Some time after this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside and he stayed with them and was baptising. John also was baptising at Aenon near Salim because there were many springs there, and people kept coming and being baptised. (For John of course was not yet imprisoned.)

A dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him: ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you beside the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, he is baptising and everyone is going to him.’ John replied ‘A person cannot receive anything unless it is given to them from heaven. You yourselves can bear me out that I said “I am not the Christ but I have been sent before him.” It is the bridegroom that has the bride. The friend of the bridegroom who stands and listens for him is overjoyed because of the groom’s voice. So my joy is complete. It is necessary for him to increase and me to decrease.’

O Love, O God who created me, in your love recreate me.
O Love, who redeemed me,
fill up in me whatever part of your love
has fallen into neglect within me.
O Love, O God, who first loved me,
grant that with my whole heart,
and with my whole soul,
and with my whole strength,
I may love you.

Gertrude the Great