Code:* In the 1st Reading, how many promises given through the prophet Isaiah about the Messiah to come can you identify as applying to Jesus? In what ways?
Code:* In the 2nd Reading from St. Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians, he addresses his letter to two categories of people “in the Church at Corinth” (verse 2). What are they? How do you fit into each of these categories?
Code:* What two titles does John give Jesus in this Sunday’s Gospel passage (verses 29 and 34)? What proof supports these claims (Psalm 2:7; CCC 1286)?
Code:* What does John the Baptist mean by calling Jesus the “Lamb of God” (verse 29; see Exodus 12:1-3; Isaiah 53:7)? Where do Catholics hear these words every Sunday? How is it applied to our lives in a real and profound way at each Mass (CCC1293-94)?
Code:* What does it mean to “behold” the Lamb of God? What are you supposed to see when you look at him? What kind of lamb takes away sin (Exodus 12:5; 1 Peter 1:19)?
Code:* How could you incorporate the submissive, sacrificial lifestyle of the Lamb of God into your own life?
APPLICATION: At last the promise, made to Abraham when God commanded him to leave his home, his country, and his kin (Gen. 12:1-3), was fulfilled. The Messiah who would bring blessings to Jew and Gentile (to all mankind) had arrived. Eighteen hundred years of expectation had at last come to an end. During these long years of waiting, God had, through his prophets and through his prophetic actions, renewed the hope in the hearts of his Chosen People. These prophecies and prophetic actions had given indications that the expected one would be someone very close to God, someone who was more than a mere man. Yet, who among the Chosen People could ever have thought that the “Promised One” would be the very Son of God in human nature?
His contemporaries, when he came, refused to believe this truth even though Christ had, during his public ministry, made claims to equality with God the Father, and had proved these claims by miracles (see, for example, the story of the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven you . . . who can forgive sins but God alone? . . . to prove to you . . . he said to the sick man ‘get up . . . and go home,’” Lk. 5: 17-25).
But we must try to understand how difficult for a strict monotheistic Jew were the thought of three persons in God (the Trinity), and the idea that the infinite God could be in a limited, finite, human nature (the Incarnation). Our Lord himself showed that he understood their lack of faith, when he said on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23: 24).
We, however, have no reason for any such doubts or scruples. The full story of Christ’s conception, birth, life, preaching and miracles, crowned by his death on the cross and his glorious resurrection, is in itself sufficient guarantee and proof that he was indeed the Son of God-made-man for our sakes. The spread of his Church among the Jews and Gentiles is another convincing proof. What sane man would accept self-mortification, undergo trials and hardships, even martyrdom, or give up all the attractions and pleasures of the body, if he were not convinced that the story of Christ, and therefore his gospel-message, were true?
The sad part is that, while we have every reason, in this world and the next, to believe in Christ and follow his teaching, so many nominal Christians live as if Christ himself had never lived and died for them. Their hearts are centered in the pleasures, the power and the wealth of this earth. These are passing things, which they will have to bid goodbye very soon. They devote their energies to getting all this world can give them. Its final gift to them will be a six-feet-by-three hole in the earth.
If we neglect our vocation as Christians, if we forget God’s infinite love for us, as shown in the Incarnation, and if we fail to learn the lesson he taught us : that our purpose in this short life is to earn the eternal life after death, we, too, could become renegades to Christianity, traitors to Christ and our own greatest enemy.
Christ came to make us his brothers and children of the heavenly Father. He came to die for us so that we could live forever. We can deny our heaven-sent brother, we can leave our father’s home, we can lose the eternal happiness that Christ has won for us. God forbid that we should ever be so foolish, so ungrateful to God and Christ, and so harmful to our own real self-interest.
"Behold the Lamb of God!"
Scripture: John 1:29-34
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29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said,After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me,He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”*
**Meditation: **Why did God the Father send his Son into the world? When John the Baptist encountered Jesus he called Jesus the Lamb of God. John did this to signify Jesus’ mission as the One who would redeem a fallen human race from sin and destruction. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites in Egypt from death. The blood of Jesus, the true Passover Lamb who offered his life up for us on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7), delivers us from everlasting death and destruction. It is significant that John was the son of a priest, Zachariah, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus he saw the true and only sacrifice which delivers us from sin.
When John says he did not know Jesus he was referring to the hidden reality of Jesus divinity. But the Holy Spirit in that hour revealed to John Jesus’ true nature, such that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of God? The Holy Spirit makes Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend the great mystery and plan of God to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:10). Do you seek to grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ?
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“Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit and let me grow in the knowledge of your love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may know and love you more fervently and strive to do your will in all things.”*
Perfect Offering
Jesus speaks through the prophet Isaiah in today’s First Reading.
He tells us of the mission given to Him by the Father from the womb: “‘You are My servant,’ He said to Me.”
Servant and Son, our Lord was sent to lead a new exodus - to raise up the exiled tribes of Israel, to gather and restore them to God. More than that, He was to be a light to the nations, that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth (see Acts 13:46-47).
Before the first exodus, a lamb was offered in sacrifice and its blood painted on the Israelites’ door posts. The blood of the lamb identified their homes and the Lord “passed over” these in executing judgment on the Egyptians (see Exodus 12:1-23,27).
In the new exodus, Jesus is the “Lamb of God,” as John beholds Him in the Gospel today (see 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Our Lord sings of this in today’s Psalm. He has come, He says, to offer His body to do the will of God (see Hebrews 10:3-13).
The sacrifices, oblations, holocausts, and sin-offerings given after the first exodus had no power to take away sins (see Hebrews 10:4). They were meant not to save but to teach (see Galatians 3:24). In offering these sacrifices, the people were to learn self-sacrifice - that they were made for worship, to offer themselves freely to God and to delight in His will.
Only Jesus could make that perfect offering of himself. And through His sacrifice, He has given us ears open to obedience, made it possible for us to hear the Father’s call to holiness, as Paul says in today’s Epistle.
He has made us children of God, baptized in the blood of the Lamb (see Revelation 7:14). And we are to join our sacrifice to His, to offer our bodies - our lives - as living sacrifices in the spiritual worship of the Mass (see Romans 12:1).
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."
Last week, in reflecting on the purpose of Jesus’ baptism, I wrote, “Jesus did not descend into the waters because He needed to, but because we needed Him to.”
Today’s readings further expand on this theme of baptism while emphasizing the necessity of service, obedience, and sacrifice. All of us are called, like the prophet Isaiah, to be faithful servants of God. Each of us is called, like the Apostle Paul and the Christians at Corinth, to be holy. And every one of us, like John the Baptist, should give witness to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, regardless of the cost.
Today’s three readings and the responsorial Psalm present a simple but essential truth: God calls, man responds. The Triune God, who is Love, always initiates; He is the lover of mankind who pursues us even when do not wish to be found. “Moved by grace,” the Catechism explains, “man turns toward God and away from sin, and so accepts forgiveness and righteousness from on high” (CCC 2018).
The prophet Isaiah did not choose God, but was chosen by God: “The Lord said to me: You are my servant…” As was always the case, that call required sacrifice and obedience. The task of the prophet was to proclaim the glory of God, exhort the people to return to the Lord, and to help carry out the work of salvation “to the ends of the earth.”
Likewise, the Apostle Paul, himself dramatically converted upon the road to Damascus, told the Corinthians they had been sanctified and “called to be holy.” He pointed out that he was “called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will God.” An apostle is “one sent out” to proclaim a message (cf., CCC 1442); the Apostles chosen by Jesus were called to participate in His ministry in a unique way.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his May 3, 2006, general audience, said the Apostles “continued the ‘gathering’ by the Lord and did so first and foremost by transmitting faithfully the gift received, the Good News of the Kingdom that came to people in Jesus Christ.” There is a clear connection, then, between the work of the Old Testament prophets and the Apostles; they have a special role in gathering together the people of God and, by the grace of God, participating in the divine work of salvation.
In past weeks we have seen how John the Baptist, the last of the Old Testament prophets, proclaimed and announced the coming of the Messiah. Today’s reading from the Gospel of John again shows both the boldness and humility of John. He knows who he is and he knows who Jesus is. That, in essence, is the heart of being a disciple of Jesus Christ: recognizing who we are—fallen creatures needing our sins taken away—and who Jesus is—the Lamb of God who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. But it is not only John the Baptist who serves God. The Son of God, the Incarnate Word who has existed from all of eternity, is also a servant. “From the beginning of his public life,” the Catechism notes, “at his baptism, Jesus is the ‘Servant’, wholly consecrated to the redemptive work that he will accomplish by the ‘baptism’ of his Passion” (CCC 565).
This humility of God is a stunning mystery that we cannot begin to fathom until we gaze upon the Cross and see how God’s radical love is revealed and offered to all. It is at Calvary that the astounding nature of baptism begins to come into focus. No mere symbol or ceremony, it is a plunging into the depths of Christ’s death and resurrection, a complete immersion in the love and life of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
“Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will,” declares the Psalmist. That is the song and prayer of every servant who have become a son of God because the Son of God became a servant.
“Behold, the Lamb of God.” (John 1:29)
A young man just out of college, Joe was searching for God. He didn’t belong to any church, but he had an open mind. On Christmas Eve, of all days, he decided to go to a Catholic Mass. He didn’t understand most of what was going on, but when the priest held up the host and said: “This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” a light went on for him. He knew, without knowing how, that this was Jesus on the altar!
John the Baptist, the first to utter these words, had a similar experience. He had been preparing for the Messiah’s coming all his life, but he had no idea what the Messiah would look like. So how did he figure out that it was none other than his kinsman, the carpenter’s son? As he tells his listeners, it was the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). Can you imagine what kind of emotions John felt at that moment? “Excited” couldn’t begin to describe it!
As a preparation for Mass today, try dwelling on these words of John the Baptist. How amazing it is that at every Eucharist, we are visited by the Lamb of God! The mere fact of his presence in the bread and wine is stupendous. It’s a mystery we can’t possibly explain, except to say that his love is so powerful that it transcends space, time, and even matter.
But perhaps even more amazing is the fact that, like John, we can recognize Jesus. Our natural senses won’t reveal him, but the Holy Spirit will. So as you go to receive communion, thank Jesus for this gift of faith. It’s the best gift anyone can receive, for it’s the key to all the other gifts God has for us. With his love and strength to sustain us, we have nothing to fear—and everything to hope for!
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion“Thank you, Lord, that I can know your presence in the Eucharist! May this knowledge fill me with zeal to love and serve you always.”
- More than being just servants, Isaiah describes the role of the chosen people as being restorers and “a light to the nations”. We as Catholics are also called to be a light to others. How can you participate in the role of restoration by bringing Christ’s love and light to others? What about someone you know who has fallen away from the Church? How can you help to bring him/her back?
- The response in the responsorial psalm is, “Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.” The psalmist says that he did this when he proclaims: “I announced your justice to the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know.” In what other ways did the psalmist do God’s will? In what ways can you be more sensitive and obedient to God’s will for your life?
- In addition, the psalmist speaks of the Lord’s will as his “delight”. What parts of the Lord’s will for your life are a “delight” for you? What parts are not a “delight” for you, and what steps can you take to change this?
- In the second reading, Paul addresses us as those who are “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy”, which means “set apart” for the Lord. Do you see yourself as called by the Lord to be holy? Why or why not? What do you see as the obstacles to being holy and how can you overcome them?
- The Gospel today speaks of being baptized with (immersed into) the Holy Spirit. This happened most notably at your Baptism and again at Confirmation. How conscious are you during the day that the very life, power, and love of God dwell within you through the Holy Spirit? What are some steps you can take to open your self to this truth, and be more sensitive to the leadings of the Spirit?
- In the next few weeks, as the meditation suggests, before each Mass try dwelling, with expectant faith, on the words of John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). Share the fruits from doing this with others.
In today’s Gospel passage (John 1:29-34), the figure of John the Baptist appears once again almost as if to send us back to Advent to look carefully at the evidence of the Baptizer and of Jesus, and to make some decisions about our own lives.
The evangelist John’s account of the Baptism of Jesus is very different from the other three evangelists, and the historical situation explains why. John’s gospel text shows no knowledge of the tradition (Luke 1) about the kinship of Jesus and John the Baptist. In the Fourth Gospel, John’s baptism is not connected with forgiveness of sins; its purpose is revelatory, that Jesus may be made known to Israel. For John, a simple chronicle of events is never enough; the important thing is that events excite a personal testimony about Jesus.
The evangelist John is very intent on counteracting a movement that regarded John the Baptist as superior to Jesus. He does not narrate the baptism event; instead, he puts the meaning of the baptism into John the Baptist’s testimony. He has the Baptizer publicly profess his raison d’être: “The reason why I came…was that he [Jesus] might be made known.”
**Recognizing Jesus
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How did John the Baptist finally come to recognize Jesus? He combined the stirrings of the one who sent him to baptize with his knowledge of what the prophets had said and his encounters with penitents and skeptics. John realized that when he met someone whose speech and action showed that a special Spirit was at work, that’s the one he should recognize as the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Even for the Baptist, it took time and several sightings before he would recognize that the one the Spirit was resting on was Jesus of Nazareth. His recognition did not come spontaneously, nor was it self-evident. It came gradually because it was imbedded in such familiar surroundings.
Having established the true Christian view of the relationship between Jesus and the Baptizer, the writer of the Fourth Gospel concentrates on demonstrating that Jesus is, indeed the Servant of God as foretold in Isaiah’s Servant Songs. Today’s first reading (Isaiah 49:3, 5-6) is the second of Isaiah’s four “Suffering Servant Songs.”
Concluded on the next post…The voice from heaven instructs the Baptizer that the one on whom the Spirit descends is the Chosen One; he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. The last sentence of today’s Gospel expresses the very conviction that we should all experience after hearing John the Baptist’s “evidence.” Each of us should be inspired to say, “I have seen for myself…‘This is God’s chosen One!’ (v 34)” It is that conviction, rooted quietly yet firmly in our hearts, that will enable us to be ‘lumen gentium:’ a light to the nations.
The Lamb of God
In verse 29 of today’s Gospel we read that when John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” The expression “lamb of God” is loaded with meaning and it is good to be aware of the full implications of that word that we pray each time we celebrate mass. The background for the title ‘lamb of God" may be the victorious apocalyptic lamb who would destroy evil in the world (Revelations 5-7; 17:14); the paschal lamb, whose blood saved Israel (Exodus 12); and/or the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as a sin-offering (Isaiah 53:7, 10).
Sheep and lambs are symbolic in the New Testament not only of Christ but also of his followers; in these cases Jesus becomes the shepherd and they become his flock. Jesus searches for the lost sheep until he has found it, leaving all the “safe” sheep to look after themselves in the meanwhile.
Christ, as the victim who reveals God’s love for us, is often symbolized by a lamb. For Christians, he is the “lamb” described in the Book of Isaiah: “harshly dealt with, he bore it humbly; he never opened his mouth: like a lamb that is led to the slaughterhouse, like a sheep that is dumb before its shearers, he never opened his mouth.”
When Peter is entrusted with the flock of the Lord, Peter, he is told to “feed” his sheep and lambs. Jesus sends his followers out into the world with no weapons, no money, no power-“like sheep among wolves.” People who die for believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for not defending themselves by partaking in violence, imitate Christ. To be martyred is to be “like a lamb that is led to the slaughterhouse.” Lambs suffer violence; they do not inflict it. They are universal symbols of innocence. Lambs have always been favorite animals for sacrifice. When John the Baptist refers to Jesus as “the lamb of God”, he means that Jesus was the Messiah, the one who in his life and death would reveal the true nature of God.
Real Meaning of Martyr
Baptism gives us the grace of giving witness, and sometimes that might lead to the ultimate witness of laying down our very lives because we are associated with and marked by Jesus Christ. A martyr [Greek: a witness] is a person who, for the Christian faith, freely and patiently suffers death at the hands of a persecutor. Martyrs choose to die rather than deny their faith by word or deed. They suffer patiently after the example of Christ, they do not resist their persecutors. True martyrs die for holy causes. False martyrs die for the most unholy of causes. The era of martyrdom is not something of the past. It is still taking place today. In fact, the last century was one of incredible Christian martyrdom.
The early Christians, who bore witness to the truth of those facts upon which Christianity rests, were liable at any time to be given a choice between death and denial of their testimony. Many of them, refusing to deny Christ, actually suffered death.
Martyrdom gives credibility to authentic Christian witnesses who do not seek power or gain, but give their own lives for Christ. They show to the world the power, weaponless and full of love for men, that is given to those who follow Christ to the point of the total donation of their existence. Thus Christians, from the dawn of Christianity until our own time, have undergone persecution on account of the Gospel, as Jesus proclaimed beforehand: If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20)."
Agna Dei
This coming week, on Jan. 21, the Church remembers St. Agnes of Rome, a 13-year-old girl when she died for her faith. She was one of the victims of Diocletian’s persecution of Christians. The Church of St. Agnes in the famous Piazza Navona in Rome is located on the spot of her martyrdom. The young Agnes responded with total generosity and an undivided heart and made her existence an eloquent and fascinating example of a life totally transfigured by the splendor of truth. Her example has encouraged many believers over the centuries to follow in her footsteps.
St. Agnes was martyred for refusing to marry a rich Roman citizen. She declared that she would never accept any spouse except Jesus Christ. “For a long time I have been engaged to a celestial and invisible spouse; my heart belongs to him and I will be faithful to him until my death,” she said. Her life, her heroism and her death inspire us to purity and holiness. Her name means pure in Greek and lamb in Latin
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/2tJ7Gu-NQ8/S4RPqMqLEnI/AAAAAAAAAIM/lP73Luwjc70/s320/Agnus+Dei.jpgAs a saint, Agnes is a person who imitated Christ. As a martyr she died like Christ; as a virgin, she kept her faith, hope, and love alive even in the midst of horror. That she is remembered today is continuing proof that imitating Christ is possible, in the specific circumstances of every person’s own unique life. Agnes took her baptism seriously. She was baptized into the death of Christ so that she might share his new life. May it be the same for us as well.
As Ordinary time (tempus per anum) opens up, the lectionary continues to “introduce” Christ to us. Last week as he was baptized he obtained many gifts for us as he was manifested by the Father.
This week is a continuation of sorts as John the Baptist elaborates on Who Jesus is. John’s words are brief but they are packed with Christological teaching. In this Gospel we learn at least five things about Jesus. He learn that he is prefigured, pre-existent, pre-eminent, powerful and the presence of God. Let’s look at each one.
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- Prefigured –** The text says,* John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.* Now, unless you know the history of this moment, it seems a little odd. A full grown man approaches John the Baptist and he says, Look! There is the Lamb of God.
But for those who know the scriptures John is really answering a question that was asked by Isaac some 1800 years prior to this event. Abraham has received from God a strange and terrible command that he take his son to Mt. Moriah (present day Jerusalem) and there offer him in sacrifice. As they arrive at the foot of Moriah, here is where we join the Genesis text:
*And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. *(Gen 22:6ff).
Concluded in the next post…Do you get it? A promised son has wood laid upon his shoulder and is made to carry it up a hillside, the same hillside where “Golgotha” will one day be found. There, on the top of that hill he is to be laid on the wood and killed. Sound familiar? Of course, it is a prefigurement of Christ, or a “type” of Christ. Things are starting to look grim for Isaac who gets nervous and says, “Daddy – where is the Lamb?” You know the rest of the story. It is true that there was a ram caught in the thicket which God provided that day, but that ram pointed to Christ.
And so the question, “Where is the Lamb?” wafted up on the breeze and got repeated down through the generations. Some five hundred years later at the end of the Egyptian slavery the blood of the lamb also protected Isaac’s descendants from death. And every Passover the question was still asked, where is the Lamb, referring to the Passover lamb. Here too, the Passover lamb was but a symbol, a prefigurement of Christ.
Now, standing on the banks of the Jordan John the Baptist answers Isaac’s questions repeated down through the centuries: “Where is the Lamb?” “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” So the first thing we learn of Christ is that he was prefigured, here and in many other places in the Old Testament.
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2. Pre-existent – *The text says, He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ Now this too is a strange thing for a man to say about his younger cousin. Jesus was born six months after John the Baptist, yet John says, he existed before me. But John is clearly teaching us here of Christ’s pre-existence. Before his assuming a human nature, Jesus existed eternally with the Father. There never was a time when Jesus the Son was not. He is eternally begotten by the Father, he existed before all ages. Scripture says of him: for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities ‑‑ all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. *(Col 1:16) Likewise, * In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. *(John 1:1). And yet again, *Jesus himself said, Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” *(John 8:56)
**3. Pre-eminent – *The text says I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” *In effect John is saying, I exist for him. My purpose is to reveal him. He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30) Jesus is greater than John or any prophet or any world leader. Jesus is the Groom, John is but the best man.
**4. Powerful – **The text says, *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.’ The baptism of John could only announce repentance and call for it. But it could not truly wash away sins. The Baptism of Jesus can. Even more, it does not only take away sins but Jesus’ Baptism also confers the Holy Spirit. We are thus given a whole new life. Sin is taken away and in its place grace upon grace is given. Grace to restore us, renew us and refashion us. Grace that equips, empowers and enables us. Grace that sanctifies, gives sonship and seals us with the Holy Spirit. All this is in fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:25ff which says * I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Scripture also says, *But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become the children of God; *(Jn 1:12)
5. Presence of God – the text says,* Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.” *Jesus would say elsewhere, To see me is to have seen the Father, the Father and I are one (John 14:9) As the Son of God, he manifests the Father, he is the presence of God in this world. He shares fully in the one divine essence and as Son shows us the Father. He is the presence of God among us.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:bc_QOgAciTM12M:http://snookcums.webs.com/lion-lamb-big.jpg&t=1So here in a brief passage are five important teachings about Jesus Christ. He has existed forever, was prefigured in the Old Testament, has priority above and beyond anyone we know or think important, he has the power not only to save us from sin but to give us the very life of God, and as Son of God, He is God, and thus is God’s very presence among us. He is not just the man from Galilee, he is very God from Heaven.
The Scripture which we heard today (as well as the Gloria we recite at Mass) actually says “sin” in the singular. Thus is is referring to sin in general, in particular the reality and condition of Original Sin.Fidelis
thank you for your post.
Some time ago I started another thread discussing the gospel of the 2nd Sunday of the year, asking if John or Luke was correct. It was not a satisfactory discussion and I am still confused.
Here I see you note about* the sins of the world* being taken away. I looked at over 30 bibles and none had sins, 29 had sin (two* sinne* and one* synne*). The Greek, UBS 4, also has the singular.
The old Latin Mass had peccata mundi (sins of the world).
I would like comments.
What are the sins of the world?
What is* the sin of the world*?
Thank you too!Thanks to all who followed this thread to the end. God willing, we’ll start up another one at the end of this week. God bless!
“Behold the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world!”***
http://www.knoxlatinmass.net/gallery/Christmas2005/Christmas_files/image004.jpg