Sunday, January 19, 2014
2nd Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Feast of the Sto. Niño
de Cebu
First Reading: Is 49:3, 5-6
Second Reading:
1 Cor 1:1-3
Gospel Reading: Jn 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.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
In Cebu we honor the Holy Child in a grand celebration preceded by the touching fluvial and street processions yesterday and concluded by a spectacular Sinulog street dancing today. To most participants the weeklong preparation was a chance to grow in knowledge of him. People from other countries came for the Novena and the Mardigras. Even non believers came for the celebrations. This makes the Sinulog the Filipino version of the Epiphany where the child Jesus is made known not only to the three wise men but to the world.
Another Epiphany happened when Jesus received baptism from John. The Sinulog echoes this scene at the fluvial procession yesterday which ended with every participant renewing his baptismal promises. John the Baptist was not there to point to the Holy Child as “the Lamb of God”, only the thousands of us with outstretched arms towards the Sto. Nino acclaiming ‘Viva Pit Senyor’! In so acclaiming we pledged obedience to the Father who at the River Jordan immediately after Jesus was baptized said, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” It is in this context that our Sinulog celebration links us to the Trinitarian God.
The world is closely watching this little nook of the globe called the Queen City of the South. Here lies the missionary dimension of the Sinulog. If we have within our hearts the same intensity of expectation of John the Baptist for Jesus, and the zeal with which the three wise men searched for the holy child, we inspire hope to people of the world who struggle in a dying environment to give meaning to their existence. If we fail to act on this missionary dimension these celebrations may be loud yet too faint to proclaim anything substantial about Jesus to the world. —Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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