2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025 - Servant, Sacrifice and Savior

 

The readings on this 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time invite us to reflect on who Jesus is and, inseparably, who we are called to become in him.

In the First Reading from Isaiah, we hear one of the great “Servant Songs” in which Isaiah prophecies that God will raise up a servant, who from the womb will be a light to the nations that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” 

Christians have always recognized that this passage finds its definitive fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Recall that Gospel story of the angel appearing to Joseph—while still in the Virgin’s womb it is revealed that the child was to be named Jesus—which means God saves. Jesus’ very identity is God who saves. He has come to gather what is scattered, to bring salvation to the whole world.

Jesus’ identity as Savior is made unmistakably clear in today’s Gospel. John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching and declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” “Lamb of God” is not simply a poetic title. In Jewish worship, the sacrificial Lamb was offered as a way of pleading to God for the forgiveness of sins.  

But John doesn’t just call Jesus a sacrificial lamb, but the Lamb of God. The sacrificial Lamb that God makes of Himself for the forgiveness of the sins of all people. 

I saw an internet video this last week where a Muslim man was arguing with a Christian, claiming that the most high God would never take on something as lowly and corrupt as human flesh and die such an ignoble death as crucifixion. “Why, why would the Most High God do such a thing” the Muslim argued. To which the Christian responded, “because God loves us, and wished to save us from our sins.”

As Lamb of God, Jesus reveals the glory of God’s love for us.  He willingly embraces suffering and death out of love. So our readings, reveal that Jesus is Servant, He is Savior, He is the Lamb, He is Love incarnate. But our readings don’t just reveal who Jesus is. They also teach us about ourselves, what it means to belong to Him and follow Him.

St. Paul, addressed the Corinthian Christians with a striking description: “you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, [are] called to be holy.” 

Paul explains here that Christians who have been sanctified by Christ, reborn in the waters of baptism, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb, are called to be holy. Christians are to be about the business of growing in holiness—of becoming as holy as we possibly can.

Holiness is not an optional spiritual upgrade for a few particularly devout people. It is a universal calling—a calling for every member of the baptized. To follow Jesus means to willingly walk the path of holiness.

Vatican II articulated this universal call to holiness. Prior to Vatican II, there was confusion, at least at the level of common Catholic culture, about whether holiness was even possible for people who did not enter religious life. The common understanding was that if you married and raised a family, you could never reach true sanctity. But Scripture is clear, the testimony of the saints is clear: all those who have been sanctified through baptism are called to be as holy as you possibly can. All are called to strive to become canonizable saints, whether you are married, single, a member of the clergy, or a member of a religious congregation. 

And we have seen laity—married and single in this past century canonized. Think of the married parents of St. Therese and Lisieaux—Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, and the recently canonized teenage St. Carlos Acutis. It is not hubris to make canonization our goal: nothing less befits our baptismal calling and Christian identity. 

The Psalm today gives us a particular insight into our call to holiness. “Sacrifice or offering you wished not…Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not”…but “ears open to obedience”.

There was a school of thought in the old Jewish practice that as long as we simply offered the right animal sacrifices, followed all of the ritual purity laws, that’s what was pleasing to God. But the Psalm is clear, that God doesn’t want or need mere external adherence to ritual laws, he wants the trust and hope and surrender and love of our hearts, he wants hearts that delight in obedience out of Love for Him. 

In this, Jesus is the model for us. He is the Humble Servant who offers himself to the Father out of burning love. Yes, of course, we are called to be faithful to the formalities of liturgical law and the moral precepts of the Church—whether we like them or not. But God doesn’t just want surface level adherence—he wants hearts open to being transformed from the deepest depths of ourselves—pious hearts which desire what is good because God is good and wish to be completely pleasing—hearts which are conformed to the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord which enthusiastically present themselves to God every day, again in the words of our psalm today “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” In your law and in your purposes are my delight.

To seek holiness doesn’t mean that God expects us to be flawless right now. If you are struggling with sin, which is all of us, to be holy is to seek God’s mercy and help in overcoming sin because you wish to have a life that is in union with the Father. If you have been given gifts, holiness means seeking God’s help in putting those gifts into His service, for His purposes, not our own selfish whims. Holiness means doing what we can with the time, talent, and treasure we have been given to serve God with hearts that delight in Him.  

Each time we come to the altar, each time we present ourselves to receive Holy Communion, we aren’t just fulfilling our religious obligations—our hearts are truly meant to echo and resound with the words of the Psalm, which Christ made his own: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” May those words be not just a hallow refrain; may they become the pattern of our lives—lives of holiness, obedience, and loving service, united to Christ the Servant, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Authentic vs. False Prophets

Yesterday, we celebrated the birth of the great prophet of the Lord, St. John the Baptist. 

Sometimes we think of a prophet as one who can foretell the future. But that is not really the biblical understanding of the role of the prophet. Rather, a prophet is one who has the ability to point to the Truth in the present. 

In today’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus warns his followers to beware of false prophets. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them.” If true prophets point us to truth, false prophets lead us away from the truth.

John the Baptist was a true prophet because he pointed to the truth that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Son of God. John was a true prophet because he called people to acknowledge the truth that they had sinned and needed a Savior.

False prophets do the opposite. Ultimately, they point us a way from Jesus. But often, they do so subtly. They say, follow your feelings. It’s your body, you can do whatever you want with it. You don’t need a Savior, you’re fine just the way we are. 

False prophets absolutely permeate our culture. “By their fruits you will know them.”  We see the fruits of these false prophets all around us: broken marriages, the destruction of unborn life, widespread confusion about gender identity, addiction, corruption in government and institutions, ignorance of Scripture, and falling away from right religion. These are not the signs of God’s kingdom, but of a world led astray by voices that do not speak for Christ.

Now, the Lord issues this warning to his followers because he knows that we have a tendency to gravitate toward voices who tell us what we want to hear, that encourage us to justify giving in to temptation and deviating from the path of righteousness because righteousness is hard, bearing the cross is hard.

But, as followers of Jesus, we must cling to the true and the good even when it is difficult. We must form our minds through prayer, Scripture, and sound teaching, so that we may not be deceived. 

Let us pray for wisdom, courage, and fidelity, that we may recognize the true voice of the Shepherd and reject the lies that lead to ruin, and help others to do the same, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Let us turn to the one true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and offer our prayers with hearts open to truth and grace.

For the Church throughout the world: That she may continue to form faithful prophets who speak the truth of Christ with boldness and compassion in every age.

For leaders in government, education, and media: That they may act with integrity and resist the temptation to mislead or manipulate, always seeking the good of those they serve.

For those led astray by the confusion and moral darkness of our time: That through prayer, sound teaching, and Christian witness, they may come to know the truth that sets us free in Christ.

For the sick, the poor, and the suffering: That they may be comforted by the presence of Christ and supported by the love and prayers of His faithful disciples.

For the faithful departed: That having followed the voice of the Good Shepherd in this life, they may be welcomed into eternal peace and joy.

Father of truth and mercy, grant our prayers and all that we need remain faithful to your Son in all things. Through the same Christ our Lord.

June 24 2025 - The Nativity of St. John the Baptist - The breaking of divine silence

 When the Church celebrates the feast day of a saint, we are usually celebrating the day of the saint’s death. For example the feast of the martyr St. Charles Lwanga earlier this month was on June 3, because St. Charles was martyred on June 3, 1886.

Only three times during the year does the Church celebrate a birthday: for Jesus, for His mother…and for John the Baptist. So, the Baptist is certainly in illustrious company. That we celebrate his birthday serves to remind us just how important John is to our salvation history. Scripture doesn’t tell us of the birth of Mary or Joseph or any of the evangelists. But it records the events surrounding the birth of John.

And why? Because John’s birth marks the beginning of a great turning point in salvation history. John’s birth signals that God is on the move—that His promises, long awaited, are now being fulfilled. For roughly 400 years—since the last of the Old Testament prophets, Malachi—no new prophetic word had come to Israel. The voice of God seemed silent. The people clung to the promises of old, but many wondered if the Lord still spoke to His people.

The silence of God’s voice among His people is symbolized by the muteness of Zechariah in today’s Gospel. But with the birth of John, Zechariah’s tongue is loosened. 

John’s birth represents the breaking of the divine silence, and John’s voice will be the first prophetic voice heard in centuries: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” He will stand in the desert the last and greatest of the prophets, and the one who will point out the Messiah Himself: “Behold the Lamb of God.” John heralds the coming of God’s Word made flesh: the definitive Word of God, the perfect fulfillment of all of God’s promises—Jesus Christ. 

Today, we fittingly herald that there are 183 days until Christmas. And the best way to prepare for Christmas, and for the coming of the Lord at the end of time, is to spend our days like John, whose entire life was aimed at pointing to Christ, to the Lamb. 

May we, like John, be heralds of the Gospel every day—in our words, our activities, our moral decisions, in our prayer. May we decrease, so that Christ may increase in us, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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As we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist, the great forerunner of Christ, let us turn to God in prayer, asking for the grace to follow John's example and prepare the way for the Lord in our hearts and in the world.

For the holy Church of God: That she may, like St. John the Baptist, boldly proclaim the coming of Christ and prepare the hearts of all people to receive Him.

For the leaders of nations and all in authority: That they may listen for the voice of truth, seek justice and peace, and govern with integrity for the common good.

For all who feel as though God is silent in their lives: That the example of Zechariah and the birth of John may increase their faith.

5. For the sick, the poor, and the suffering: That the light of Christ may shine through the darkness of their afflictions, and that they may be comforted by the love of God and the care of others.

For the faithful departed: That, having prepared the way for Christ in this life, they may be welcomed into the joy of His eternal Kingdom.

Heavenly Father, You sent St. John the Baptist to prepare the way for Your Son. Hear the prayers we offer on this joyful feast, and grant that we, too, may prepare Your way with faith, courage, and love. 

2nd Sunday of OT 2020 - "Behold the Lamb"

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

That phrase, that title, “Lamb of God” evokes a number of ancient biblical ideas.

Firstly, in the Old Covenant, twice a day, on behalf of the nation of Israel, priests would sacrifice a lamb to God. The sacrifice of the lamb was prescribed by Moses as a way of asking God to forgive the sins of the world. As a way of recognizing that God and God alone has the power to forgive sins.

Secondly, that phrase “lamb of God” recalls the Jewish Passover feast. Once a year, on the feast of Passover, not just the priests, but every family, would sacrifice a lamb to recall their liberation from Egypt in the days of Moses. Remember the story? While enslaved in Egypt, God called for the Hebrew people to put the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, that the Angel of Death might Pass-over their homes. Thus the Passover lamb signified God’s powerful and salvific love, his mercy for the oppressed.

Thirdly, the lamb going silently and docilely to be slaughtered is one of the images used to describe the Messiah by the prophets, particularly Isaiah. The Messiah, faithful and docile to God’s Plan of Salvation, would take Israel’s sins upon himself. He would become the expiation through his obedient suffering.

Fourthly, the “lamb of God” evokes an even older story than Isaiah’s prophecy, a story even older than the Exodus. In the story of Abraham, leading his son Isaac up mount Moriah. Abraham had heard God calling him to offer a sacrifice, to show his trust, and love, and fidelity. And As Abraham and Isaac climb Mt. Moriah, Isaac asks Abraham, “father, where is the lamb” and Abraham responds, “God will provide the lamb”. Upon reaching the summit of Moriah, Abraham binds Isaac, his beloved son. And with sacrificial knife raised, God stopped the knife of Abraham. God did not desire the death of Isaac, but rather, would Himself provide the lamb. And so for centuries and centuries Israel awaited God to provide the lamb.

So, imagine, the electricity, the excitement, when John the Baptist on the banks of the river Jordan in front of hundreds if not thousands of people, sees Jesus, and says, there is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”. A people who had waited season after season, year after year, century after century, asking, like Isaac, “Father, where is the lamb?”

And for John the utter those words, to this people, who hoped and waited and understood the significance, must have been…an ineffable experience, touching upon Israel’s deepest longings and understanding of God.

And that we have adopted this phrase, and repeat it so often during our liturgy, is quite significant. St. John the Baptist’s inspired exhortation echoes throughout our sacred liturgical rites. Jesus is called the “lamb of God” near the beginning of Mass in the Gloria, that song of the angels proclaiming God breaking in to human history. Before we receive Holy Communion, three times, the congregation sings “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”, expressing our longing for him, for the mercy and peace that only He can bring. And then the priest holds up the consecrated host and consecrated chalice and says, “behold, the lamb of God”, here He is, look at him, behold him, here is the one who takes away our sins under the appearance of bread and wine.

Our use of that phrase recalls all of those Old Testament stories and our belief that Jesus Christ fulfills what the Old Covenant foreshadowed. For when we celebrate Mass, we become present in that moment when God provides the lamb, as foretold in the story of Abraham and Isaac. We become present when the faithful lamb takes the sins of the world upon himself, and suffers death for our salvation, as prophecied by Isaiah. We become present when the blood of the lamb is shed, that the powers of death might Passover God’s people that they might be led out of slavery to the powers of sin and death, as in the Exodus story.

When we celebrate Mass we are mystically present on Calvary, on a Friday, strangely called, “Good Friday”, when the lamb hangs upon the Cross. When we are gathered for Mass at the foot of the altar, we become mystically present at the foot of the cross, as the lamb of God offers himself to God.

Yet, not only do we behold him, not only do we gaze upon him with love and thanksgiving, and praise him and honor the Lamb for his sacrifice. “Blessed are those called to the supper of the lamb”. The lamb sacrificed for the Passover was to be consumed. And so we receive the Lamb of God at Mass, broken and poured out for us, we consume him, so that as St. Augustine says, “we may become what we receive.”

On the shores of Galilee, after his resurrection, the risen Lord tells Peter, “Peter, feed my lambs”. The Lord refers to us as lambs, hungry lambs who need to be fed. We are hungry for God, we are hungry for the spiritual nourishment that only he can bring, the peace that only he can give, not as the world gives, but as he gives. We long to know that he is with us, that we are not abandoned to the uncaring coldness of the world, but we receive from God what we need in order to come to eternal life.

And we are fed at the Eucharistic Table, again, that we may become what we receive, that we may become like the one True Lamb in Spirit and Truth. We worship the Lamb, we receive Him, that we may become like Him. That his heart, obedient to the Father, may beat in our breasts, that his faith, his trust in the father’s will, his willingness to suffer for the good of others, may animate us. We fall prostrate before the Lamb, that we like him may be broken and poured out for others, for the building up of the church, for the spread of the Gospel, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

January 5 2018 - St. John Neumann - "Come and See!"

As the Christmas season draws to a close, our gospel readings over the past few days have had a similar theme. Wednesday, John the Baptist urged us to “"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Yesterday, John again points out Jesus to others, the apostle Andrew goes to his brother Simon Peter to tell him that he has found the Messiah, Jesus too makes the invitation, “Come and see.” Today, Philip goes to Bartholomew with that same invitation “Come and see”.

These readings help to prime us, to prepare us for the final feast of the Christmas season, the feast of the Epiphany, in which wise men travel from afar to seek out the Christ, to gave upon him, to adore him.

It is a good day for some quiet reflection, to reflect on the things we have seen throughout the Christmas season. What were the ways that I saw Jesus this season? Did I see him in a new light? What were the attitudes and behaviors that hindered me from seeing his face?

I saw an article this morning that discussed how more and more young people are describing themselves as joyless, useless, and depressed. The likely culprit is time spent in front of the screen. Time spent seeking out the face of Jesus is never wasted, but the constant pursuit of entertainment and superficial social communication brings a joylessness that even secular science is beginning to warn against.

The last of the saints of the Christmas season is bishop John Neumann. The Collect told us that Bishop Neumann was “renowned for his charity and pastoral service.” For his first few years as a priest he was devoted to working with German immigrants here in the States. After joining the Redemptorists, he was tirelessly devoted to preaching in parishes in the many immigrant communities throughout Maryland, Virginia, and here in Ohio. By age 41, he had become the fourth bishop of Philadelphia and was absolutely devoted to fostering education amongst the Catholic youth.

St. John Neumann also promoted the forty hours devotion, encouraging parishes to gather for the adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. When we seek out Jesus like the wise men, like the apostles, like the blessed mother, we are able to behold his face, and he is able to fill us with peace and joy that nothing in the world can possibly give.

The Lord invites us to put away our worldly distractions and our anxieties to come and see him in charitable service and in eucharistic adoration, let us take him up on his invitation for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For a deeper devotion to the Eucharist among all Catholics, that our Eucharistic worship might inspire non-believers to seek and find the Lord.

That our Catholic schools and PSR programs may be places where the Lord Jesus is sought out and discovered, where faith is instilled and charity is inspired.

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, that many young people may respond generously to the Lord’s call to ordained and consecrated service.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

January 4 2018 - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton - "Behold the Lamb of God"

We hear John the Baptist calling out in the Gospel today “Behold the Lamb of God”. This is certainly a call that echoes throughout the Christmas season. Shepherds and Wise men travel to the manger to behold him; Simeon in the Temple expressed that he might die in peace now that he has gazed upon the Messiah.

Elizabeth Seton was born, not a Catholic, but was the daughter of a very wealthy Episcopalian family from Manhattan, New York.  She married a wealthy businessman at the age of 19, and raised 5 children in wealthy New
York social circles. Stress over bankruptcy and his ongoing tuberculosis led to her husband’s early death.

Widowed and destitute, Elizabeth was taken in by an Italian family. Their deep faith and charity impressed her, and despite stern opposition from her Episcopalian acquaintances, Elizabeth was received into the Church.

Here’s a woman who became Catholic and ultimately a saint because she was treated with great kindness by Catholics at a moment of great tragedy—by ordinary Catholics who were simply living their faith with deep devotion to the Eucharist.

The Opening Collect prayer referred to Saint Elizabeth’s “burning zeal to find God”. She found him, she was able to behold him, because she was shown him by ordinary Catholics. So we must never underestimate the power of our simple witness, caring for people when they fall on down times, sharing our faith with them. The dynamic of Christianity is that others show Jesus to us, that we may show him to others.

If St. Elizabeth can come to Behold the Lamb of God in the hardships of her life—widowhood, a destitute single-mother—we can surely come to Behold Christ too, in the chaos of our own lives. St. Elizabeth said with confidence: “Into whatsoever state of blindness or obscurity I may fall, in whatever ignorance of God’s ways I may chance to be, if I seek out God in the simplicity of my heart, I will surely find Him.”

St. Elizabeth found the face of the Savior, and continued to find God anew by devoting her life to a life of charity, particularly the education of immigrants.

“Behold the Lamb of God” is an invitation to look to Jesus amidst the chaos, amidst the hardship, amidst the temptation and sins of our life, and to find in Him our salvation, our freedom, and our peace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Christians may grow in charitable attentiveness to the needs of the poor in our midst.
That all those searching and longing for Christ may find him through the witness of His Holy Church.
Through the intercession of Mother Seaton, that all teachers, may share their knowledge with gentleness, patience, and concern for their students. 
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord