“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 3:29-30)

Yesterday, we reflected on the importance of a contrite and broken heart for hearing the voice of God. We saw how true repentance acts like a hammer that shatters the hardened walls of our pride, allowing God to enter. But once those walls collapse, what comes next? When our hearts finally open up and we let go of ourselves, how should we cultivate this newly cleared space so that the voice of God may truly resound within it? If we want to attune our spiritual ears to God’s “channel,” we must adopt a most fundamental attitude: humility.

To understand this posture of humility, let us look at the example of St. John the Baptist. Imagine the scene described in the Gospel of John: at that time, John the Baptist’s influence was at its height. Crowds were flocking to the wilderness to hear him preach. Yet when Jesus began His public ministry, John did not cling to his own “stage” or popularity. Instead, he displayed remarkable humility. He called himself “the friend of the bridegroom.”

He even declared: “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 3:29-30)

Notice John’s posture: he stands and listens. His greatest joy was not to be the centre of attention or the loudest voice in the crowd; his greatest joy was to hear the voice of the bridegroom.

In order to preserve this immense joy, John reveals to us the ultimate secret for aligning ourselves with the frequency of God’s voice: I must decrease. Only when I continually make myself smaller can the bridegroom’s voice grow louder within me.

But what does it mean spiritually to “decrease”? In the spiritual tradition, decreasing means becoming like the earth.

Just as the earth lies beneath the heavens in order to receive the rain, the listener must place himself in the lowest position, humbling himself so that he may receive God’s teaching.

The Book of Sirach exhorts us: “The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself; so you will find favor in the sight of the Lord.” (Sirach 3:18)

St. Bonaventure profoundly notes that humility is the gateway to wisdom, because it “teaches the nothingness of man and the greatness of God.”

When we turn our gaze away from self-centeredness toward the greatness of God, we create a vast space within our souls—and God immediately rushes in to fill that space! The Scriptures promise that God opens the door in a special way to those who adopt a lowly posture and personally teaches them. The Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin Mary echoes this truth: “He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly.” (Luke 1:52)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that humility is the very foundation of our communication with God, because “man is a beggar before God.” (CCC 2559).

If we refuse to become beggars, we will never hear the voice of the King.

Humility is not self-hatred; it simply means thinking of ourselves less. It is a daily choice—a decision to embrace dependence on God rather than on the endless noise, ambition, and self-sufficiency of this world.

God is always speaking, but His voice is broadcast only on the frequency of humility. If our minds are filled with the echoes of our own ego, the Word will have no space to take root. Let us strive to imitate the lowly earth—humbly receptive, quiet and peaceful, always ready to bear fruit.

Let us find true joy in becoming “the friend of the bridegroom,” and quietly repeat in our hearts: Lord Jesus, You must increase, and I must decrease.

Let us once again meditate on the humble declaration of John the Baptist:

“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 3:29-30)

Reflection

In which areas of my life do I still insist that I must increase, rather than allowing Christ to take centre stage?

Do I sincerely see myself as “a beggar before God”, or do I treat prayer as a transaction in which I dictate the terms?

As I seek to live as “the friend of the bridegroom,” am I willing not to be the main character, but simply to stand aside and rejoice in hearing God’s voice through the people around me?

Today’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, forgive me, for my pride and ambition often drown out Your gentle voice. Grant me a heart like that of John the Baptist—joyful and obedient. Strip away my desire to be noticed. Teach me the profound meaning of “decreasing,” so that my heart may become like the lowly earth—quiet and peaceful, humbly receptive, and longing for the living water of Your Holy Spirit.

Grant me a humble heart, that I may hear Your voice speaking through the people around me.

Lord Jesus, You must increase, and I must decrease.

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