SATURDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD (SATWOG JANUARY 14TH, 2023) INSPIRING REFLECTIONS OF MEMBERS

 

LAITY REFLECTIONS FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

First Reading: Isaiah 49:3;5-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:2 and 4ab.7-5a. 8b-9. 10 (R. 8a. 9a)
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
Alleluia: John 1:14a.12ac
Gospel: John 1:29-34

Peter Matthew Eshiarakhe

MY REFLECTION

See I have come Lord to do your will...

Have you been running away from the will of God before?

Have you been acting on your understanding before?

Do you do things without asking for God's will and direction before?

Do you ignore the will of God for you trusting in your capability?

It is time to have a U-TURN and do it just as God wants and so together we say... "see I have come Lord to do your will" and not mine, but yours and yours Alone.

Mrs. Mary N. Osagie

MY REFLECTION 

Gospel reading: John 1:29-34

John the Baptist had been told to watch out for the Spirit of God. Somehow he recognized the Spirit in Jesus. Somehow he knew that this new person, Jesus, will give this Spirit to all. We call it the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus. We are more than we seem, more than a body. We are made for an eternal relationship with God, which begins now. John recognised that in Jesus.

At Pentecost, the new community of followers welcomed the outpouring of the Spirit. With God’s help we can do the same: we can recognise the Spirit in us all, on our human journey of life.

Bro Edward Arene

MY REFLECTION

Glory to God beloved Brethren. 

This Sunday's readings are appealing to all of us to be lights to the nations. 

We are called to be lights in our families, in society, in our Christian communities, and to all those around us. 

John pointed the Light to those around him, and that is exactly what you and I are expected to do. 

If truly you know the Road(Way), please teach and lead others. 

Shalom!

Okorie Elijah, CCE

MY REFLECTION

TOPIC: KNOWING JESUS FROM A CLOSE RANGE

TEXT:IS.49:3, 5-6; 1COR.3:1-3; JN.1:29-34

 "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."(Jn.1:29).

To understand today's first reading pericope (Is.49:3,5-6), and to appreciate it, we have to picture Jesus as that servant Isaiah spoke of. Jesus is the light of the nations who came to deliver men from darkness to light.

In the second reading pericope (1Cor.3:1-3), St Paul wrote to the Corinthians reminding them that they are "sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1Cor.1:2). Child of God, this letter today is now for you and I. We are now the "new" Corinthians. We have been sanctified by Jesus, the Lamb of God, and now with the Church all over the world, we call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Jesus is our salvation!

It is symbolic that John was the son of Zachariah who was a priest of Israel, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple, for the sins of the people (Ex.29). It cannot be far from the truth that John might have followed his father to the temple many times for sacrifice and must have learned the qualities and characters of lambs for sacrifices. And so, he recognized Jesus as the perfect unblemished Lamb offered by the Father in heaven as the only sacrifice that cancels the debt of sin, and frees us from eternal damnation.

We speak of Jesus, his power, his deeds in our lives, and our love for him and demonstrate our zeal and desire to know him. Yet, if you encounter him without him introducing himself to you, or someone pointing him to you, you will still bypass him or even insult him without knowing. This is what happened to the Jews who were with John. In today's gospel pericope (Jn.1:29-34), John himself said twice, "I did not know him myself." (Jn.1:31,33)

Friends, in our relationship with God, we need someone who will point us to God, and we have to lead others to God. We need the Holy Spirit and our mother Mary to point us to God. Look at what happened there. The Father through the Holy Spirit pointed Jesus out to John, and John, in turn, pointed Jesus out to the Pharisees. Who do you point the people around you to? To God or to sports, clubs, fast food joints, and what have you? Today, the church through today's gospel wants you and me to know that in Jesus, God has changed our story, and then, we have to go closer to him. Jesus has bridged the gap between us and God. All the sacrifices and rituals of the old testament have come to an end. 

But, what does it mean when John calls Jesus the Lamb of God? What connection has lamb to do with Jesus and his mission?

Going back to the Old Testament, we see what happened on the night before the Israelites left Egypt. They used the blood of the lamb to mark their doorframes and when the angel of death saw it, he will not touch the household (Ex.12:21-23). Just as the lamb’s blood spared the Hebrews before they left Egypt so now it is the blood of Jesus that saves us from our sins. John the Baptist proclaimed, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn.1:29). Now, in killing of the lambs in the Old Testament, they were warned never to break any bone in them (Ex.12:46). We see this in John's account of Christ's passion and death; none of his bone was broken (Jn.19:31-33). After killing the Lamb, the Israelites used a branch of hyssop shrub to smear its blood on their doorframes (Ex.12:21-23). John told us that as Christ was dying on the cross, "A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on a hyssop and held it to his mouth".(Jn.19:29)

We have to model our lives after Christ's. We have to have complete knowledge of him. The church calls on us today to bring Christ to the people especially those who have not heard of him and those whose faith is shaking. In your office, farm, shop, school, organization, and even in your unfavorable situation, make Christ known to the people.

Like the psalmist in our responsorial psalm today, let us declare "Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will". We can only do this when we have full knowledge of him. Encounter Jesus in close range.

Happy Sunday to you all. Have a wonderful week ahead.

Uche Sobola

MY REFLECTION

We have all been called to be servants of God. The question is, "In what way am I serving God?" We have been equipped by God for service. In your family there must be a purpose to fulfill. In your community there must be a purpose to fulfill. In the Church, there must be a purpose to fulfill. The God that spoke to Isaiah, to John and to Paul still speaks to His people. He has given us different gifts. Let us fan them into flame and set to work. We pray for God's grace always. Amen.

Innocent Ifeanyichukwu

MY REFLECTION

We are the new Israel and we must always shine and never allow our light (Faith) to be tempered with the negative things going on around us and in the world.