Some people are born with the gift of recognizing people as they truly are. Others have to learn the art. But most of us, do not have this gift. We struggle through doing our best to know a person, but sometimes, we end up judging and assuming a person for what he is not. Thus, often times we do not know a person, as we should.
But this was not so with John. He recognized Jesus as the Son of God as soon as he saw him. What is it that identified Jesus to John? Perhaps, it was best answered in the first reading: if we have the hope in God that he has made us His children, if we let Him be with us all the time, then we will be pure as he is pure and will be able to overcome sin and avoid the evil way.
The first reading also reminds us to reflect and examine our motives and our actions in our daily lives. Do we have what it takes to spur us to live for God, for others and for ourselves?
