January 15, 2017

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time A Isaiah 49: 3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34 The Christmas Season has ended and many have taken down the Christmas decorations and updated their card list. And we get back to our ‘regular life and activities.’ What are we to be focused on this year? The theme of Ordinary Time this year gives us a wonderful direction. As we begin examining the readings, the first ones will be taken from the Prophet Isaiah and have been chosen because they parallel the direction of Matthew’s gospel. They tell us to look at our lives as we look at our ancestors in faith and see God’s continual care for the Israelites, and looking to see how present He is in my life. I ask, I plead, God responds in His kindness and care always telling of His love. I have received this, how am I at giving what I have received? A side theme that is noticeable in the first readings is the one of light: Israel is prophesied to become a light to the nations, a light of hope, God cares for His creation and all peoples. Later on different prophets give us direction, especially Sirach who reminds the Israelites and each of us that the choice to be a light to others is ours. We can listen to God. We can follow His commands and the Great Love commandments of Jesus. We can do good and live in love OR we can choose not to. Am I loving as God loves me…am I loving my neighbors, the people God places in my life and those I don’t see or don’t know and am I loving myself so that I can be God’s instrument? Many of the second readings will be taken from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Paul tells this Grecian community that God has called them and He has called me and each person to be holy. So much came up in the Corinthians lives and I’m reminded that it also comes up in my life: to follow me…and not God. I busy myself on ‘things’ versus ‘gifts’. God has given me gifts so that by His constant grace-giving I can share these gifts of love, caring, compassion, forgiveness, etc. with others. For the most part the Gospels this year come from Matthew who is reminding his church community that Jesus, the true Messiah, is the supreme teacher of the Law of Moses. The highlight of this is Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5,6, and 7 opening up with the Beatitudes. Am I a Beatitude person? It is good to get an overview of the readings because they are leading each of us closer to the Lord. Today we start with John’s gospel. The readings today get very specific on the direction the Lord needs me take. Isaiah —“I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation my reach to the ends of the earth.” Are the people in my life touched by me? Are they able to see some of Jesus’ goodness, love, care etc in me? Is it about me and how ‘great ‘ I am or is it about God and how ‘great God has been to me’? Psalm Response Psalm 40, “Hear am I, Lord, I come to do Your will.” Again is it me or is it God? When I love, I am touched by love. Didn’t I experience this at Christmas? So many people through their gifts, cards, greetings, said something, gave something, touched me in such a special way that I felt touched and loved. Was I grateful, did I realize in these ‘touches’ it was God who was doing the touching? I am called to be one who touches others with love. Paul”’…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…” The point is that I am called…I am important to God…He has touched me…He touches each person. John “Behold the Lamb of God…the reason why I came was that He might be made known to Israel…on whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain…” and the Spirit has come down on me and each baptized individual. The Spirit rested on me in Confirmation and continues to give grace so that that I may testify that …”Jesus is the Son of God.” Today John is sharing John the Baptist’s first encounter with Jesus. And Jesus is constantly encountering each of us…Matthew concludes his Gospel, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to Me…go therefore…teaching…all I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” The devil is constantly distracting me from the mission God has for me and each person. He says I’m not worthy (it’s not about worthy but knowing I am loved), that I’m a sinner (everyone is a sinner, but each is a loved redeemed sinner), that I’m a nobody (each person is special because we are God’s creation). Alice Camille in Exploring the Sunday Readings, shares these beautiful insights, “God’s glory radiates through you. YOU. It sounds crazy even to me, sometimes: that God expects people to recognize the divine glory through my exceptionally dull and remarkably repetitious little life. I try to imagine how God is supposed to be visible through us. Maybe it’s God’s fidelity that people can glimpse as we keep our promises, meet our responsibilities, love our families, and say our prayers. Maybe it’s God’s compassion they feel as we serve even when we’re tired, share even when we don’t have much, offer kindness even if it’s not returned. Maybe God’s peace is what they experience when we forgive those who offend us, and build bridges toward those who don’t understand us. The more we love, the more God shrines through us.” We don’t like to hear this but this is what holiness is. We think that ‘Holy’ is a saint word..well it is. But look at all those saints who have touched us physically: our parents, grandparents, relatives, teachers, clergy, religious, friends. They let us know in so many little ways that we are loved, we are special. That is exactly what Jesus came to tell us that God loves us, just the way we are now. SO WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT?…This is the purpose to the Scripture writers. So I reflect on: • Do I intend to represent myself and my concerns today or will I represent God? • What are the places, objects, activities, or people that are holy to me now? What about those from my past? • The Holy Spirit is always with me. When have I been led by a force greater than myself? • Matthew begins and ends his gospel with the theme, Emmanuel, God-with-us. What are the obstacles in my life that keep me from realizing this? Sacred Space 2017 says “‘Lamb of God’ bears biblical overtones of the Passover lamb and of the suffering servant in Isaiah, led like a lamb to the slaughter, bearing our sins. Lord, whenever I hear of some atrocious barbarisms by one of our race, and of the injustice and pain that people suffer through others’ wickedness, I remember that this is the world You entered, the burden You took on Yourself. You had a strong back to carry the evil that is in the world. The witness of John the Baptist depended on what was revealed to him in his prayer and on what he saw with his eyes. Bless me now, Lord, to recognize more clearly where you are moving in my life. Jesus came to take away sin, yet I sometimes hang on to guilt and won’t let the past go. Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world; have mercy on me.”