First reading Isaiah 49:3,5-6
I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth
The Lord said to me, ‘You are my servant, Israel,
in whom I shall be glorified’;
I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord,
my God was my strength.
And now the Lord has spoken,
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
to gather Israel to him:
‘It is not enough for you to be my servant,
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel;
I will make you the light of the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’
Responsorial Psalm 39(40):2,4,7-10
Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.
I waited, I waited for the Lord
and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.
You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here am I.
In the scroll of the book it stands written
that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
in the depth of my heart.
Your justice I have proclaimed
in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
you know it, O Lord.
Second reading 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace
I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.
Gospel John 1:29-34
‘Look: there is the Lamb of God’
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’
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Living the mission of pointing Jesus
As we enter into the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, let us reflect on today’s gospel and ask ourselves, “Have I been a courageous witness of Christ? Does the way I live and speak point others to Jesus?” John the Baptist recognised Jesus as the “Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world”, and he did not keep the good news to himself but pointed Him to others and shared the good news with his own disciples. His main goal was to lead others to Jesus.
Jesus calls us to bring him to others by living the gospel values of truth, justice and peace and speaking life-giving words of mercy and love. He needs us to be the John the Baptist of today. How will people come to know, love and follow Him if we do not point Him to them? Before living as Christ’s witness, we first need to be His disciples. We need to encounter Jesus daily so we can be ready to show others the way to Him. Today, let us give ourselves time and space to be with Jesus and listen to Him calling us to follow Him.
Reflective question:
How can I be a John the Baptist to someone today?
How can I be a John the Baptist to someone today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD
