2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Behold the Lamb of God

We are fresh off the holidays. Christmas and the Epiphany are over. The new year is here and we celebrated the Baptism of Jesus last Sunday. Now the Epiphany is taking hold. We are seeing Jesus revealed more and more. Last Sunday, we are told by God the Father that He is the beloved Son. Now we begin Ordinary time and will learn more about Christ and what He has to offer. Ordinary time is not ordinary at all. It just means that no serious big events will take place. So do not let the word "ordinary" fool you.  In fact, in my opinion, Ordinary time is the period which we all should focus a little more on. This is because we learn more on the person of Jesus and what He expects from us believers.

In the first reading, we are told of the servant who God will use to show His glory. This servant will bring Jacob and Israel back to the Lord and will be a light to the nations. Jesus is this new servant. He is the one who will gather Jacob and Israel back. He is the light of the world and the one who brings salvation. We too are servants of the Lord who must be His mouthpiece, hands and feet in the world. We must do God's will. Today's responsorial Psalm reminds us of this. Like the Psalm states, "Here am I, Lord; I come to do you will," we must state this proudly and move onward to do His will in the world.  Unfortunately, many Catholics tend to believe that a vocation or a "call" is solely for those men who eventually become priests or brothers. The same can be said of those women who eventually become religious sisters. However, this is not the case. All believers in the Church are called by God in one way or another.

In the second reading, we see how Paul himself is called to be an apostle of the Lord. The Gospel tells us that Jesus came to do a job, so to speak. John the Baptists points to Him as the "Lamb of God." This lamb takes away the sin of the world. What does this all mean?  Calling Jesus a "lamb" is representative of the fact that Jesus is the sacrificial offering. We read in the Old Testament how God tells Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac. This was, of course, a test. Isaac was never sacrificed. In fact, God later provides the sacrificial offering. Similarly, God once again provides the sacrificial offering: His only Son. Next, what is the "sin" of the world? Can the world even sin? Well, we must look at Adam and Eve for the answer. The "sin" of the world is original sin, the rejection of God and disobedience that Adam and Eve began and which has passed on to us. This "sin" is what leads to other sins, venial, mortal which are actual sins.

This is why Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the sacrifice whose blood will serve as expiation for the sin of the world. John the Baptist tells this to all present and to us today in 2020. John the Baptist tells us how the Holy Spirit came like a dove upon Jesus and that this one is the person who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. This means that the water of baptism is sanctified and given authority only in Jesus. Let us now follow Jesus more closely. It is a new year and new decade which we should use to focus on growing in holiness. There are so many events going on in the world that make us wonder how much time is left. Let us not sit and speculate, but take action to better our lives via the Sacraments, the Mass, prayer and the faith.


Readings:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011920.cfm

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3rd Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday: Rejoice! The One is to Come!

What is Advent?
We are now in the holy season of Advent where we prepare for both the coming of Christ at Christmas and the second coming at the end of time.  It is a spiritual period in which to meditate on these two mysteries and prepare for them.  We use the wreath and 4 candles to mark down the 4 weeks before Christmas.

Three of the candles are purple and one is pink.  The purple symbolizes preparation through penance and prayer.  Purple is also used during Lent.  Another way to see it is purple is a physical sign of healing. When we get hurt, the injury becomes purple.  During the time of healing, it remains purple until it clears up.  Sin hurts us and we need time to heal from it by using the Sacraments of Penance and Eucharist, Prayer, Fasting, Indulgences and a genuine Spiritual life.

The pink is for the third Sunday or Gaudete Sunday which means “Sunday of Joy.”   We are joyous because we are getting closer to Christ’s birth.  As each week goes, we light the candle that corresponds to that week.



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Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121116.cfm



Reflection:

We are in Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of Joy.  Our joy is in Christ Jesus whose birth we are approaching (John 15:11).  Christ came to restore all things (Acts 3:21, 1 Peter 5:10). In the first reading, we read of the desert and parched land exulting.  The steppe rejoices and blooms.  Things will begin anew (Revelation 21:5).  Those who are feeble will become stronger.  Those who are afraid will become courageous. This is because God comes with vindication and recompense to save all. Those suffering will suffer no longer.  All will be joyous and glad in the coming of the Lord.  God Himself will come to save us as we read in the responsorial Psalm (Ezekiel 34-36).  He keeps His promises and carries them out (Psalm 145:13).  God will care for all, especially those in dire need and those who are humiliated before others.  Christ gave us a taste of this during His first coming. However, at His second coming. those who remained faithful and did what they had to do will reap the reward of eternal life (Matthew 24:13).  We must wait for this second coming and be patient. The second reading reminds us of this by using the metaphor of a farmer who waits for the precious fruit.

It has been over 2,000 years and Christ has not returned. Many have come and have gone waiting. This does not mean that Christ is not coming and has abandoned us (John 14:18). We must wait patiently until all that has to happen, happens. We can only know when it is near. The Church teaches us what we must look for in the catechism in paragraphs 668-677. First Christ will reign through His Catholic Church which is happening now.  The Catholic Church is all over the world, but we have not reached everyone yet.  Next, all things must be subjected to Him, Jew and Gentile: "The 'full inclusion' of the Jews in the Messiah's salvation, in the wake of 'the full number of the Gentiles." All of Israel will accept her Messiah.  After this happens, the Church will face her biggest trial ever when the Antichrist comes.  Many will lose faith while others will be deceived with "easy ways" of doing things that will seem to make the Catholic Church obsolete. This is why we must remain faithful and strong.  We must be patient and not complain about God or one another.  While we are  doing this, we must be on watch for the signs of the times as the catechism describes them.

Finally, in the Gospel, we see the revelation of the One, the Messiah who is Christ. John the Baptist was in prison and heard of the works of Christ. This Christ is the one he was preparing Israel and us for.  The followers of John asked Jesus if He was the One and Jesus tells them to tell John what they have witnessed.  Jesus restored sight to the blind, healed the lame and deaf, raised the dead and proclaimed the good news of joy and hope to the poor.  In other words, Jesus fulfilled what was written (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus then confirms John's role as the one who prepared His way (Isaiah 40:3-5). He reminds the people that this prophet did not come looking like a rich person or king. Despite his appearance, he is great.  However, Jesus tells the people that the least of those in His kingdom are greater that even John himself (Matthew 20:16).  These least are the pariahs who are forgotten by man, yet remained faithful to God and God remained faithful to them.  They are great because Christ came to save them just like a doctor goes to the sick and does not focus all of his talents on the healthy (Mark 2:17).    

Let us be watchful of the signs, pray and be holy always.  No one knows when the day or hour will come. In the meantime, let us prepare by going in grace, love, and hope; and by calling others to it by inviting them to the Catholic faith not only with our words, but also with our witness.  May Jesus Christ return soon and may He have mercy on us all!


Here are some reflections by holy writers:

Christmas is the feast day of a Child, of a Newborn Baby. So it is your feast day too! You wait impatiently for it and get ready for it with joy, counting the days and even the hours to the Holy Night of Bethlehem. I can almost see you: you are setting up the Crib at home, in the parish, in every corner of the world, recreating the surroundings and the atmosphere in which the Saviour was born. Yes, it is true! At Christmastime, the stable and the manger take centre place in the Church. And everyone hurries to go there, to make a spiritual pilgrimage, like the shepherds on the night of Jesus' birth. Later, it will be the Magi arriving from the distant East, following the star, to the place where the Redeemer of the universe lay. You too, during the days of Christmas, visit the Cribs, stopping to look at the Child lying in the hay. You look at his Mother and you look at Saint Joseph, the Redeemer's guardian. - St. Pope John Paul II

Source: https://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/letters/1994/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_13121994_children.html

"'Rejoice, because God iswith you; he is with us,'are words that truly open a new epoch.  Dear friends, with an act of faith we must once again accept and understandin the depthsofour hearts this lierating word:'Rejoice!'" - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Source:  "The Joy of Knowing Christ; Meditations of the Gospels"

As announced in prophecy: the law rose up and took shape in John. For the law announced Christ, predicted the forgiveness of sins and promised the kingdom of heaven. John thoroughly accomplished all this work that belonged to the law. Therefore when the law (i.e., John) was inactive, oppressed as it was by the sins of the common people and held in chains by the vicious habits of the nation, so that Christ could not be perceived, the law (represented by John) was confined by chains and the prison. But the law (i.e., John) sent others to behold the good news.
In this way unbelief would be confronted with the accomplished truth of what had been prophesied. By this means the part of the law that had been chained by the misdeeds of sinners would now be freed through the understanding of the good news freely expressed.
— St. Hilary of Poitiers (315 - 367)

Source: "On Matthew 11.2," quoted in Manlio Simonetti, ed., Matthew 1-13, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 217.

It seems almost as if John did not know the one he had pointed out, as if he did not know whether he was the same person he had proclaimed by prophesying, by baptizing, by pointing him out!
We can resolve this question more quickly if we reflect on the time and order of the events. For when John is standing beside the river Jordan, he declares that this is the Redeemer of the world. But when he has been thrown into jail, he asks whether they were to look for another or whether he had come. This is not because he doubts that he is the Redeemer of the world. John now wants to know whether he who had personally come into the world would also descend personally into the courts of hell. For John had preceded Christ into the world and announced him there. He was now dying and preceding him to the nether world.
This is the context in which he asks, "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?" But if he had spoken more fully he might have said, "Since you thought it worthy of yourself to be born for humanity, say whether you will also think it worthy of yourself to die for humanity. In this way I, who have been the herald of your birth, will also be the herald of your death. I will announce your arrival in the nether world as the One who is to come, just as I have already announced it on earth."

— Pope St. Gregory the Great (540 - 604)

Source: "Forty Gospel Homilies, 6.1," quoted in Manlio Simonetti, ed., Matthew 1–13, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 218.

John is greater than the other prophets for this reason: the other prophets predicted to John that someone was to come, but John pointed out with his finger that he had indeed come, saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world."
And he reached not only the rank of a prophet but even to that of Baptist, by baptizing his Lord. This heightened his significance. He thereby fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi in which an angel is foretold. John belonged to the order of the angels not by nature but by the importance of his task. It means he was the messenger who would announce the coming of the Lord.
— St. Jerome (347 - 420)

Source: "Commentary on Matthew, 2.11.9," quoted in Manlio Simonetti, ed., Matthew 1–13, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 2215.

Second Sunday of Advent

Last week, we were reminded that Jesus is coming. This week, we are reminded to prepare for His return.

In the first reading, we read of 'Jerusalem' and how God calls her to "take off your robe of mourning and misery" and "put on the splendor of glory from God forever." Jerusalem represents the people of God (2 Chronicles 6:6, Zechariah 1:16). In our case, the Church (Romans 12:5). We are called by God to remove all that holds us down and brings mourning and misery; namely, sin. Sin causes all kinds of problems (Romans 6:23, 1 John 3:4). Sin brings about fights which cause tension and discord (Isaiah 59:2, Romans 16:17). Sin brings about divorce which hurts love and children. Sin brings about fanaticism which brings about death and mourning via terrorism. Sin brings lust to relationships which brings misery and broken hearts. In a word, sin is bad. There is nothing good about it. We must remove it and replace it with "God's splendor." We have to "Put on a new self" (Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:24).  God will secure us with His light of glory.  His mercy and justice will accompany us as the reading tells us in the ending. We know what God is capable of. You reading this would not be here reading now if you were not a believer of God and became one because you saw God in your life. In response, we must be filled with joy at God's marvels as the Psalm for today tells us.'

The Psalm today reminds us of joy in God after God has rescued us. Israel suffered greatly. Jerusalem was conquered. However, God did not abandon His people (Deuteronomy 31:6). He was always there and brought them back to the promised land. Joy immediately returned to the people. The people saw how God truly cared for them and did not let their enemies triumph (Isaiah 40:11, Psalm 41:11). We too, today, must recall how God has rescued us in our lives. How He restored our fortunes and wiped the tears from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). In response, we pray and grow in faith as the second reading tells us.

In the second reading, we are reminded that God begins the "good work" in us and will complete it in anticipation for the day of Christ Jesus (Matthew 13:1-23). This is Advent in a nutshell, so to speak. God began His work in us. We allow this work to take hold as we become more receptive to God via the Sacraments. Advent is a period of preparing and waiting. We must let love increase in us as the reading states and be able to discern every perception to see if it has value or not (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This will ensure us that we stand blameless before Christ on the day of Christ.  This day of course refers to the last day when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead (2 Timothy 4:1).  We must make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this time as we prepare. We must heed the call of repentance as we read in the Gospel today.

The Gospel starts by telling us of what was going on prior to Christ's birth.  We are told of those who were the political and religious leaders of the time.  This information is meant to give some historical perspective by telling us of the timeline. Next, we are told of John, the son of Zechariah who is in the desert and receives the word of God. Immediately, he goes about the region telling people to repent and be baptized. This fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah who wrote:

"A voice of one crying out in the desert:

“Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

As stated before, Advent is a period of preparation. We must prepare the way of the Lord by making straight His paths. Jesus comes to our hearts so we must make sure they are clean and straight (Revelation 3:20). We must be blameless before Him when He returns. If during Advent and afterwards we are not going to confession, becoming more loving, kind and merciful, following the Church's teachings more, then we are not preparing the way for the Lord (Colossians 3:2, 1 Corinthians 13:1-2). I use the Advent wreath to remind me about how to prepare and what to work on.  This is my personal mediation:

Jesus told us in Luke 10:27 to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. To me, each candle on the Advent wreath represents each thing we must love God with.

• So I work on the first candle: love God with my mind. 
• Then the second: love God with my heart. 
• Then the third: love God with my soul. 
• Finally the fourth: love God with my strength and go out with that fortified strength and preach the Gospel. 

I do this as I prepare for the Lord's coming, not only on Christmas but on the day of Christ as it is described in the second reading. The 'circle' of the wreath reminds me that I have to keep preparing all year long (Philippians 2:12). The wreath does not end at one point but continues in a circular fashion reminding me that my personal preparation must be ongoing and must never end (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Let us heed the call of John and repent. Let us ask God to continue and complete that good work in us.  Let us set aside the garments of misery and mourning and ask God to put on us a new self that truly reflects His image (Genesis 1:27, Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:24). Today we celebrate St. Nicholas of Myra as well (see: http://www.sacerdotus.com/2011/12/santa-is-real.html).  The man 'Santa Claus' derives from. He prepared for Christ well by being generous to others, especially the poor. His faith was so strong that he even physically (punched) knocked the living daylights of Arius who denied the divinity of Christ (Arianism). While I do not recommend physical violence against anyone, we should 'knock out' bad ideas from our lives as we prepare for Christ's second coming.  Come Lord Come!  


Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120615.cfm

The Baptism of the Lord

Today is the Baptism of the Lord.  Jesus after spending 40 days and nights in the desert and tempted by Satan himself, went to His cousin John the Baptist in order to be baptized.  John the Baptist took people to the Jordan river where he baptized them.  Jesus approached John and asked to be baptized.  John replied that Jesus needed to baptize him since Jesus is God and the Messiah.  Jesus insisted because He had to fulfill this and so John took Him into the river and baptized Him.  As Jesus rose from the water the skies opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove and a voice said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

Here we see the Blessed Trinity come during Baptism.   Baptism is an important Sacrament.  It removes Original Sin and leaves an indelible mark on our souls showing we belong to God - Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  Just like we are all born of water in the womb; our souls are born in water with the words, "I Baptize you in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit."

Jesus in getting baptized shows that He is one of us.  He is human, but without sin.  He is human, but also God.  He came to lead us by example.

Let us meditate on this great Sacrament and encourage those we know who are not baptized or have children who are not baptized to go and receive this Sacrament.