Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 604-609: Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away sins of all
CCC 689-690: Mission of Son and Holy Spirit

“Madonna and Child with the Lamb of God”
by Cesare da Sesto, c. 1515

Readings for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
                                                                                           
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
 
The Lord said to me: You are my servant,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.
Now the Lord has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the Lord,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, the Lord says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
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Commentary on Is 49:3, 5-6
 
The prophet Isaiah proclaims his mission to call the people of Israel, the “House of Jacob,” back to God, as the second “[Suffering] Servant Song” begins. The people are disillusioned following their return from exile in Babylon. He calls first to the dispersed people of Israel, as the Lord’s plan unfolds in him. He announces that all the world will be called to worship God. (“I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”)
 
CCC: Is 49:1-6 713; Is 49:5-6 64
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
 
R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
 
I have waited, waited for the Lord,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
 
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
 
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
 
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
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Commentary on Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10
 
Psalm 40 is a song of thanksgiving combined with a lament. The initial waiting of the psalmist is satisfied by favor shown by God to one who is faithful in service to him. These strophes sing the thanksgiving of those who hear the voice of God and obey his words. This obedience is loved by God above ritual sacrifices. The Lord especially loves those who follow his law. Once heard, the good news is proclaimed to all the people.
 
CCC: Ps 40:7-9 LXX 462; Ps 40:7 2824
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Reading II: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
 
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the church of God that is in Corinth,
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 1:1-3
 
In this introduction to his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul establishes the theme of his letter. He first reminds the faith community at Corinth that he is called by God to proclaim the Kingdom of God announced by Jesus, not by his own volition or for his own purpose. He then reminds them that in their conversion they were sanctified, set apart for God.
 
CCC: 1 Cor 1:1-6 401; 1 Cor 1:2 752, 1695
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Gospel: John 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.”
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Commentary on Jn 1:29-34
 
St. John the Baptist professes the identity of Jesus as the Messiah, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” The author’s theological understanding of the eternal nature of Christ is expressed in the Baptist’s words: “A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me."
 
After stating the connection between Jesus Christ and the Baptist’s mission, the author follows the tradition of the synoptic Gospels as he describes Jesus emerging from his baptism in the Jordan and the descent of the Holy Spirit. St. John concludes this testimony by St. John the Baptist with a solid affirmation that Jesus is the Son of God.
 
John’s great epiphany guides the Church's Christology: Jesus followed John the Baptist, being born after he was, but ranking high above him.  John the Baptist came baptizing with water; Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit. St. John recounts how, when Jesus came to the repentant bath in the Jordan, the dove descended, and God the Father claimed him.
 
CCC: Jn 1:29 408, 523, 536, 608, 1137, 1505; Jn 1:31-34 486; Jn 1:31 438; Jn 1:32-34 713; Jn 1:32-33 536; Jn 1:33-36 719; Jn 1:33-34 1286
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Reflection:
 
While, from a scriptural perspective, it seems that we dwell on the baptism of the Lord, we are now celebrating the fullness of Christ’s revelation to us.  As we enter Ordinary Time in this different setting and accompanied by other parts of Sacred Scripture the Gospel brings new emphasis.
 
St. John’s Gospel provides the wonderful profession of faith by St. John the Baptist.  He announces to the crowd that constantly surrounds him: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  The timing of the remark brings an instant understanding to the title he gives the Lord. 
 
Here comes Jesus of Nazareth to be baptized.  He comes without fanfare, unaccompanied.  We have not heard anything about him since he was a youth, brought to the temple in accordance with Jewish law.  What passed in the interim is not recorded in sacred literature.  His miraculous birth certainly prepared us for what was to follow.  But once his father, Joseph, was warned about the plot by Herod and the Holy Family fled to Egypt, not much was heard until this moment. 
 
Jesus comes to the Jordan with humility and must hear that statement by John with dread.  “Lamb of God,” those words would have had significance to Jesus (and early Jewish readers of the Gospel).  The lamb was the traditional sacrificial animal, killed and offered to God in atonement for sins.  Not just any lamb was used.  It had to be an unblemished male lamb, and further, none of its bones could be broken in the sacrificial process. (“So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.” John 19:32-33)
 
“…who takes away the sin of the world:” The Baptist understood what Isaiah was saying when he said: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”  This would be no ordinary “sin offering”; the Lord would expiate all the sin that arose from mankind’s fallen state, for all time. (“A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’”) 
 
In this one short phrase the hope of all of us who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior comes to all the descendants of Adam and Eve.  And in that hope, we are saved, because the hope we have in the promise of the Lamb of God is also our faith, and our faith drives our actions, and our actions revitalize our faith.  It is all interconnected and summarized in that one statement. 
 
Today we give thanks and praise to God for the gift of the Lamb who takes away our sins and the sins of the whole world.  We thank him especially for the prophets like Isaiah and St. John the Baptist who pointed to the coming of God’s great promise.  In our faith we rejoice in that promise fulfilled.
 
Pax
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture used today is “Madonna and Child with the Lamb of God” by Cesare da Sesto, c. 1515.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.