Thursday, January 3, 2019
Before Epiphany
Most Holy Name of Jesus
1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:29—3:6
Gospel: John 1:29-34
When John saw Jesus coming towards him, he said, “There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. It is he of whom I said: A man comes after me who is already ahead of me, for he was before me. I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing to prepare for him, so that he might be revealed in Israel.”
And John also gave this testimony, “I saw the Spirit coming down on him like a dove from heaven and resting on him. I myself did not know him but God who sent me to baptize told me: ‘You will see the Spirit coming down and resting on the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ Yes, I have seen! And I declare that this is the Chosen One of God.”
D@iGITAL EXPERIENCE
D@iLY GOSPEL IN OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE
This happened during a stage play in a remote barrio. John the Baptist: “There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. Suddenly a goat tied to a post nearby cried out: Meeeeh, meeeeh! Unable to control his laughter, ‘John the Baptist’ retorted, “Keep quiet, you ambitious animal! I’m talking to the lamb, not to a goat!”
John the Baptist identified Jesus as the “Lamb of God”. This is the same title used in the Book of Revelation to refer to the apocalyptic lamb that was victorious in destroying evil in the world. In the Book of Revelation we read, “…They will go to war against the lamb, but the Lamb is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and he will defeat them and they will be defeated by his followers, the called, the chosen, the faithful” (Rev. 17:14).
The Book of Exodus also talks about the Paschal Lamb whose blood saved Israel. Recall how in Exodus12 the blood of the lamb marked on doors saved the first born of the Israelites against the wrath of God because Pharaoh refused to let his people go.
In other words, the Israelites already had a particular concept of the Lamb as having to do with sacrifice and salvation. Isaiah puts the idea succinctly when he spoke of the suffering servant “like a lamb led to the slaughter as a sin-offering (Is. 53:7-10).
In introducing Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, John the Baptist clarified that the baptism he was doing was not connected to forgiveness of sins. It was more to reveal Jesus to Israel. He said: “I came baptizing to prepare for him, so that he might be revealed in Israel.”
In John’s proclamation, there are three aspects now connected to the concept of the lamb, namely, suffering (sin-offering), salvation, and forgiveness of sins. Today let us worship the lamb, who for us became sin-offering, salvation, and forgiveness of sins. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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