First reading 1 John 2:29-3:6
Everyone must try to be as pure as Christ
You know that God is righteous –
then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous
has been begotten by him.
Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children;
and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him,
therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed;
all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.
Surely everyone who entertains this hope
must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.
Anyone who sins at all
breaks the law,
because to sin is to break the law.
Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin,
and that in him there is no sin;
anyone who lives in God does not sin,
and anyone who sins
has never seen him or known him.
Responsorial Psalm 97(98):1,3-6
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp
with the sound of music.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
acclaim the King, the Lord.
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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Recognising Jesus
“You know that God is righteous – you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous has been begotten by him” (1st reading). It is important to note that righteousness, in the biblical sense, refers to love. Therefore, since God is love, those who live in love are begotten by God. In today’s gospel, this is how John the Baptist recognised Jesus, in and through His life of love. Jesus lived being loved constantly by His Father and spent time loving others with the same love – a true life in the Spirit. Similarly, we recognise Jesus is present with us when we experience love or see someone living his/her life in love.
Today, let us be open to recognise Him even in the most unexpected person or situation that may come our way. We ask for the grace to perceive the love behind the words spoken and acts done to us so that we may be slower to judge negatively and have the wisdom to see Jesus in our lives. In recognising Him, may we be filled with joy and gratitude for His nearness.
Reflective question:
In which moments of the day have I recognised Jesus?
In which moments of the day have I recognised Jesus?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Monika Punan FMVD.
