Behold the Lamb of God

In this Sunday's Gospel we hear of Jesus approaching John the Baptist and John proclaiming for those around him "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." Many people were coming out to him, seeking to be baptized, and seeing him as a major figure, possibly the Messiah. And yet, John is emphatically pointing toward Jesus, whom he has already baptized and whom he was told by God "is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit."

It would have been so easy for John to take the credit for himself or to hide who Jesus was. He could have made a profitable enterprise of preaching and proclaiming a need for repentance that revolved around himself. And yet, in this moment of awe and humility, John takes the spotlight off of himself and shines it upon Jesus. He tells the people: "the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel."

As God's holy people, John's mission is our mission too. Through our baptism we are anointed as prophets, sent forth to proclaim the Good News of Jesus in word and in action! It should never be about us or about enriching or building up our own lives. Our work now is to make Jesus known in any way that we can, whether at church, at home, at work, or at play.

So, as we continue forward with our journeys of faith, let us pray this week that we may become like him whom we behold and eat in the Eucharist. May our lives and actions, by reception of the Eucharist, come to resemble Jesus, the Lamb of God, more and more each day. And let us pray that people, when they see our actions, may come to behold not us, but Jesus walking the earth again.

Want to prepare your heart and mind for Mass this weekend? Click here to find the readings this Sunday's Mass.