Book of Isaiah 49,3.5-6. The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Psalms 40(39)
I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe and trust in the LORD. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”
I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
First Letter to the Corinthians 1,1-3.
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 1,29-34.
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, '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."
The Gospel of today’s liturgy (cf. Jn 1:29-34) recounts John the Baptist’s testimony on Jesus, after having baptized him in the river Jordan. He says: “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me’” (v. 30).
This declaration, this witness, reveals John’s spirit of service. He was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, and had done so without sparing himself. Humanly speaking, one would think that he would be given a “prize”, a prominent place in Jesus’ public life. But no. Having accomplished his mission, John knows how to step aside, he withdraws from the scene to make way for Jesus. He has seen the Spirit descend upon him (cf. vv. 33-34), he has indicated him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and now he in turn humbly listens. He goes from prophet to disciple. He preached to the people, gathered disciples and trained them for a long time. Yet he does not bind anyone to himself. And this is difficult, but it is the sign of the true educator: not binding people to oneself. John does this: he sets his disciples in Jesus’ footsteps. He is not interested in having a following for himself, in gaining prestige and success, but rather bears witness and then takes a step back, so that many would have the joy of meeting Jesus. We can say: he opens the door, then he leaves.
With this spirit of service, with his capacity to give way to Jesus, John the Baptist teaches us an important thing: freedom from attachments. Yes, because it is easy to become attached to roles and positions, to the need to be esteemed, recognized and rewarded. And this, although natural, is not a good thing, because service involves gratuitousness, taking care of others without benefit for oneself, without ulterior motives, without expecting something in return. It is good for us, too, to cultivate, like John, the virtue of setting ourselves aside at the right moment, bearing witness that the point of reference of life is Jesus. To step aside, to learn to take one’s leave: I have completed this mission, I have had this meeting, I will step aside and leave room for the Lord. To learn to step aside, not to take something for ourselves in exchange.
Let us think of how important this is for a priest, who is called to preach and celebrate, not out of self-importance or interest, but to accompany others to Jesus. Let us think of how important this is for parents, who raise their children with many sacrifices, but then have to leave them free to take their own path in work, in marriage, in life. It is good and right that parents continue to assure their presence, saying to their children, “We will not leave you by yourselves”, but with discretion, without intrusiveness. The freedom to grow. And the same applies to other spheres, such as friendships, life as a couple, community life. Freeing oneself from attachments to one’s own ego and knowing how to step aside come at a cost, but are very important. This is the decisive step in order to grow in the spirit of service, without looking for something in return.
Brothers, sisters, let us try to ask ourselves: are we capable of making space for others? Of listening to them, of leaving them free, of not binding them to ourselves, demanding recognition? And also of letting them speak at times. Not saying, “But you know nothing!”. Letting them speak, making space for others. Do we attract others to Jesus, or to ourselves? And furthermore, following John’s example: do we know how to rejoice in the fact that people take their own path and follow their calling, even if this entails some detachment from us? Do we rejoice in their achievements, with sincerity and without envy? This is letting others grow.
May Mary, the servant of the Lord, help us to be free from attachments, to make space for the Lord and to give space to others.
FAUSTI - "He sees Jesus coming towards himself": the day after his testimony, John "sees" Him Whom he had already contemplated before, but without recognizing Him. Even the reader has already heard in the prologue that Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God; but it takes time to recognize Him. To see Jesus who "comes" is to see the invisible, the Word become Flesh which shows the Glory. John awaits It, but it is This One who comes to be seen. The initiative of the encounter is His own. The Son, just as He is turned towards the Father, so necessarily He turns towards us, His Brethren. The "voice of one who cries out in the desert" sounds consolation, because she promises forgiveness and brings the good news: "Here is our God! (Is 40.1-9). Forgiveness, however, is not only for Israel, but for "the world", so that all flesh may see His Glory. (Is 40.5). We speak of sin, not sins. It is about sinfulness, which is the non-knowledge of God, the root of every single transgression. Whoever takes away sin can only be God Himself. Jesus is called "the Lamb". The Word alludes to the Servant of JHWH , mute as a lamb led to slaughter (Is 53:7) , especially since the Aramaic word "taleya" can mean both child/servant and lamb. In these Words of John resounds the same theology as in the other Gospels, according to which Jesus in Baptism is proclaimed by the Father the Son/Servant who, through His sacrifice, will save the world. The Baptism of Jesus is the gateway to Christian revelation, which introduces us into the house of God. Is not He completely a door wide open to man? The scene of Jesus' Baptism took place earlier, at an unspecified time. It is not said when, perhaps because in every time the Word "is Baptized" and is immersed in the world. John, like each of us, needs time to understand what he has contemplated in the flesh of the Word, in solidarity with all mankind. He reveals Himself as the Son because He makes Himself our Brother and immerses Himself in the condition common to all. The Spirit Who in creation hovered over the primordial waters, the dove that hovered over the earth as soon as it emerged from the deluge, descends upon Jesus who is Baptized in the Jordan. Not only descends, but "dwells" upon Him, His Home. Directly from God for inner inspiration, or indirectly, through the Word long chewed, John knows the sign to recognize Jesus as "He who comes". He is the Spirit who descends and dwells upon Him. However, for him, as for us, there is always a distance between knowing and recognizing, between seeing and understanding. While the other prophets had foreseen and foretold, John sees and says . The fulfillment of what was promised has already happened in Jesus and is present to all in the testimony of the one who has seen and recounts.
O Lamb of God, hidden among men! O inconceivable goodness of God, who protect us at every step, let infinite honor be given to Your mercy, for having fraternized not with angels but with men, this is a miracle of the unfathomable mystery of Your mercy. All our confidence is in You, Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, true God and true Man.
My heart trembles with joy to see how good God is to us, so wretched and ungrateful, and as proof of His love He gives us an inconceivable gift, that is, Himself, in the person of His Son. We cannot exhaust the mystery of this love in all eternity. O men, why do you think so little that God is truly in our midst?
O Lamb of God, I do not know what is more to be admired in You: Your meekness, Your hidden life and Your annihilation for man, or that ceaseless miracle of Your mercy that transforms souls and raises them to eternal life. Though You are so hidden, Your omnipotence is revealed here more than in the creation of man; though the omnipotence of Your mercy acts for the justification of the sinner, Your action remains silent and hidden.
Book of Isaiah
RispondiElimina49,3.5-6.
The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.
For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Psalms 40(39)
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
and trust in the LORD.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
First Letter to the Corinthians 1,1-3.
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ
according to Saint John 1,29-34.
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'
I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."
John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.
I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, '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."
POPE FRANCIS
RispondiEliminaANGELUS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 15 January 2023
[Multimedia]
_________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
The Gospel of today’s liturgy (cf. Jn 1:29-34) recounts John the Baptist’s testimony on Jesus, after having baptized him in the river Jordan. He says: “This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me’” (v. 30).
This declaration, this witness, reveals John’s spirit of service. He was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah, and had done so without sparing himself. Humanly speaking, one would think that he would be given a “prize”, a prominent place in Jesus’ public life. But no. Having accomplished his mission, John knows how to step aside, he withdraws from the scene to make way for Jesus. He has seen the Spirit descend upon him (cf. vv. 33-34), he has indicated him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and now he in turn humbly listens. He goes from prophet to disciple. He preached to the people, gathered disciples and trained them for a long time. Yet he does not bind anyone to himself. And this is difficult, but it is the sign of the true educator: not binding people to oneself. John does this: he sets his disciples in Jesus’ footsteps. He is not interested in having a following for himself, in gaining prestige and success, but rather bears witness and then takes a step back, so that many would have the joy of meeting Jesus. We can say: he opens the door, then he leaves.
With this spirit of service, with his capacity to give way to Jesus, John the Baptist teaches us an important thing: freedom from attachments. Yes, because it is easy to become attached to roles and positions, to the need to be esteemed, recognized and rewarded. And this, although natural, is not a good thing, because service involves gratuitousness, taking care of others without benefit for oneself, without ulterior motives, without expecting something in return. It is good for us, too, to cultivate, like John, the virtue of setting ourselves aside at the right moment, bearing witness that the point of reference of life is Jesus. To step aside, to learn to take one’s leave: I have completed this mission, I have had this meeting, I will step aside and leave room for the Lord. To learn to step aside, not to take something for ourselves in exchange.
Let us think of how important this is for a priest, who is called to preach and celebrate, not out of self-importance or interest, but to accompany others to Jesus. Let us think of how important this is for parents, who raise their children with many sacrifices, but then have to leave them free to take their own path in work, in marriage, in life. It is good and right that parents continue to assure their presence, saying to their children, “We will not leave you by yourselves”, but with discretion, without intrusiveness. The freedom to grow. And the same applies to other spheres, such as friendships, life as a couple, community life. Freeing oneself from attachments to one’s own ego and knowing how to step aside come at a cost, but are very important. This is the decisive step in order to grow in the spirit of service, without looking for something in return.
Brothers, sisters, let us try to ask ourselves: are we capable of making space for others? Of listening to them, of leaving them free, of not binding them to ourselves, demanding recognition? And also of letting them speak at times. Not saying, “But you know nothing!”. Letting them speak, making space for others. Do we attract others to Jesus, or to ourselves? And furthermore, following John’s example: do we know how to rejoice in the fact that people take their own path and follow their calling, even if this entails some detachment from us? Do we rejoice in their achievements, with sincerity and without envy? This is letting others grow.
May Mary, the servant of the Lord, help us to be free from attachments, to make space for the Lord and to give space to others.
FAUSTI - "He sees Jesus coming towards himself": the day after his testimony, John "sees" Him Whom he had already contemplated before, but without recognizing Him. Even the reader has already heard in the prologue that Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God; but it takes time to recognize Him.
RispondiEliminaTo see Jesus who "comes" is to see the invisible, the Word become Flesh which shows the Glory. John awaits It, but it is This One who comes to be seen. The initiative of the encounter is His own.
The Son, just as He is turned towards the Father, so necessarily He turns towards us, His Brethren.
The "voice of one who cries out in the desert" sounds consolation, because she promises forgiveness and brings the good news: "Here is our God! (Is 40.1-9).
Forgiveness, however, is not only for Israel, but for "the world", so that all flesh may see His Glory.
(Is 40.5). We speak of sin, not sins. It is about sinfulness, which is the non-knowledge of God, the root of every single transgression. Whoever takes away sin can only be God Himself.
Jesus is called "the Lamb". The Word alludes to the Servant of JHWH , mute as a lamb led to slaughter (Is 53:7) , especially since the Aramaic word "taleya" can mean both child/servant and lamb. In these Words of John resounds the same theology as in the other Gospels, according to which Jesus in Baptism is proclaimed by the Father the Son/Servant who, through His sacrifice, will save the world. The Baptism of Jesus is the gateway to Christian revelation, which introduces us into the house of God. Is not He completely a door wide open to man?
The scene of Jesus' Baptism took place earlier, at an unspecified time. It is not said when, perhaps because in every time the Word "is Baptized" and is immersed in the world.
John, like each of us, needs time to understand what he has contemplated in the flesh of the Word, in solidarity with all mankind. He reveals Himself as the Son because He makes Himself our Brother and immerses Himself in the condition common to all.
The Spirit Who in creation hovered over the primordial waters, the dove that hovered over the earth as soon as it emerged from the deluge, descends upon Jesus who is Baptized in the Jordan.
Not only descends, but "dwells" upon Him, His Home.
Directly from God for inner inspiration, or indirectly, through the Word long chewed, John knows the sign to recognize Jesus as "He who comes". He is the Spirit who descends and dwells upon Him. However, for him, as for us, there is always a distance between knowing and recognizing, between seeing and understanding.
While the other prophets had foreseen and foretold, John sees and says . The fulfillment of what was promised has already happened in Jesus and is present to all in the testimony of the one who has seen and recounts.
St. Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)
RispondiEliminaO Lamb of God, hidden among men!
O inconceivable goodness of God, who protect us at every step, let infinite honor be given to Your mercy, for having fraternized not with angels but with men, this is a miracle of the unfathomable mystery of Your mercy. All our confidence is in You, Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, true God and true Man.
My heart trembles with joy to see how good God is to us, so wretched and ungrateful, and as proof of His love He gives us an inconceivable gift, that is, Himself, in the person of His Son. We cannot exhaust the mystery of this love in all eternity. O men, why do you think so little that God is truly in our midst?
O Lamb of God, I do not know what is more to be admired in You: Your meekness, Your hidden life and Your annihilation for man, or that ceaseless miracle of Your mercy that transforms souls and raises them to eternal life. Though You are so hidden, Your omnipotence is revealed here more than in the creation of man; though the omnipotence of Your mercy acts for the justification of the sinner, Your action remains silent and hidden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sJHwnUyZuM&t=9s
RispondiElimina