, we pray, we prepare the way in our own hearts—yet the Lord remains, in a sense, unknown. We are pointing toward a mystery we have not yet fully seen.
And then comes the tender revelation: “The one who sent me to baptize with water told me…” God had whispered a secret to John: Look for the Spirit. Watch for the sign. And when Jesus came, that inner promise was fulfilled. The Spirit descended like a dove and remained. Not a flash, not a spectacle, but an abiding presence. And in that moment, John knew. Not by his own cleverness, not by external proofs, but because God unveiled the truth to a heart that was waiting, watching, and obedient.
John’s mission did not change, but now it had a name. He still baptized with water, still called people to repentance—but now his finger could point to a living Person: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” His entire life’s purpose found its focus in Jesus. From a general preparedness, he moved to a personal encounter. From a truth understood in words, to the Truth standing before him in flesh.
This is the pattern of every vocation. God first stirs our hearts. He gives us a sense of purpose, a holy restlessness. We may not understand fully; we may even feel we are preparing the way for someone or something we do not yet know. But if we remain faithful to the duty of the present moment—like John, baptizing, preaching, doing what he was given to do—God will, in His time, reveal the face of the One we serve.
The Lamb of God comes quietly, gently. The Spirit descends not with roar and wind, but like a dove, in peace, and remains. Our call is to be people who stay where we are planted, do what we are given, keep our inner eyes open—and trust that God will show us Him. He does not reveal concepts; He reveals a Person. And when we see Him, our testimony becomes not a doctrine, but a witness: “I have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
So today, if you feel you are in a season of “not knowing”—if your call feels unclear, your purpose still hidden—take courage from John. Stay faithful to the light you have. Keep preparing the way in your own heart and in your little corner of the desert. Watch for the dove. Listen for the whisper. God who calls you will, in His perfect moment, show you the Face you are longing for—and you, too, will be able to say, with awe and certainty: Behold, the Lamb.
© Claretian Publications, Macau
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica
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