Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 64
Lectionary: 64
The LORD said to me: You are my
servant,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.
Now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Israel, through whom I show my glory.
Now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
R/ (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I
come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R/ Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Reading 21 COR 1:1-3
Paul, called to be an apostle of
Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the church of God that is in Corinth,
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the church of God that is in Corinth,
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
AlleluiaJN 1:14A, 12A
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.
To those who accepted him,
he gave power to become children of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.
To those who accepted him,
he gave power to become children of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 1:29-34
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming
toward him and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel.”
John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel.”
John testified further, saying,
“I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
Meditation:
"Behold
the Lamb of God!"
John
calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission
as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus
12) delivered the Israelites in Egypt from slavery and death. The Lord Jesus
freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our
sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross
cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the "wages
of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the "destruction of both
body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
John
points to Jesus' saving mission - to offer up his life as the atoning sacrifice
for our sins
It is significant that John was the son of Zachariah, a priest of Israel who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). John recognized that Jesus was the perfect unblemished lamb offered by the Father in heaven as the one and only sacrifice that could cancel the debt of sin, and free us from death and the destruction of body and soul in hell.
It is significant that John was the son of Zachariah, a priest of Israel who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). John recognized that Jesus was the perfect unblemished lamb offered by the Father in heaven as the one and only sacrifice that could cancel the debt of sin, and free us from death and the destruction of body and soul in hell.
The
Holy Spirit reveals who Jesus truly is - the Son of God and Savior of the world
When John says he did not know Jesus (John 1:31,33) he was referring to the hidden reality of Jesus' divinity. But the Holy Spirit in that hour revealed to John Jesus' true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us his Spirit as our helper and guide who opens our hearts and minds to receive and comprehend the great mystery and plan of God - to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10).
When John says he did not know Jesus (John 1:31,33) he was referring to the hidden reality of Jesus' divinity. But the Holy Spirit in that hour revealed to John Jesus' true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us his Spirit as our helper and guide who opens our hearts and minds to receive and comprehend the great mystery and plan of God - to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10).
Do
you want to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ? Ask the Lord to
pour his Holy Spirit upon you to deepen your faith, hope, and love for God and
for the plan he has for your life.
"Lord
Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit and let me grow in the
knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart
that I may know and love you more fervently and strive to do your will in all
things."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: John points to Jesus' saving mission,
by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"No
longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the
preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of
old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the
slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might
overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate
death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for
all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father,
one for all, that he might subject all to God." (excerpt from
the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1)
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
The Jerusalem Bible titles this reading “The Second Song of the Servant of Yahweh”. There are four servant songs in Isaiah (42:1-7; 49:1-7; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). They describe poetically the person (or nation) that will bring people to an awareness of God’s power, justice, and love. The servant will do this by his whole way of living, but most of all by the way he will bear the suffering brought about by the evil acts of the people. In his suffering, he will justify the people so that they can be restored to God after their separation. The early Church looked back to these servant songs of the Old Testament and began to see how clearly they defined the life and death of Jesus. This second Song of the Suffering Servant deals more with the “call” of the servant. He was called “from the womb.” The “light” theme of Epiphany is picked up in the last line of this reading.
3 The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.
This explicit mention of Israel creates a difficulty for those who interpret the Servant as an individual. Here he is referred to as the collective group of Israel.
5 For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him;
This use of Israel creates a difficulty for those who interpret the servant as a nation. How can the servant nation have a mission to itself? A solution has been offered by some who propose that the Servant is the gathering of all Israelites, but especially of the saintly members who then have a mission to the sinful members.
And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! 6 It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
The twelve tribes of Israel were named after the sons of Jacob (Israel). It was these tribes who settled the Promised Land after the exodus from Egypt.
and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
The mission of the Servant is expanded from Israel to the ends of the earth. This is a fulfillment of the promise to Abram in Genesis 12:3: “All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.” It is also the fulfillment of the prophecy of Simeon when Jesus was brought to the Temple for the presentation (Luke 2:31-32): “You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for Glory to your people Israel.” This is also quoted by Paul and Barnabas when they met opposition in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia and turned to the Gentiles.
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
We now begin a study of the first part of 1st Corinthians; a study which will continue until Lent. During the period between Epiphany and Lent we study the first part of 1st Corinthians during Cycle A, the middle part of 1st Corinthians during Cycle B, and the last part of 1st Corinthians during Cycle C.
Corinth was one of the most important commercial cities in the Roman Empire. Occupying a strategic position on the isthmus which linked the Peloponnese Peninsula to continental Greece, it had two ports; one on the Aegean Sea and one on the Ionian Sea – it was virtually an obligatory stop on the route from Asia to Italy.
According to Homer, Corinth was founded in the 9th century B.C. and saw its heyday in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. with its schools of rhetoric and philosophy (the tomb of Diogenes was one of its proudest monuments). In 146 B.C. it was razed by the Roman General Lucius Mummius Achaicus; 100 years later Julius Caesar founded a new Roman colony on the ruins of the old city, giving it a new prosperity which lasted for three centuries.
Corinth was the capital of Achaia (Achaia and Macedonia were the two provinces into which the Romans divided Greece). It was also the residence of the Roman Proconsul. In the 1st century A.D. it had a population of some 600,000, making it the largest city in Greece. Up to 2/3 of the population were slaves, the rest being mainly Roman families. Since it was a key trading center, it had a cosmopolitan population – including people from Asia Minor, Phoenicians, Egyptians and others. And it had a Jewish community of some size, as can be seen from the fact that there was a synagogue in the city (Acts 18:4).
It was also a city with many different religions and with temples dedicated to all sorts of gods – and it was notorious for its low level of morality. Life “Corinthian style” was synonymous with depravity. Its aberrations included the cult of Aphrodite, which had 1,000 “priestesses” who practiced what was euphemistically called “sacred prostitution.” Saint Paul preached the Christian message in this city, and God’s help enabled him to found a flourishing Christian community.
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
Paul is an authentic apostle, like the twelve, by virtue of his divine call.
“From the very beginning Paul casts down the Corinthians’ pride, in that he speaks of himself as ‘called.’ For what I have learned, says Paul, I did not discover myself, but it was while I was persecuting the Church that I was called. It was God who willed that you too should be saved in this way.’ We have done nothing good by ourselves, but by God’s will we have been saved. We were called because it seemed good to Him, not because we were worthy.’” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1,1]
and Sosthenes our brother,
Sosthenes is a Christian well known to the Corinthians. Probably not the Sosthenes of Acts 18:17, since nothing suggests his conversion. The name was quite common.
2 to the church of God that is in Corinth,
Paul uses the Greek word ekklesia (assembly) to designate a local church, denoting unity. The Septuagint used ekklesia to translate the Hebrew qahal, a term applied to the assembly of Israelites, particularly in their desert wanderings (Deuteronomy 23:2). As part of the ekklesia the Christian community is beginning to transcend local barriers.
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus,
Incorporated by baptism into the Body of Christ.
called to be holy,
Christians are holy, just as Israel was a holy nation by divine election (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
The Corinthians are not the only Christians but are members of a much larger body.
“The Church ought to be unified because it belongs to God. It does not exist only in Corinth, but all over the world, and it is one, for the Church’s name (ekklesia) means ‘assembly.’ It is not a name of separation, but a name of unity and concord. [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1,1]
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is Paul’s customary salutation that signifies the gracious goodness of God and the gifts that He gives to men whom He saves in Christ. We now have forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God.
“If our peace comes from God’s grace, why are you so proud, since you are saved by grace?
How can anyone find grace with God, except through humility?” [Saint John Chrysostom
(A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1,3]
Gospel - John 1:29-34
Each year the Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time is from the gospel of John. Why, I don’t know.
In our reading today, Jesus is recognized by John the Baptist. The time is the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. John the Baptist is baptizing in the Jordan River.
29 The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Since John’s gospel doesn’t stress atonement for sin as the primary purpose of Jesus’ crucifixion and/or exaltation, John the Baptist’s affirmation probably reflects the Servant of the Lord of Isaiah 53:7-12 where the Servant is compared to a lamb and is said to bear the iniquity of many (read Isaiah 53:7-12). This was the interpretation of the Greek Church Fathers. The Latin Fathers interpreted it as a reference to the Passover lamb – I find this a possible second level interpretation but the suffering servant of Isaiah is primary. The Passover lamb protected the people from destruction but did not take away sin.
30 He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’
This is an affirmation of the pre-existence of Jesus. Was John the Baptist aware of the great truth when he said this? Probably not. In verse 21 he denied that he was the new Elijah who, according to Malachi 4:5 (3:23 in NJB and NAB) was to announce the coming of the Messiah. It may be that at this time John the Baptist thought of Jesus as the new Elijah. Jesus affirms John as the new Elijah in Matthew 11:13-15.
31 I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”
The Baptist had not known that Jesus was the Messiah, even though the express purpose of his baptizing had been to prepare men for the Messiah’s coming.
32 John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.
John the Baptist recognized the Messiah only when he baptized him. (John presupposes you know the synoptic baptism story because he doesn’t recount it, but refers to it). The theophany (appearance of God to man) at the baptism was an objective event and not merely a private experience of Jesus. John the Baptist did not have the Christian revelation of the Holy Spirit as a distinct person in the Godhead – he understood the Spirit in the Old Testament sense, as signifying God’s vital power.
33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’
The recognition of the Messiah by John the Baptist was of divine origin. The Old Testament prophets had foretold an outpouring of the Spirit in the Messianic age [Joel 2:28f (3:1f in NAB and NJB), Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 39:29; Zechariah 12:10].
34 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
Baptism by John the Baptist equals the Old Testament expectation. The Baptism of Jesus equals the New Testament fulfillment in the Holy Spirit. Possibly an allusion to Isaiah 42:1, recognizing Jesus as the Servant of the Lord.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
The Jerusalem Bible titles this reading “The Second Song of the Servant of Yahweh”. There are four servant songs in Isaiah (42:1-7; 49:1-7; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12). They describe poetically the person (or nation) that will bring people to an awareness of God’s power, justice, and love. The servant will do this by his whole way of living, but most of all by the way he will bear the suffering brought about by the evil acts of the people. In his suffering, he will justify the people so that they can be restored to God after their separation. The early Church looked back to these servant songs of the Old Testament and began to see how clearly they defined the life and death of Jesus. This second Song of the Suffering Servant deals more with the “call” of the servant. He was called “from the womb.” The “light” theme of Epiphany is picked up in the last line of this reading.
3 The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.
This explicit mention of Israel creates a difficulty for those who interpret the Servant as an individual. Here he is referred to as the collective group of Israel.
5 For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him;
This use of Israel creates a difficulty for those who interpret the servant as a nation. How can the servant nation have a mission to itself? A solution has been offered by some who propose that the Servant is the gathering of all Israelites, but especially of the saintly members who then have a mission to the sinful members.
And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! 6 It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
The twelve tribes of Israel were named after the sons of Jacob (Israel). It was these tribes who settled the Promised Land after the exodus from Egypt.
and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
The mission of the Servant is expanded from Israel to the ends of the earth. This is a fulfillment of the promise to Abram in Genesis 12:3: “All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.” It is also the fulfillment of the prophecy of Simeon when Jesus was brought to the Temple for the presentation (Luke 2:31-32): “You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for Glory to your people Israel.” This is also quoted by Paul and Barnabas when they met opposition in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia and turned to the Gentiles.
2nd Reading - 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
We now begin a study of the first part of 1st Corinthians; a study which will continue until Lent. During the period between Epiphany and Lent we study the first part of 1st Corinthians during Cycle A, the middle part of 1st Corinthians during Cycle B, and the last part of 1st Corinthians during Cycle C.
Corinth was one of the most important commercial cities in the Roman Empire. Occupying a strategic position on the isthmus which linked the Peloponnese Peninsula to continental Greece, it had two ports; one on the Aegean Sea and one on the Ionian Sea – it was virtually an obligatory stop on the route from Asia to Italy.
According to Homer, Corinth was founded in the 9th century B.C. and saw its heyday in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C. with its schools of rhetoric and philosophy (the tomb of Diogenes was one of its proudest monuments). In 146 B.C. it was razed by the Roman General Lucius Mummius Achaicus; 100 years later Julius Caesar founded a new Roman colony on the ruins of the old city, giving it a new prosperity which lasted for three centuries.
Corinth was the capital of Achaia (Achaia and Macedonia were the two provinces into which the Romans divided Greece). It was also the residence of the Roman Proconsul. In the 1st century A.D. it had a population of some 600,000, making it the largest city in Greece. Up to 2/3 of the population were slaves, the rest being mainly Roman families. Since it was a key trading center, it had a cosmopolitan population – including people from Asia Minor, Phoenicians, Egyptians and others. And it had a Jewish community of some size, as can be seen from the fact that there was a synagogue in the city (Acts 18:4).
It was also a city with many different religions and with temples dedicated to all sorts of gods – and it was notorious for its low level of morality. Life “Corinthian style” was synonymous with depravity. Its aberrations included the cult of Aphrodite, which had 1,000 “priestesses” who practiced what was euphemistically called “sacred prostitution.” Saint Paul preached the Christian message in this city, and God’s help enabled him to found a flourishing Christian community.
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
Paul is an authentic apostle, like the twelve, by virtue of his divine call.
“From the very beginning Paul casts down the Corinthians’ pride, in that he speaks of himself as ‘called.’ For what I have learned, says Paul, I did not discover myself, but it was while I was persecuting the Church that I was called. It was God who willed that you too should be saved in this way.’ We have done nothing good by ourselves, but by God’s will we have been saved. We were called because it seemed good to Him, not because we were worthy.’” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1,1]
and Sosthenes our brother,
Sosthenes is a Christian well known to the Corinthians. Probably not the Sosthenes of Acts 18:17, since nothing suggests his conversion. The name was quite common.
2 to the church of God that is in Corinth,
Paul uses the Greek word ekklesia (assembly) to designate a local church, denoting unity. The Septuagint used ekklesia to translate the Hebrew qahal, a term applied to the assembly of Israelites, particularly in their desert wanderings (Deuteronomy 23:2). As part of the ekklesia the Christian community is beginning to transcend local barriers.
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus,
Incorporated by baptism into the Body of Christ.
called to be holy,
Christians are holy, just as Israel was a holy nation by divine election (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
The Corinthians are not the only Christians but are members of a much larger body.
“The Church ought to be unified because it belongs to God. It does not exist only in Corinth, but all over the world, and it is one, for the Church’s name (ekklesia) means ‘assembly.’ It is not a name of separation, but a name of unity and concord. [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1,1]
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is Paul’s customary salutation that signifies the gracious goodness of God and the gifts that He gives to men whom He saves in Christ. We now have forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God.
“If our peace comes from God’s grace, why are you so proud, since you are saved by grace?
How can anyone find grace with God, except through humility?” [Saint John Chrysostom
(A.D. 392), Homilies on the First Epistle to the Corinthians 1,3]
Gospel - John 1:29-34
Each year the Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time is from the gospel of John. Why, I don’t know.
In our reading today, Jesus is recognized by John the Baptist. The time is the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. John the Baptist is baptizing in the Jordan River.
29 The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Since John’s gospel doesn’t stress atonement for sin as the primary purpose of Jesus’ crucifixion and/or exaltation, John the Baptist’s affirmation probably reflects the Servant of the Lord of Isaiah 53:7-12 where the Servant is compared to a lamb and is said to bear the iniquity of many (read Isaiah 53:7-12). This was the interpretation of the Greek Church Fathers. The Latin Fathers interpreted it as a reference to the Passover lamb – I find this a possible second level interpretation but the suffering servant of Isaiah is primary. The Passover lamb protected the people from destruction but did not take away sin.
30 He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’
This is an affirmation of the pre-existence of Jesus. Was John the Baptist aware of the great truth when he said this? Probably not. In verse 21 he denied that he was the new Elijah who, according to Malachi 4:5 (3:23 in NJB and NAB) was to announce the coming of the Messiah. It may be that at this time John the Baptist thought of Jesus as the new Elijah. Jesus affirms John as the new Elijah in Matthew 11:13-15.
31 I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”
The Baptist had not known that Jesus was the Messiah, even though the express purpose of his baptizing had been to prepare men for the Messiah’s coming.
32 John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.
John the Baptist recognized the Messiah only when he baptized him. (John presupposes you know the synoptic baptism story because he doesn’t recount it, but refers to it). The theophany (appearance of God to man) at the baptism was an objective event and not merely a private experience of Jesus. John the Baptist did not have the Christian revelation of the Holy Spirit as a distinct person in the Godhead – he understood the Spirit in the Old Testament sense, as signifying God’s vital power.
33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’
The recognition of the Messiah by John the Baptist was of divine origin. The Old Testament prophets had foretold an outpouring of the Spirit in the Messianic age [Joel 2:28f (3:1f in NAB and NJB), Isaiah 32:15; Ezekiel 39:29; Zechariah 12:10].
34 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
Baptism by John the Baptist equals the Old Testament expectation. The Baptism of Jesus equals the New Testament fulfillment in the Holy Spirit. Possibly an allusion to Isaiah 42:1, recognizing Jesus as the Servant of the Lord.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19; JOHN 1:29-34
(Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19; JOHN 1:29-34
(Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3)
KEY VERSE: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (v.29).
TO KNOW: John the Baptist was a prophet sent by God to announce the coming of the Messiah. When Jesus came to him for baptism, John recognized him as the anointed one (Hebrew, mashiach). When John saw God's spirit "descending from heaven like a dove" (v.32), he testified that Jesus was God's Son who would baptize with the purifying grace of the Holy Spirit. The next day, John paid tribute to Jesus by identifying him with the significant title, the "Lamb of God" (v.29). Perhaps John was thinking of the coming Passover Feast (Jn 2:13). Just as the blood of the slain lamb protected the Israelites on the night when they left Egypt (Ex 12:11-13), Jesus, the new Paschal lamb, shed his blood for the salvation of the world. John's gospel stated that Jesus was put to death on "the day of Preparation for the Passover" (Jn 19:14a) when the lambs were sacrificed in the temple. Paul also thought of Jesus as the Passover Lamb. "Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed” (1Cor 5:7). The prophet Isaiah said that God's suffering servant was led "like a lamb that is led to the slaughter" (Is 53:7b). In the book of Revelation, Jesus is portrayed as the victorious lamb who conquered evil through his death and resurrection (Rv.5:6-14).
TO LOVE: Is my life a witness to Jesus for others?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, Lamb of God, thank you for giving me life by dying for my sins.
NOTE: DID JEWS BAPTIZE BEFORE JESUS CAME?
Ritual washings were practiced by various groups in Palestine between 150 BC and AD 250. Throughout Jewish history it was traditional for Jews to demonstrate repentance through washing ceremonies. John's baptism may have been related to the purifying washings of the Essenes at Qumran near the Dead Sea. The baptism of John was a Jewish washing. John was preaching repentance for the coming of God's reign. The people who accepted that message and desired to repent came to John. The internal conversion of their heart was demonstrated externally in their baptism in anticipation for the arrival of Messiah. It was a baptism of repentance, and so it was Jewish baptism.
Sunday 19 January 2020
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6. Psalm 39(40): 2, 4, 7-10. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. John 1:29-34.
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will – Psalm 39(40): 2, 4, 7-10
‘I see the Lamb of God.’
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6. Psalm 39(40): 2, 4, 7-10. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. John 1:29-34.
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will – Psalm 39(40): 2, 4, 7-10
‘I see the Lamb of God.’
Giving testimony is the theme of today’s Gospel. ‘I see the Lamb
of God’. John heralds that Jesus is coming to save the world, and in referring
to the Lamb of God, he foretells that suffering will be part of that journey.
It’s an interesting image that of the Lamb of God. Lambs were sacrificed on
altars, innocent, the most humble of animals. During every mass, we sing ‘Lamb
of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.’ A musical
version of this Mass Setting by Catholic musician Matt Maher intersperses the
English Lamb of God with the Latin responses Miserere Nobis. Often
when you sing something in another language, it makes you think more deeply
about the words. The beauty of the musical setting, and the use of the Latin
gives it a poignancy. Today, perhaps it is worthwhile thinking about those
words and what they mean? Who is the Lamb of God who laid down his life for us,
and what does that mean for us today?
Saint Fabian
Saint of the Day for January 19
(c. 200 – January 20, 250)
 |
| Detail from Saint John the Baptist, Saint Fabian and Saint Sebastian | Miguel Ximénez |
Saint Fabian’s Story
Fabian was a Roman layman who came into the city from his farm
one day as clergy and people were preparing to elect a new pope. Eusebius, a
Church historian, says a dove flew in and settled on the head of Fabian. This
sign united the votes of clergy and laity, and he was chosen unanimously.
He led the Church for 14 years and died a martyr’s death during
the persecution of Decius in 250 A.D. Saint Cyprian wrote to his successor
that Fabian was an “incomparable” man whose glory in death matched the holiness
and purity of his life.
In the catacombs of Saint Callistus, the stone that covered
Fabian’s grave may still be seen, broken into four pieces, bearing the Greek
words, “Fabian, bishop, martyr.” His Liturgical Feast day is January 20.
Reflection
We can go confidently into the future and accept the change that
growth demands only if we have firm roots in the past, in a living tradition. A
few pieces of stone in Rome are a reminder to us that we are bearers of more
than 20 centuries of a living tradition of faith and courage in living the life
of Christ and showing it to the world. We have brothers and sisters who have
“gone before us with the sign of faith,” as the First Eucharistic Prayer puts
it, to light the way for us.
Lectio Divina: 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Lectio Divina
Sunday, January 19, 2020
John the Baptist announces Jesus
as the Lamb of God
John 1:29-34
as the Lamb of God
John 1:29-34
1. Opening prayer
In this prayerful reading of the Gospel of John, we recall the
words of Saint John Henry Newman to accompany and stimulate us, words that he
liked to use in prayer to the Lord: Stay with me, and I shall begin to shine as
you shine; to shine so as to be light for others.
Jesus, the light will all come from you: nothing will be because
of me. It will be You who shine on others through me. Grant that I may praise
You thus, in the way that You like most, shining on all those who are around
me. Give them and me Your light; enlighten them together with me, through me.
Teach me to spread Your prais e, Your truth, Your will. Grant that I may
make You known not through words but by example, that influence of solidarity
that comes from what I do, visibly resembling Your saints, and clearly full of
the love that grows in my heart for You» (Meditations and Devotions).
2. The text
29 The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said,
'Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 30 It was
of Him that I said, "Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me
because He existed before me." 31 I did not know Him myself, and yet my
purpose in coming to baptize with water was so that He might be revealed to
Israel.' 32 And John declared, 'I saw the Spirit come down on Him like a dove
from heaven and rest on Him. 33 I did not know Him myself, but he who sent me
to baptize with water had said to me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit
come down and rest is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit." 34
I have seen and I testify that He is the Chosen One of God.'
3. A prayerful silent pause
The Word of God demands that we want and welcome it through a
meditation of silence. Quiet yourself, allow yourself to welcome the presence
of God in His Word; a silence that makes room in your heart so that God may
come and talk to you.
4. A symbolical reading
This Gospel passage speaks of two animals of great spiritual
value in the Bible: the lamb and the dove. The first alludes to significant
texts in the Bible: the paschal meal of the exodus (cc.12-13); the glory of the
Christ-Lamb in the Apocalypse.
a) The symbol of the lamb:
Let us turn our attention to the symbol of the «Lamb (amnos) of
God», and to its meaning.
- A first biblical allusion for an understanding of this
expression used by John the Baptist to point out the person of Jesus, is the
figure of the victorious Lamb in the book of the Apocalypse:
in 7:17 the Lamb is the shepherd of the nations; in 17:14 the Lamb squashes the
evil powers on earth. In Jesus’ time, people imagined that at the end of time a
victorious lamb or one that would destroy the powers of sin, injustice and evil
would appear. This idea conforms to the eschatological preaching of John the
Baptist who warned that God’s anger was imminent (Lk 3:7), that the axe was
already laid at the roots of the trees, and that God was ready to cut down and
throw on the fire every tree that did not bear good fruit (Lk 3:9; Mt 3:12 and
Lk 3:17).
Another very powerful expression with which the Baptist
introduces Jesus is in Matthew 3:12: «His winnowing-fan is in His hand; He will
clear His threshing-floor and gather His wheat into the barn; but the chaff he
will burn in a fire that will never go out». It is not wrong to think that John
the Baptist could describe Jesus as the Lamb of God who destroys the sin of the
world. In fact, in 1 John 3:5 it is written, «Now you know that He appeared in
order to abolish sin»; and in 3:8: «It was to undo all that the devil has done
that the Son of God appeared». It is possible that John the Baptist greeted
Jesus as the victorious lamb who, by God’s command, was to destroy evil in the
world.
- A second biblical allusion is to the Lamb as the
suffering servant. This figure of the suffering servant or of Jhwh is the
subject of four canticles in Deutero-Isaiah: 42:1-4, 7, 9; 49:1-6, 9, 13;
50:4-9, 11; 52:13-53, 12. We need to ask ourselves whether the use of «Lamb of
God» in John 1:29 is not colored by the use of “lamb” to allude to the
suffering Servant of Yahweh in Isaiah 53. Did John really consider Jesus the
lamb as the suffering Servant?
There certainly are no clear proofs that the Baptist made such a
connection, nor are there proofs that exclude such a possibility. Indeed in
Isaiah 53:7 it is written that the Servant: «never opened his mouth, like a
sheep that is dumb before its shearers, never opening its mouth». This
description is applied to Jesus in Acts 8:32, and so this likeness between the
Suffering Servant and Jesus was made by the early Christians (see Mt 8:17 = Isa
53:4; Heb 9:28 = Isa 53:12).
Besides, in John the Baptist’s description of Jesus in 1:32-34,
there are two aspects that recall the figure of the Servant: in v. 32 John the
Baptist says that he saw the Spirit coming down on Jesus and resting on him; in
34 he identifies Jesus as the chosen of God. Thus also in Isaiah 42:1 (a
passage which the synoptics also connect with the baptism of Jesus) we read:
«Here is My servant whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom My soul delights (see
Mk 1:11). I have endowed Him with my spirit». Again in Isaiah 61:1: «The Spirit
of the Lord Yahweh has been given to me». These biblical allusions strengthen
the possibility that the Evangelist made a connection between the Servant of
Isaiah (chapters 42 and 53) and the Lamb of God.
In other parts of John’s Gospel we also find Jesus described
with the traits of the suffering Servant (12:38 = Isa 53:1).
One interesting aspect to be noticed is that the Lamb of God is
said to take away the sin of the world. In Isaiah 53:4, 12, it is said that the
Servant bears or takes on himself the sins of many. By His death, Jesus takes
away sin or takes it on Himself.
Thus according to the second interpretation, the Lamb as
suffering Servant, is Christ who offers Himself freely to eliminate sin from
the world and restore His brothers and sisters in the flesh back to God.
We find a modern confirmation of this interpretation of Jesus as
“Lamb of God” in a document of the Italian bishops: «The Apocalypse of John,
going even to the ultimate depths of the mystery of the One sent by the Father,
recognizes in Him the Lamb who is sacrificed “since the foundation of the
world” (Rev 13:8), the One whose wounds healed us (1 Pet 2:25; Isa 53:5)»
(Communicating the Gospel in a changing world, 15).
- A third biblical allusion is the Lamb as the paschal
lamb. John’s Gospel is full of Paschal symbolism especially in
relation to the death of Jesus. For the Christian community for whom John is
writing his Gospel, the Lamb takes away the sin of the world by His death. In
fact, in John 19:14 it is written that Jesus was sentenced to death at midday
on the eve of the Pasch, that is at the time when priests began to sacrifice
paschal lambs in the Temple for Easter. Another connection of the paschal
symbolism with the death of Jesus is that while Jesus was on the cross, a
sponge soaked in vinegar was raised up to Him on a stick (19:29), and it was
the stick or hyssop that was dipped into the blood of the paschal lamb to
sprinkle the doorposts of the Israelites (Ex 12:22). Then in John 19:36 the
fulfillment of Scripture that not one bone of Jesus would be broken, is clearly
a reference to the text in Exodus 12:46 where it is written that not one bone
of the paschal lamb must be broken. The description of Jesus as the Lamb is
found in another of John’s works, namely the Book of Revelation: in 5:6 mention
is made of the sacrificed lamb; in 7:17 and 22:1 the Lamb is the one from whom
flows the spring of living water and this aspect is also an allusion to Moses
who made water flow from the rock; finally, in 5:9 reference is made to the
redeeming blood of the Lamb, another paschal motif that recalls the salvation
of the houses of the Israelites from the danger of death.
There is a parallel between the blood of the lamb sprinkled on
the doorposts as a sign of liberation and the blood of the lamb offered in a
sacrifice of liberation. Soon Christians began to compare Jesus to the paschal
lamb and, in doing so, they did not hesitate to use sacrificial language:
«Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed» (1 Cor 5:7), including Jesus’ task
of taking away the sin of the world.
b) The symbol of the dove:
This second symbol also has several aspects to it. First of all,
the expression “like a dove” was common to express the affective connection
with the nest. In our context it says that the Spirit has found its nest, its
natural habitat of love in Jesus. Moreover, the dove symbolizes the love of the
Father that rests on Jesus as in a permanent dwelling place (see Mt 3:16; Mk
1:10; Lk 3:22).
Then the expression «like a dove» is used in connection with the
verb to descend to express that it is not a question of the physical aspect of
a dove but the way the Spirit descends (like the flight of a dove), in the
sense that it does not strike terror but rather inspires trust. Such biblical
symbolism of the dove does not have parallel symbolisms in the Bible; however
an old rabbinical exegesis compares the hovering of the Spirit of God over the
primordial waters to the fluttering of the dove over its nest. It is not
impossible that in using this symbol, John wanted to say that the descent of
the Spirit in the shape of a dove was a clear reference to the beginning of
creation: the incarnation of God’s plan in Jesus is the summit and aim of God’s
creative activity.
The love of God for Jesus (corresponding to the movement of the
dove returning to its nest) urges Him to pass on the fullness of His divine
essence (the Spirit is love and loyalty).
5. The message
a) Christ is our salvation: The
Baptist had the task of pointing out in Jesus «the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world». The proclamation of the Gospel, the word of Jesus
Christ, is as essential and indispensable today as it was yesterday. We never
cease to need liberation and salvation. Proclaiming the Gospel does not mean
communicating theoretical truths nor is it a collection of moral teachings.
Rather, it means allowing people to experience Jesus Christ, who came into the
world – according to John’s witness – to save humankind from sin, evil and
death. So we cannot transmit the Gospel and at the same time not pay attention
to the daily needs and expectations of people. To speak of faith in Jesus, Lamb
of God who takes away the sin of the world, means to speak to people of our
time, first asking ourselves what do they seek in the depths of their hearts.
“If we wish to hold on to an appropriate criterion…, we shall
need to nurture two complementary focal points… Jesus Christ is witness to
both. The first consists of our effort to listen to the culture of our world so
as to discern the seeds of the Word already present there, even beyond the
visible borders of the Church. To listen to the most intimate expectations of
our contemporaries, consider seriously their wishes and desires, seek to
understand that which burns in their hearts and what makes them afraid and
diffident”. Besides, paying attention to the needs and expectations of people
«does not mean renouncing what is different in Christianity or the
transcendence of the Gospel… the Christian message points to a fully human way
of life but does not limit itself to presenting mere humanism. Jesus Christ
came so that we may partake of the divine life, of that life which has been
called “the humanity of God”. (Communicating the Gospel in a changing world n.
34)
b) The Spirit does not come only to rest on Jesus, but to
possess Him permanently so that He may share Himself with others in baptism.
Finally, “the lamb who pardons sins and the dove of the Church meet in Christ”.
Here is a quotation from St. Bernard where he brings together the two symbols:
“The lamb is among animals what the dove is among birds: innocence, sweetness
and simplicity”.
c) Some practical suggestions:
- Renew our availability to collaborate with the mission of
Christ in communion with the Church by helping people to be free of evil and of
sin.
- To stand by men and women on their journey that they may live in hope in Jesus who liberates and saves.
- To give witness to one’s joy in experiencing the efficacy of the word of Jesus in one’s life.
- To live by communicating faith giving witness to Jesus, savior of all people.
- To stand by men and women on their journey that they may live in hope in Jesus who liberates and saves.
- To give witness to one’s joy in experiencing the efficacy of the word of Jesus in one’s life.
- To live by communicating faith giving witness to Jesus, savior of all people.
6. Psalm 40
This psalm speaks of the situation of a person who, freed from
some oppression, finds no more authentic attitude in reply to God than an
existential and total availability to His word.
I waited, I waited for Yahweh,
then He stooped to me and heard my cry for help.
He put a fresh song in my mouth, praise of our God.
then He stooped to me and heard my cry for help.
He put a fresh song in my mouth, praise of our God.
You wanted no sacrifice or cereal offering,
but You gave me an open ear,
You did not ask for burnt offering or sacrifice for sin;
then I said, 'Here I am, I am coming.'
but You gave me an open ear,
You did not ask for burnt offering or sacrifice for sin;
then I said, 'Here I am, I am coming.'
In the scroll of the book it is written of me,
my delight is to do Your will;
Your law, my God, is deep in my heart.
my delight is to do Your will;
Your law, my God, is deep in my heart.
I proclaimed the saving justice of Yahweh in the great assembly.
See, I will not hold my tongue, as You well know.
See, I will not hold my tongue, as You well know.
7. Closing prayer
Father, who on the day of the Lord
gather Your people to celebrate
the One who is First and Last,
the Living One who has conquered death,
grant us the strength of your Spirit so that, having broken the chains of evil,
we may render You the free service
of our obedience and love,
so that we may reign with Christ in glory.
For He is God, who lives and reigns with You,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.
(From the Liturgy)
gather Your people to celebrate
the One who is First and Last,
the Living One who has conquered death,
grant us the strength of your Spirit so that, having broken the chains of evil,
we may render You the free service
of our obedience and love,
so that we may reign with Christ in glory.
For He is God, who lives and reigns with You,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.
(From the Liturgy)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét