God gave us life and put
us where we are for a
reason. No creation and
placement is without
a purpose. We must
identify that purpose as our mission
and respond to God by accomplishing
that mission. That purpose predates
our birth, as prophet Isaiah, who was
called to be a prophet, noted in the
first reading.
We have in the first reading a
messianic prophecy, which is the
second of the “servant of Yahweh” or
“suffering servant” prophecies, found
is second-Isaiah, chapters 42 – 53.
These were prophecies uttered during
the Babylonian exile to encourage the
Jewish exiles to preserve in their trust
in Yahweh, who would soon liberate
them from Babylon, and eventually
send them the long-expected Messiah
promised to Abraham.
The “servant,” the Messiah, says
God has appointed him as his faithful
servant who will bring all men to rev-
erence and glorify God. He will bring
back Israel to God. He was predes-
tined before his birth for this office.
He is to be in human nature, formed
in his mother’s womb by God.
The mission of the “servant of
Yahweh” to bring the people of Israel
back to God must be accomplished in
total obedience and humility like John
the Baptist in the Gospel Reading.
St. John the Baptist pointed out Jesus
saying, as Jesus was coming towards
him: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who
takes away the sins of the world!”
(John 1:29). In a way John the Baptist
was always introducing Jesus to
others. His very life is austere,
so withdrawn, was a “voice
… crying out in the wilder-
ness: Prepare the way of the
Lord, make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and
hill shall be made low, and
the crooked shall be made
straight, and the rough ways
be made smooth: and all
flesh shall see the salvation
of God” (Luke 3:4-6).
Our life should be like
that of St. John the
Baptist. We should point
out Jesus to others. The
prophet Isaiah foretold
long ago, about Jesus: “He
was oppressed, and he was
afflicted, yet he did not open his
mouth; like a lamb that is led to the
slaughter, and like a sheep that before
its shearers is silent, so he did not
open his mouth” (Isa. 53:7).
The Lamb of God as a title for Jesus
is the greatest tribute for Jesus. But
what was in John’s mind when he
introduced Jesus to his disciples as the
Lamb of God? There are, at least, four
pictures which may well contribute
something to it. In the first place,
John
was
thinking about the
Passover Lamb. The story
and the event of the Passover
was that it was the blood of the slain
lamb which protected the lives of the
Israelites on the night they left Egypt
(Exo.12:11-13).
Secondly, John here as the son of the
high priest, Zechariah, may be think-
ing and remembering the temple
sacrifices going on in Jerusalem daily.
Before that day, every morning and
evening a lamb was sacrificed in the
Temple for the sins of the people (cf.
Exo. 29:38-42). As long as the temple
stood, this daily sacrifice was made
even when the people were starving
in war and in siege. They never
omitted to offer these sacrificial
lambs daily in the temple until
70 A.D. when the temple
was destroyed. It may be
that, that day in pointing
at Jesus as the Lamb of
God to his disciples, he
is saying: “In the temple
in Jerusalem a Lamb is
offered every morning
and every night for the
sins of the people; but this
Jesus is the only sacrifice that
which can deliver men from
their sins.”
This is what the sacrifice
of the Holy Mass is. The
sacrifice of the cross is the
same as the sacrifice of the
Mass. The only difference
is that on the cross, it was
bloody while at Mass is un-
bloody. The sacrifice of the Mass is
the greatest of all sacrifices and forms
of prayers hence God himself is the
priest, victim and the altar on which
this sacrifice is made.
Again, there are two great pictures
of the lamb in the teachings of the
prophets. For example, prophet Jere-
miah writes, “But I was like a gentle
lamb led to the slaughter” (Jer. 11:19).
And prophet Isaiah has a great pic-
ture of the one who was brought “like
a lamb to the slaughter” (Isa. 53:7).
Both Jeremiah and Isaiah had the vi-
sion of the one who, by his sufferings
and his sacrifice, meekly,lovingly and
humbly redeemed his people. Today’s
passage from Isaiah which is closely
connected with our Gospel, presents
this mysterious servant of God. This
suffering servant of Isaiah is Emma-
nuel – God with us. Prophet Isaiah is
telling us about a servant of God who
will suffer and die for us. His suffering
and death will restore peace between
God and man in the world. He is
speaking about Jesus.
St. Paul in the second reading tells
us that they are sanctified in Christ
Jesus and that they are called to be
saints (cf.1 Cor. 1:2). We are also
sanctified in Christ Jesus and called
to be saints. God has put a new song
into our mouth, praise of our God (
cf. Psalm 40:4) (Responsorial Psalm).
Today, more than ever at the begin-
ning of the New Year, God calls us as
baptized Christians to be like John
the Baptist in witnessing to Jesus. We
are called to witness in word and deed
that Jesus is indeed the chosen One
of God. In him alone can we find our
ultimate fulfilment.
May God grant us the grace to be
witnesses of the Gospel with our
words and deeds through Christ our
Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy
Sunday and a fruitful week ahead.
Rev. Fr. Christian Ehimen Usifoh.
