Second Sunday of Ordinary Time-A
On the second Sunday of Ordinary Time, we have a familiar and recent theme: St. John the Baptist revealing Jesus at the Jordan River. During the Advent and Christmas seasons we just celebrated, the story was explained in the synoptic Gospels. Today, we hear about St. John’s rendition of the same event.
In John’s Gospel, there is no mention of Jesus’ infancy. Instead, he starts with the preexistence of the Word who comes into the world. In the first chapter, which today’s reading comes from, St. John next mentions the encounter with the Baptist bearing witness to Jesus’ relationship with God himself.
The Baptist’s comments come at the beginning of Jesus’ public life. He proclaims Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The image of the lamb to be sacrificed is connected to the Passover feast, but, more importantly, to the prophetic book of Isaiah. Part of Isaiah’s prophecy is what is known as the Servant Song.
The servant is chosen by God to bring justice and is characterized by humility. The chosen one is called to restore Israel and be the light of all nations. He will be a person who will suffer to fulfill the mission of God. The servant will suffer greatly to achieve salvation for his people.
By calling Jesus the Lamb of God, St. John the Baptist foreshadows Jesus’s life, in which he takes away the sins of his people. His task is to prepare his people for the coming of the Servant by first repenting of their sins. Unlike the synoptic Gospels, which recount the baptism of Jesus, St. John takes it for granted.
Given the higher level of theological discernment found in St. John’s Gospel, his message is different. For him, the Baptist represents the age of preparation, while Jesus ushers in the age of the Spirit. The Baptist asserts, “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.” Just as the Spirit hovered over the waters at the beginning of the Book of Genesis in the story of creation, the reading today portrays the beginning of the new creation in Christ.
The new creation Jesus has given has a profound impact on the lives of Christians. Through our baptism, we too are the chosen ones of God. The Holy Spirit has descended upon us, making us sharers in God’s own life. By accepting the new creation of Christ, we simultaneously take on the responsibility of a chosen one.
We are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Practically, it means a unique calling to use our skills and talents to bring good to the world. As we have received, we are called to give back. Our experience of God’s grace and mercy needs to be communicated when the opportunity to show mercy to others arises; we should be merciful. When God has gifted us, the gift should be shared.
The new creation we enjoy is not just an assurance of eternal life, but more, a call to live out the new life by loving God and our neighbor. As modeled by Jesus through his life, suffering, and death, the new creation is nothing more than a definition of love.
Each day should be a chance to love more deeply than we did before. That is what the chosen ones are supposed to do.