2nd Sunday
Is 49:3, 5-6; 1 Cor 1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34
Uniqueness of the Lamb of God
There was a big fire in a small country town. For three whole days, the fire raged with such intensity and fury that rescue attempts were greatly hampered. Sadly, many lives and much property were lost. On the third day, some workers noticed a nest in a tree and brought it down. To their surprise, they found the lifeless remains of a mother bird with her wings outstretched. Beneath her body, they discovered two baby birds, alive and unharmed. The mother had bravely and selflessly given her life to protect her little ones. What heroic love!
This is the kind of love we commemorate and celebrate today. At the beginning of the Ordinary Season, we are introduced to Jesus as the Lamb of God who came to die for the atonement of our sins.
For Mankind: In the Gospel, John the Baptist gives testimony to Jesus by proclaiming that He is the Lamb of God, the one on whom the Holy Spirit remains, and the Son of God. Among the many titles given to Jesus in the Bible, none is more meaningful than “Lamb of God.” In the Book of Revelation alone, this title appears 29 times. It perfectly sums up the love, sacrifice, and triumph of Christ.
John’s declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God would have evoked several images in the minds of his Jewish listeners:
- On the Day of Atonement, the high priest symbolically placed all the sins of the people upon a lamb, which was then sent into the wilderness to die (Lev 16:20–22).
- Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the Temple to atone for the sins of the people (Ex 29:38–42).
- The blood of the lambs saved the firstborn of the Israelites in Egypt, reminding them of the Passover Lamb whose sacrifice marked their liberation (Ex 12:11).
Just as the blood of the original Paschal Lamb delivered the Israelites from the destroying angel, so too does Jesus bring liberation to all humanity through His intercession and sacrifice. John identifies Him as the Lamb of God, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of the Suffering Servant—one who faced suffering, rejection, humiliation, and oppression silently, like a lamb led to the slaughter.
The Lamb as a Symbol of Sacrifice: A tourist once visited a church in Germany and was surprised to see the carved figure of a lamb near the top of the church tower. When he asked about it, he was told that during the construction of the church, a workman had fallen from the high scaffolding. His co-workers rushed down, expecting to find him dead, but to their amazement, he was alive with only minor injuries. A flock of sheep had been passing beneath the tower, and the man had fallen onto a lamb. The lamb was crushed to death, but the man survived. To commemorate this miraculous escape, the builders carved a lamb on the tower at the exact height from which the man had fallen. This touching story expresses the meaning of John’s words: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
The Uniqueness of the Lamb: There is a story about a man who had fallen into a well and cried out for help. A passerby saw him and said, “Life is full of sorrow,” then walked away. Another passerby said, “If you can jump up to me, I can try to pull you out,” but the man could not. Finally, a third passerby climbed down into the well and pulled the man out to safety. In the same way, Jesus comes down to us. He becomes personally involved in our redemption, even accepting death on the Cross.
In today’s Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 40), we pray, “(The Lord) inclined to me and heard my cry; he drew me up from the desolate pit.” Many religions speak about salvation, but this is the uniqueness of Christianity: our deliverance from sin and death is made possible through God’s only Son, Jesus Christ—the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. How do we show our gratitude for His sacrifice today? How can we imitate Him?
Faith to Share: The title “Lamb of God” is familiar to us. During the Eucharist, at the “breaking of the bread,” we echo John the Baptist’s words: “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; grant us peace.” Before Communion, the priest proclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God… Blessed are those called to his banquet.” In these prayers, we express our deepest understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. The Lamb of God challenges us to make sacrifices for love of our neighbor. When the heart refuses sacrifice, love begins to die.
In the second reading, St. Paul reminds us that we are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, sharing His love. A Christian is called to bear witness to the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We fulfill this mission to the extent that we see and experience Jesus in our own lives, allowing Him to take first place in all we do.
Like John the Baptist, every Christian is called to point others to Jesus. We eagerly recommend good restaurants, doctors, and services; with the same enthusiasm, we should invite others to encounter Christ and join in the life of the Church. Too often, we hesitate out of a mistaken belief that faith is merely a private matter. It is not! The witness of our faith in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is the greatest gift we can share with the world.
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