John 1:29-34

Isaiah 49:3, 5-6

Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

1 Corinthians 1:1-3

John 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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your Spirit upon your Incarnate Son and so identified him as your Servant and Lamb. Send forth your Spirit upon me to strengthen and guide me as I carry out the mission you have entrusted to me.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Servant of the Lord: In the First Reading, from the prophet Isaiah, the Servant of the Lord recounts how the Lord God commissioned him. Even though the servant’s effort seems to be in vain, the Lord guarantees that the servant’s mission will ultimately be successful. The servant will gather Israel to the Lord. But salvation is not just for Israel. In fact, through his servant, the Lord God will extend his salvation to all the nations and to the ends of the earth. The passage from Isaiah is addressed especially to Israel during the time of their exile. By sending Israel into exile, God is mysteriously putting into effect the promise he made to Abraham, that in Abraham’s descendants “all the nations of the earth will find blessing” (Genesis 22:18). God scatters Israel among the nations, but at the appointed time, God will gather Israel and the nations into his divine family. 

2. Making the Son of God Known: Jesus is one who fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy about a servant sent to gather Israel and the nations. It is not enough for God’s servant and Son to gather the tribes of Israel. He will be the glory of God shown to all nations. John the Baptist confirms that salvation and the forgiveness of sins should not be restricted to Israel, but should be extended to all the nations. He identifies Jesus as the divine lamb who, through his passion and death, takes away the sin of the entire world. Today’s psalm praises the filial obedience of Jesus Christ. Although he was the Son of God, Jesus learned obedience through his suffering (Hebrews 5:8). In his prayer before and during his passion, Jesus accepts the action of God, who transforms his suffering into a path of salvation for all humankind. External worship – manifested in the animal sacrifices of bulls and lambs – is not pleasing without the interior consent of our will and heart. David seems to proclaim in the Psalm that our delight is not in animal sacrifices, holocausts, and sin-offerings – but in God’s law. This divine law was a sure path in the world. It taught what was good and holy. It indicates a path of love. Sin, by contrast, is a path that leads to death. God’s mercy is a gift that empowers us to leave sin and be holy. Through the grace of Christ, the divine law is inscribed within our hearts. Jesus is the suffering servant and the Lamb of God. This is what John proclaims to us today. We are invited by John to behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. We do this in a special way before receiving the Eucharist. Our response is at the same time an acceptance of Jesus in faith and an act of humility: “Lord, I am not worthy… my soul shall be healed.” 

3. Called to Be Holy: The Second Reading is taken from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Every year, after the Christmas season, we begin reading a section of this letter. Paul sent the letter to address several problems in the community in Corinth. “These problems ultimately stem from their sinful pride and disunity, wherein some members consider themselves better than others, either because they align themselves with different Christian leaders, or because they believe they have been gifted by God in special ways” (A Catholic Guide to the New Testament, 207). In the opening chapters of the letter, Paul warns the Christian community to overcome division, speaks about the wisdom of the cross, encourages the people to be spiritual people led by the Spirit of God, and teaches that we are God’s co-workers, servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Paul understands himself as an “apostle,” for he was called by Christ, encountered the risen Christ, and was sent out to preach to the Gentiles by the will of God. He recalls the very profound truth that we have been sanctified in Christ Jesus and are called to be holy.  The path of our sanctification begins with our Baptism, which gives us the gift of sanctifying grace and makes us adopted children of the Father, members of Christ’s Mystical Body, and temples of the Holy Spirit. With the Trinity indwelling in us, we are enabled to know the things of God and see the world from God’s point of view; we are empowered to act according to the new law of charity, with Christ as our model and the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you call me to be holy and merciful as your heavenly Father is holy and merciful. Pour forth your Spirit into my heart and sanctify me today. Lord, I am not worthy to receive you into my heart, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Living the Word of God: What lessons can I learn from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians? Am I an agent of disunity or unity in my local Church? How can I help overcome division in my family? What are the next steps God is asking me to take to grow in holiness?