2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday we celebrate the second Sunday in ordinary time. As we gather wherever we are there are many things to occupy our minds with many things to talk and pray about. When we look at the world around us, and we see so much war and destruction it is hard to know where we should start in our prayer for peace. We pray for those countries who are at war and those who may go to war. We pray for the leaders of the countries in the world that they will be peacemakers instead of war mongers. We pray for those stubborn people that they will move away from words and actions that may lead to war and promote the peace of the world. We also pray for ourselves that we will be people of peace with peace in our hearts. May god enable us to be people of peace bringing peace into our world.
In our first reading for this Sunday Isaiah speaks about the task of the Messiah. He calls him a ‘servant’ of the people who will bring light and salvation not only to the tribes of Israel, but to the ends of the earth. In The Gospel reading we hear the words of John the Baptist the man who went before the Lord as his herald “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” We know these words, so well for we hear them in Church when we are just about to receive the Body and Blood of Christ during the eucharistic celebration. The first Christian communities saw a clear difference between John’s baptism that immersed people in the river Jordan and Jesus’ baptism that communicated his own Spirit, to cleanse, renew and transform the hearts of his followers. Without that Spirit, the Church would simply close up and die, but that spirit of Jesus has been the guiding light throughout the intervening years right up to this present moment. Only the Spirit of Jesus can put truth and life into today’s Christianity and lead us to recover our identity, leaving the paths that lead us further away from the Gospel and what it teaches behind. Only that Spirit of Jesus can give us light and energy to light up the fire of renewal within ourselves and the people around us so that we can also become Christ’s authoritative witnesses in the world.
Our baptism links us to Jesus as well as the long line of his followers throughout the ages who believe in Jesus as the Lamb of God and that his death and resurrection is the source of new life for all people. This is our inheritance born of them and we are called to be, “a light to the nations” like God’s servant in this Sundays first reading from Isaiah. The Love of God is made real to us through Jesus his Son, let us share our belief in Jesus and what he teaches with everyone we meet. Let us consider how we can bring Christ’s spirit of peace and reconciliation into our own communities especially these days with so much global conflict going on. Through small acts of kindness and gentle words, we contribute to building a world where peace may flourish despite the challenges, we see around us and during these uncertain times. As we remember our baptismal call, may we carry the light of Christ into all that we do, trusting that even the smallest gesture can make a difference in the world. May our prayers inspire us to be peacemakers, ever mindful of God’s presence with us and his love guiding us forward. Then we will be able to say with John the Baptist that Jesus is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, the Chosen One of God.’ Let us follow him.
Fullerton T 