10-Jan-2017 Dear Friend, Generally, before we enter into a conversation or relationship with a stranger or unknown person we introduce ourselves, or better still, wait to be introduced by someone mutually known to both parties. For important occasions and situations we even have a Public Relations person, who takes on the job and builds a good image of the person concerned. The way we are perceived or presented to others can influence people’s reactions to us. We too are called to introduce Jesus to others. Have a great weekend introducing Jesus! –Fr. Jude Sun Ref. Second Sunday: ‘Here is the one who takes away the sins of the world!’ 15-Jan-2017Isaiah 49: 3, 5-6; 1 Cor. 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34;
The first reading from Isaiah introduces the promised one as the servant of God who would lead his people to reconciliation with God. In the context of the Exile, this meant the restoration of the people to their land and the resumption of their worship in the temple. The task of the Servant was not limited to Israel but would extend to all peoples. This would prefigure the mission of Jesus and would also be understood as the mission of the Christian community, to proclaim salvation to all peoples. By his life the servant of Yahweh would be the light of the nations enlightening all and leading them to God. In Jesus this light of hope was given to the whole world. The light of hopeKing Alexander of Macedonia, who, in his day, conquered land after land, used to observe a certain procedure. Whenever his army was encamped outside a heavily walled city or fortress, he would have a lighted lantern hung up where it was visible day and night. He would then let the besieged inhabitants know that as long as the lantern kept burning, they had a chance to change their mind. But if the lantern was smashed and its light extinguished, then the city and all it contained would be mercilessly destroyed. And he kept his promise. If the lantern was smashed to pieces, all hope was gone. The Macedonians would storm the city, kill any person who could bear arms, and then ransack and destroy the city. Its time of grace was over. We live in graced times!Willi Hoffsuemmer In the gospel John introduces Jesus and tells the followers who he is and what he stands for. He is unafraid to speak the truth though he knows the consequences: He must decrease and Jesus must increase; Jesus will occupy centre stage and John will be sidelined and later silenced. John witnessed to Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Jesus would accept the burden of our sins and through his death obtain our salvation. As the Paschal Lamb’s blood delivered the Israelites from the destroying angel, so Jesus would bring liberation by interceding on behalf of humankind. Secondly, John humbly acknowledges the greatness of Jesus. “This is the one coming after me who ranks before me. It was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptizing with water.” John points out that his own task was to bear witness and to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus. John does not see Jesus as a threat, as a usurper of his own popularity, he is able to acknowledge Jesus for what he truly is: the son of God. John is a man of honesty, integrity and faith and he is able to see Jesus for what he truly is. Lastly, John the Baptist calls Jesus the chosen one of God. He points out Jesus. “Yes I have seen and I am witness that He is the Chosen one of God.” Like John every Christian is called to introduce Jesus to others. A Christian is called to be a witness of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We will be able to fulfill our mission in the measure we are ready to let him take first place in our lives. People will believe us in the measure that our lives are a testimony to the presence of the spirit, guiding and acting in us. We see people as we are…Once upon a time there was a king who called one of his servants. The servant was known to be a cruel, mean man who had no friends. The king said to him, “I want you to go and travel the length and breadth of my kingdom and find me a truly good person.” The man went. In the course of his travels he met and spoke with a great number of people. However, after a long time he came back to the king saying, “I have searched the whole kingdom as you asked me, but I couldn’t find even one truly good person. All of them without exception are mean, cruel, deceitful and evil. The good person you seek is nowhere to be found.” Then the king called another servant. This man was known for his generosity and kindness and was loved by everyone. The king said to him, “Go and travel the length and breadth of my kingdom and find for me a truly wicked person.” The man went and traveled far and wide. But after a long time he returned to the king saying, “I have failed in the task you gave me to do. I found people who are misguided, people who are mislead, people who act in blindness or in passion, but nowhere could I find a truly evil person. All of them are good at heart, despite the bad things they have done.” –We see people not as they are but as we are.Flor McCarthy in ‘New Sunday and Holy Day Liturgies’ “There He is, here I am!”Fascinated by the beauty of a moonlit night, a Guru once took his disciples out and pointed his finger to the moon. His unenlightened disciples were captivated by the guru’s finger. Thereafter, these disciples held prolonged discussions and debates on the significance of the Guru’s finger. His wisest disciple gazed at the moon and remained silent. Like the Guru pointing out to the moon, John the Baptist points to the Son, but we often miss the point. Like a presenter of a TV show after cameras converge on some TV star, the Baptist –who elsewhere asserts, “He must increase, I must decrease” John gives Jesus centre-stage and wanes as witness. For the salvation of the ‘Lamb of God’ to reach the ends of the earth, we need witnesses –finger-pointers and voice raisers. Like John when a Christian witness points out, “There He is” one is bound to query, “And, who are you?” Jesus becomes vibrantly visible when the witness perfectly images Him. Thus, witnessing does not merely imply finger-pointing and voice-raising, but also imitating and imaging. Are we ready to wholeheartedly whisper, “Here I am!” that we may perennially point out and proclaim, “There He is”?Francis Gonsalves in ‘Sunday Seeds for Daily Deeds’ Small beginningsOn a cold January day, standing in the rain in the innermost reaches of the forest at Gougane Barra, it was hard to visualise that the little rivulets forming before one’s eyes were the source of the river Lee. From this small beginning, the river gathers strength, carves out a valley route, generates electricity, harbours salmon, supplies water to towns and city, creates the port of Cork and generally nurtures life as it flows seawards. From this apparently insignificant beginning, a river is born that enriches so many lives, most of whom never advert to its presence. Something similar happens in every Christian life. A seed is planted in love. A child is born. Rivulets of faith coalesce to tune a heart to hear God’s call. A generous, if tentative, response prepares the way for a deeper call and a more courageous response. Today’s gospel recounts how John the Baptist, in fulfilling his own life role, came to recognise the Chosen one of God and then was led to martyrdom, but not before he pointed out the Messiah to Andrew and John the first disciples. Our pattern of life vocation is the same. Through daily fidelity, we recognise Jesus and point him out to those who do not know him so that together we may become a stream of peace and goodness enriching the world of our time.Tom Clancy in ‘Living the Word’ Be God’s hands, arms, and legs – now!A university student who was having a hard time getting his act together decided to take his frustrations on God. He went to the university chapel, sat in a pew, looked heaven-wards and said, “All we have on earth are problems and a bunch of dummies who will never figure out how to solve them.” And somewhere deep inside him the student heard God’s answer: “That’s what you’re supposed to do.” Application: How are we God’s hands, arms, and legs –now?Gerard Fuller in ‘Stories for All Seasons’ You are chosen for...When a new prime minister takes up office one of the first things he or she does is to appoint cabinet ministers. Then in an official ceremony the chosen ones get their seal of office. These are not slow in telling the world how pleased they are to have been chosen. You hear them say such things as, “I feel very privileged,” “I feel very honoured,” the odd one may say, “It’s a great challenge” or “It’s a great responsibility.” But I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to serve.” Of course it’s an honour to be chosen. But many of them forget, if indeed they were aware of it, that it is a call to service, to ministry. There is the very human temptation to be attracted to the ‘Mercs and perks’ that go with the office, as well as the status it bestows on the holder. John the Baptist gives us a wonderful example of service. There is no harder task than to take second place especially when one has enjoyed the first place. We must learn from the Baptist not to make ourselves the centre of the world. We must put ourselves at the service of others, at the service of Jesus! May our lives and actions speak of Jesus! Fr. Jude Botelho [email protected] PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections.These reflections are also available on my Web site www.NetForLife.net Thank you.
