Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Church offers us a beautiful set of readings to introduce us to this journey through the Ordinary Time of the liturgical calendar—the ordered journey through the life and ministry of the Word that was made flesh at Christmas.

It does so with the prophetic words of Isaiah spoken by one of the most highly regarded and more enigmatic figures of the early Church—John the Baptizer—who proclaims: Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

It is with these words that John introduces Christ to the world. It is with these words that the Church introduces us to the essence of Jesus’s mission: he has come to take away the sin of the world. As we begin a new year, it is wise to let ourselves be reminded of the fundamental reality of the human state, and the reason why we celebrate Christmas with such joyful and ancient solemnity: death and darkness have entered and enslaved the world through our selfish and evil acts (collectively and individually), and there is nothing that we can do to save ourselves from these grave consequences.

Therefore with great joy we listen to the words of this mystifying baptizer. “Behold!” There is one who can take away your sin and the sins of the world—he upon whom the Spirit has descended: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Let us therefore be filled with hope and be attentive to the Gospel message which explains not how we can become “better people” in order that we may save ourselves, but rather shows us how to allow Christ to save and transform our hearts to be true sons and daughters of the Father.

Michael Gokie