IN MEMORY OF FR. VINCENT O’REILLY
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILLIATION
Ever since Christmas we have heard how Jesus was revealed over time to the wider world. He was made manifest to the nearby shepherds on the night of his birth. The Magi followed the star from distant lands to the east. Last week we heard the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, revealing Jesus at his baptism. Today we hear John the Baptist see Jesus and testify. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. “We say the same words as each Eucharist. May they resonate with us today and always.
In SPANISH
Ever since Christmas we have heard how Jesus was revealed over time to the wider world. He was made manifest to the nearby shepherds on the night of his birth. The Magi followed the star from distant lands to the east. Last week we heard the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, revealing Jesus at his baptism. Today we hear John the Baptist see Jesus and testify. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. “We say the same words as each Eucharist. May they resonate with us today and always.
TAKING STOCK OF OURSELVES
Two particular thoughts are prompted by today’s readings. The first is John’s dramatic declaration, Behold the Lamb of God. The second is an invitation to do a personal stocktaking during this first month of the new year and make some resolutions to improve the quality of our lives. The Baptist urges us to ask what are we fundamentally about and then seek to reset our lives. And St Paul reminds us that we are “called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
An honest stock-taking of ourselves may unveil the selfish motives that often direct our actions. To rise above an ego-centric spirit we need to recognize something outside of and larger than ourselves, the God who cares for us and for the whole human community. Can we listen to John’s call to restore what is broken, and Jesus’ call, to bring light to the world? Do we see that it is with our cooperation that the Lamb can remove the “sin of the world?”
Facing our deepest personal truths is always difficult; it calls us to not just drift along with this world’s evil, always taking the line of least resistance. Discipleship is urgent and costly, but it is also possible and is the way towards the deeper joy and fulfilment that our soul is longing for. If we properly hear the Baptist as he witnesses to Christ, our response will be a stock-taking that goes to the root of our being. It may even reveal to us the truth that sets us free.
Gospel: John 1:29-34
John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” John also testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”