Fr. Joeven Matugas, sx
First Reading: Isaiah 49:3,5-6 Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:1-3 Gospel: John 1:29-34
Thousands of years ago the Lord God talked to prophet Isaiah saying “I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (First Reading, Isaiah 49:6). Isaiah received this personal mandate from the Lord God. This mandate is not only for one place or for a single nation but for and to all nations and peoples…..`light of the nations`….meaning many, all in fact, countries and places. This is frightening. But it is God who sent him. He must obey. These very Words of God that were given to Isaiah continue to re-echo for us today – at this present year, Two thousand and twenty Anno Domini. The content of the command and the invitation have never changed. Only the people and the situations have changed. At this present moment, it is still the same God re-echoing this call through his son Jesus Christ. The Gospel continues to challenge us to go out to peoples and multicultural races and to bear witness to his transforming love and examples. As people called by Christ, we have all the duty to share Christ's light and love. One request we must try to answer is bravery and boldness. But like Isaiah, it is God who called us.. We need to trust Him and to obey. And He will take care of us all. In the midst of this fast changing world, when the entire universe becomes a single village, we have limitations and fear to make Christ's presence felt.
Because situations and people deeply change. The conditions we are living in make people freely interact virtually so that that those who/which are far distant, miles away, become near to one another. However, the real human authentic friendship and relations are negatively affected. Because to be `light of the nations` becomes possible through personal and visible encounter with every person as co-existent close to each other. Like the people of Corinth in the Second Reading, to whom Paul sent greetings, accepted and willed Jesus Christ. They truly received the “Light” and they were transformed. Then, they became recipient of God`s salvation. The Gospel says, Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the sacrifice, the slaughtered victim offered for the atonement of sin. We feast on His body and blood in the Eucharistic meal. It is His broken body and poured blood that we encounter every day.
First Reading: Isaiah 49:3,5-6 Second Reading: 1 Cor 1:1-3 Gospel: John 1:29-34
Thousands of years ago the Lord God talked to prophet Isaiah saying “I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (First Reading, Isaiah 49:6). Isaiah received this personal mandate from the Lord God. This mandate is not only for one place or for a single nation but for and to all nations and peoples…..`light of the nations`….meaning many, all in fact, countries and places. This is frightening. But it is God who sent him. He must obey. These very Words of God that were given to Isaiah continue to re-echo for us today – at this present year, Two thousand and twenty Anno Domini. The content of the command and the invitation have never changed. Only the people and the situations have changed. At this present moment, it is still the same God re-echoing this call through his son Jesus Christ. The Gospel continues to challenge us to go out to peoples and multicultural races and to bear witness to his transforming love and examples. As people called by Christ, we have all the duty to share Christ's light and love. One request we must try to answer is bravery and boldness. But like Isaiah, it is God who called us.. We need to trust Him and to obey. And He will take care of us all. In the midst of this fast changing world, when the entire universe becomes a single village, we have limitations and fear to make Christ's presence felt.
Because situations and people deeply change. The conditions we are living in make people freely interact virtually so that that those who/which are far distant, miles away, become near to one another. However, the real human authentic friendship and relations are negatively affected. Because to be `light of the nations` becomes possible through personal and visible encounter with every person as co-existent close to each other. Like the people of Corinth in the Second Reading, to whom Paul sent greetings, accepted and willed Jesus Christ. They truly received the “Light” and they were transformed. Then, they became recipient of God`s salvation. The Gospel says, Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the sacrifice, the slaughtered victim offered for the atonement of sin. We feast on His body and blood in the Eucharistic meal. It is His broken body and poured blood that we encounter every day.