2 nd SUNDAY OF THE YEAR A

15 JANUARY 2023, 2ND SUNDAY: ISAIAH 49. 3, 5-6; 1 COR 1. 1-3; JOHN 1. 29-34 Thrust: Experience and Witness! Indicative: We are called to see and experience God’s love personally and deeply. That experience should also lead us to bear witness to it 1. Today’s Word of God highlights and revolves around the theme of “Testimony”. In the first reading, the prophet bears testimony. In the second reading, Paul bears testimony. In the gospel, John the Baptist bears testimony. 2. The prophet testifies to his identity as God’s servant, Paul, as an apostle, and John the Baptist, as the baptiser and precursor of the Messiah. Accordingly, the prophet testifies to his mission to “bring back Israel, to raise up and restore them”. It is a mission of becoming a “light to the nations”, so that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. 3. Paul testifies to his mission as an apostle who helps and sustains the faithful in their being sanctified in Christ Jesus, in living their call to be holy, and in ensuring grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. John the Baptist testifies to his mission as a testimony to the identity of Jesus as the Son of God and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the pre-existent one. He is the one, overshadowed and filled by the Holy Spirit. He would remain with the Holy Spirit and baptise all with the Holy Spirit. 5. This testimony is marked by conviction, deep humility, surrender, and commitment. None of these, that is neither the prophet nor the apostle nor the Baptiser was puffed up by the greatness of their vocation. The prophet was the mouthpiece of God; the apostle was the spiritual father and leader of the communities; and the Baptiser was the precursor to the Messiah. But they never put on airs. 6. Their life was an unfailing and unceasing act of surrender. Their only focus was doing God’s will. And for that sake, they would set aside and give up all their personal interests and plans. They would willingly accept and bear affliction and persecution. They were totally and unswervingly committed to the mission entrusted to them. 7. Today, the same identity is ours. The same mission is also ours. Our identity is being servants, prophets, spokesmen, apostles, spiritual fathers and leaders, and precursors with the same implications. Our mission in essence is to bear testimony, to testify to the Lord, that is his own identity and mission. Imperative: The living of our identity and mission becomes possible only by deepening our conviction and passion for the Lord (REFLECTION 2 FROM 2023, 03 JANUARY) Thrust: Know and Testify! Indicative: Those who know God and experience Him, will see Him. Those who see Him will become like Him. Those who become like Him will testify about Him 1. John the Baptist knows and proclaims Jesus as the "Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world". He sees him as the Son of God Who is come to save the world. And he bears witness to him as the Lord and Master. 2. Today, we too are specially called by God to become living testimonies for God. We need to personally know Him and see Him. We need to become "light to the nations", showing the Lord and leading many to Him. 3. Here we note that to know God is not merely intellectual. To see God is not merely perceptual or empirical. The world glorifies itself in its magnitude of knowledge. But the true and highest knowledge is to know God and the height of knowledge of God is to belong to him intimately. 4. Therefore, all such knowledge that is prone to alienate us from God, which is prone to sin and bears no testimony to God's love and power, is only empty knowledge and even evil and harmful. We can testify to the Lord effectively to the extent we ourselves personally and deeply know him and see him, and commit ourselves to show him to many and lead them to him. 5. It implies a profound personal familiarity and connectivity with God in terms of an intimate inseparable relationship. This makes us passionately rooted in God and unflinchingly loyal to Him. 6. This sets us to accompany others, to enlighten and guide them. This is further to lead them constantly to the same intimacy and relationship with the Lord. This mission and commitment do not stop with a mere personal closeness and relationship with God. 7. It also sets us on a journey of following God's ways and values. Concretely, it means to part with sin resolutely, to live righteously like God's children who know him, love him, and live his life, and to bear testimony to him, as did John the Baptist. Imperative: Let us not content and pride ourselves with a magnitude of knowledge but be intent and stride on the rectitude of life. The more we are with God and closer to Him, the more we will be like him.