Second Sunday Ordinary Time

Readings: Isaiah 49:3,5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. John 1:29-34.

Today John the Baptist identified Jesus Christ as the lamb of God. Jesus Christ is the lamb of God that will take away the sins of the world. He is the messiah that will save his people through the sacrifice of his life on the cross. The lamb is associated with sacrifice in the bible as such Jesus Christ is destined to be sacrificed for a greater good which is the salvation of humanity.

The lamb of God is the Son of God. As the lamb of God, he possesses in himself the innocence and the gentleness of a lamb. He is the sinless one that will assume sinfulness in order to save. Jesus Christ will not lead a revolution against the government of his time, rather he will preach a kingdom of love, justice and peace. To do this, the Lamb of God will become the lamb of sacrifice. He will become the scapegoat that will expose the antics of the devil. He will destroy the power of sin over humanity. He will teach humanity the power of self-sacrifice. His death will be the reference point of true love. His death will define love as self-sacrifice.

John the Baptist invites us to identify with the lamb of God. We identify with our actions and reverence for the Holy Eucharist. We identify in order to have the grace to run from occasions of sin. We identify in order to be strong in prayer. We identify in order to love as he loved. We identify with the lamb of God in order to be Holy as he is.

                                                                                                             Fr. Terry