John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove’.
The main events of Christmastide are now behind us, and until Lent, we follow the Sundays of ‘Ordinary Time’. This Second Sunday in Ordinary Time returns to the event of Jesus’s baptism.
In the Gospel, John the Baptist recognises in Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John bears witness that Jesus truly is the Son of God.
In the First Reading, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of the Servant, whom Christians have long identified with Jesus. He will be a light for the nations, so that salvation can reach the end of the earth.
The Psalmist gives thanks for the help he has received. He delights in doing God’s will, offering his skills of listening and speaking to those around him.
Paul, in the Second Reading, greets the young Church in Corinth with grace and peace from God.
This week, we might reflect on the witness that we ourselves give as Christians, and determine to listen to those around us with an ‘open ear’. We also pray for salvation and peace to reach everyone throughout the world.
