Become Who God Created You To Be

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, the Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. Because before John ever preached a sermon, baptized in the Jordan, or pointed to Jesus, God already had a purpose for his life.

The first reading from Isaiah captures this beautifully: “The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.” Before John could speak, God had spoken. Before John had a mission, God had a plan. Before anyone knew who John was, God knew. And that truth is not only about John. It is about every one of us. One of the greatest struggles in life is discovering who we really are. We spend so much time trying to fit expectations, pleasing people, comparing ourselves with others, or chasing success that we forget to ask the most important question: Who is God calling me to be?

In the Gospel, everyone assumes the child will be named Zechariah after his father. It is the expected conventional choice. But Elizabeth says, “No. He shall be called John.” The crowd is confused. Why? Because God is doing something new. John is not meant to live someone else’s story. He is not meant to repeat the past. He has a unique mission. And so do we.

One of the most dangerous things in the spiritual life is trying to become someone else. We admire certain saints, certain leaders, certain people of faith and rightly so. But God never calls us to be copies. God created St. Peter to be Peter. He created St. John to be John. He created St. Teresa to be Teresa. And He created you to be you.

John’s greatness came from understanding this. He knew his mission was not to draw attention to himself but to point people to Christ. Later in his life he would say, “He must increase; I must decrease.” What freedom there is in those words! John did not need to be the Messiah. He did not need to be someone else. He simply needed to be faithful to the mission God had entrusted to him. The world tells us that our value comes from being noticed, admired, or successful. John teaches us that true greatness comes from knowing who we are before God and living that calling with courage.

At the end of today’s Gospel, the people ask, “What, then, will this child be?” That is a question worth asking about ourselves. Not, “What will I achieve?” Not, “How successful will I become?” Not, “What will people think of me?” But rather: “What does God want me to become?”

Today, on the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist, let us ask for the courage not to live someone else’s vocation, but our own. For when we become who God created us to be, we help others find Christ.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Thank You for calling me by name and loving me before I ever knew You. Help me stop comparing myself with others and trust the unique mission You have given me. Give me the courage to become the person You created me to be. Like John the Baptist, may my life point others not to myself, but always to You. Increase in me, Lord, and let everything in my life lead to Your glory. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko