03/01/2022

The reading from John's gospel presents us with a unique moment in the history of our world. The last of the old testament prophets greets the Son, who is to complete the Covenant with the Jews, by recognising Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. "There is the "Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world" ". The baptizer continues to say that he did not know this himself but it had been revealed to him by God , the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and so we have the Trinity present in time touching the created world so that we to must see that it is good.

We have been born into this world to follow the Baptist in recognising the holiness of God and to be true to our baptisms in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit for it is Jesus who has carried away the guilt of our sins and enables us to approach the righteousness of God. There is nothing in Man's magnificent use of the created world that approaches the grandeur of the creation itself and there is nothing in it that will last.

We have to know that we are at odds with the worldly values that surround us. We have to be on guard that the commonplace of sin does not seduce us into complacency. Bodily comfort can become our be-all and end-all and without any obvious sin we join the throng on the primrose pathway. Our being has to be always directed to the Love of God and in this we are always guided by the Holy Name of Jesus.

Dear Lord let me become the devoted child that you have created me to be. Let not my body and mind be causes of sin to stain my soul and to ignore the pains borne by Jesus on Calvary . May Mary who cannot understand sin and hates its evil continue to bathe us in your compassion as she prays in love for the sinners on earth and Holy Souls in purgatory.