The readings today describe the efforts of the early Christians to establish the identity of Jesus. In his letter, John addresses the crisis where some people had left the community because their false teachers misled them.

John uses the term 'antichrists' to describe those false teachers who deceive the believers by their teaching and entice them to leave the faith.

According to John, the 'antichrists' are those who deny that Jesus is the Christ and go against the central teaching of the community, which is: "that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that through this belief, you may have life in his name."

In the Gospel, John the Baptist is interrogated by some priests and scribes regarding his identity. The Baptist explains that he is not the Messiah, nor is he Elijah. John does not make his person the centre of his mission. Instead, he prepares the road for God to come to his people in and through his Son, Jesus Christ. By this, John the Baptist shows he is a faithful witness to the Person of Jesus Christ.

These days, more questions and doubts are raised regarding the identity of Jesus Christ and the significance of his message. What is your response? Do you speak and act as a faithful witness of Christ and point others to him? Or do your words and actions lead others away from him?