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Reflections
for Sunday, January 19, 2014
Now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb. The
Prophet Isaiah in the first reading today is speaking about events in his
own time, but also, with his gift of prophecy, foretells the reality of
Jesus Christ. Sometimes we stop at that point without realizing that this
also speaks about our own reality: we also are formed from the womb.
All of history and all of reality comes from the loving hand of God, who
loves us. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are
completely involved in this love story for each one of us personally and
for our whole human reality. God invites us to live completely. In order
to live completely, we are invited to understand how He created us, for
what He created us and that His love for us is not burdensome.
With this Sunday celebration, we continue our journey back into Ordinary
Time in the Church year and the readings reflect the beginnings of the
public ministry of Jesus. This is the time when Jesus begins to emerge
from His hidden life in Nazareth and begins to preach the Kingdom of God.
The Gospel of John shows us this special relationship of Jesus and John the
Baptist. The stories of the childhood of Christ in the other Gospels have
indicated that Jesus and John the Baptist are cousins. Those Gospels have
indicated that John the Baptist, even in the womb, somehow recognizes the
role of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John is focused on showing us that
John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
The First Letter to the Corinthians points out that all of this is about
our becoming holy in God. To be holy is to be set aside for God, to use
our time for God, to see all things in God and to dedicate all of our life
to God. That is a high calling and one that only God can make possible for
us.
My sisters and brothers, as we begin Ordinary Time, let us realize that
this call of God to us must eventually consume every aspect of our life.
It does not make us crazy. Instead, we actually begin to live a fullness
of humanity that brings deep peace and contentment - and even normality - into
our lives. Let us walk in the light of the Lord.
Readings of the day:
First Reading: Isaiah 49.3, 5-6
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1.1-3
Gospel: John 1.29-34
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Reflections are available for the following Sundays:
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