A Cycle – 2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time 26

Jn. 1:29-34

Just before the gospel is proclaimed, we hear the priest or deacon say, “the Lord be with you.’  It is an invitation to allow the word of God penetrate your hearts as they proclaim the inspired word of God.  In fact, we do invite that word to be in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts because we know the scriptures are God speaking to us. Paul tells us “…the Word of God is powerful, sharper than a two edged sword, living and active as it judges the intentions of the heart” (Heb.4:12). The Word of God should convict us and remind us of our need for Christ and the Holy Spirit.

The Liturgy of the Word prepares us for an encounter with Christ.  It calls for a response that is tangible and moving.  Not an encounter that is seeking mercy, but and encounter to discover you are “made glorious in the sight of the Lord” and your strength is in God” (Is.49:1,5). God is revealing all He has done and what He desires to do. It is not about what we failed to do; it is what God wants us to receive.  Isiah recognized that fact and gave voice to it.  Paul became aware of that reality and responded by proclaiming what God inspired him to reveal.  John the Baptist realized that fact long before Jesus began His ministry of proclaiming the Kingdom of God is at hand.

We have the living Word of God proclaimed to us each time we celebrate the liturgy. Sadly, within an hour, most of us cannot remember what was read and remain unchanged. Sadly, never allowing the Word of God to achieve what it has been given to us to achieve.   

Why? Could it be because we are too comfortable with a faith that is predictable and does not demand anything from us but to show up. Today in the gospel, John the Baptist points to Jesus and declared Him to be “…the Lamb of God.”  How many people in the crowd responded to those words?  Only Andrew, who was a disciple of John who went to Jesus and asked Him, “where do you live.”  Jesus’s response was to invite Andrew to come and see.  It is a simple invitation extended to all of us, every day, every week, all the time.  Where is Jesus when we leave here church today.? Do we ignore Him until next week.  Does He remain in the tabernacle, in the exposed Monstrance as we gather in adoration.  Is He in the confessional as we seek reconciliation or in the Eucharist we receive?

Or do you seek to encounter Him in our daily lives?  The Word of God is God’s revelation of Himself.  It should stir up something within each of u. We should desire the grace of His sacrifice. Knowing it was a gift to change us and bring us into the Kingdom of Gd and to give us the grace to live as a disciple.  All too often we ignore the Word because we hear them as stories of people and their experiences thousands of years ago.  We hear the words of the great prophet, Isiah, and ignore the truth that all of us are called to be prophets.  We hear the words of Paul, knowing we are not as insightful, educated, and realize we are unable to convince our own families to embrace Christ.

We ignore the fact, that God said He would give us the words we need if only we would venture out and begin to give witness to the things God can do and has done.  We hear the words of the Baptist, knowing he was prepared from his birth to be the “voice crying out in the wilderness.”   We ignore the passages of scripture that tell us God has created us with a purpose and He has ordained every one of our days before we were conceived in our mother’s womb (Ps.139:16). God has a meaning and a purpose for each of us. We should be inspired by the fact Isiah, Paul and John responded to their calling. Even inspired by the fact that many of those called were reluctant and struggled with their doubts. 

But we should also be encouraged that even the most reluctant of those called did respond and their words live to inspire us to at a minimum reflect on our response.