Behold the Lamb of God: For Sincere Faith Response
By: Msgr. Kenneth D. Richards, Vicar General
We are now in the seventh week of Ordinary Time of the liturgical year. But, I take the opportunity to highlight an invitation from the Gospel of John 1:29 read on the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time: “John said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God…’” I recommend this directive, from John, as a theme to accompany each of us for the rest of the year. Let it inspire us to take a closer look at Jesus, a study of Jesus, so that we can learn from Him, deepen our love for Him, and follow Him more closely.
There is the saying: ‘Familiarity breeds contempt.’ Many of us are not aware of the contempt our attitude display toward the scriptures and to Jesus our Lord. But, insofar as renewal, conversion, and deeper love are not the fruit of our encounter with the Gospels, there is contempt for the Word. How? Isaiah reminds us:
For, as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return before having watered the earth, fertilizing it and making it germinate to provide seed for the sower and food to eat, so it is with the word that goes from my mouth: it will not return to me unfulfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do (Is 55:10-11).
Therefore, if we are not experiencing ongoing personal conversion and deepening of faith, then the word of God is not being allowed to accomplish what it was meant to do in our lives. This is a sign of disregard for the word of God that requires our faith response.
What to do?
- Do not allow listening and hearing of scriptures to become routine, and do not be satisfied with knowing about Jesus. These are obstacles that prevent deeper love and conversion as our faith response to Jesus.
- Be alert when listening or reading the Gospels. Pay particular attention with a deep desire to understand Jesus: what He says and what He does. Nurture a deep desire to act on what you have received, and implore the Holy Spirit to assist your faith response.
With this approach we will behold and be able to respond in faith to the Lamb of God.
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