Isaiah 49:3,5-6; Psalms 39(40); 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 John 1:29-34
Whom shall I send?
Dear friends, today is the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. After completing the 3-year cycle, we have returned to another cycle. Although the scripture readings and the celebrations in the liturgical calendar are repetitive in the cycle, the message of salvation they carry remains ever new. This is because the Word of God speaks to every generation in a new and inspired way. Does the Word of God seem too ancient for you?
The Ordinary Time in the Calendar of the Church is the time of learning about the kingdom of God. The liturgist has arranged the readings for Sundays and Weekdays to communicate a certain theme. Today’s readings speak about the servant of the Lord who is being called to champion the cause of bringing together the people who had been scattered. In the first reading, the Lord calls Isaiah to be the light of the remnants of Israel who had lost all hope in captivity. Today, the Church, through its members and different organizations, continues to work for unity among all peoples. I belong to the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries; our charism is derived from Jesus, the Divine Word Himself, who came to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. Our mission is to bring the light of the risen Christ to all peoples of all nations, cultures, and languages. We are aware that in times we are leaving today, “our light must shine before others” (Mt. 5:16), in a faithful, creative, and innovative way.
St. Arnold Janssen, the founder of our society, and whose feast we celebrated on 15th January, listened to the voice of God during a time when the Church in his home country (Germany) was being persecuted. He responded: “Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will” (Ps 39:2). Without any source of funds but armed with faith and hard work, St. Arnold surrendered the fate of the new mission house purely to God’s providence. Today, about 6000 Divine Word Missionaries coming from 76 nationalities, are spreading the Kingdom of God in 79 Countries across all the continents (see svdcuria.org, or svdkentan.com)
St. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, is reminding all those baptized in Christ of their call to apostleship. An apostle is the one who is sent to spread the Kingdom of God with his or her gifts and talents. We are called to bless one another with peace. Are you an agent of peace where you live or work?
Like John the Baptist in today’s Gospel, we are the heralds of the message of salvation in Christ Jesus. We ourselves are not the light but the light bearers. John was able to usher Christ and point him to the people without feeling jealous of him. He knew very well that his mission was only to prepare the way for Jesus. He had to decrease and let Jesus increase. How many of us are willing to do like John today when our time of service expires?
Dear friends, many parts and aspects of our world today are being overshadowed by the darkness of war, crime, discrimination, poverty, corruption, and the like. Many people are held in all manner of captivity and slavery. Some are suffering in the hands of the rich, the powerful, and even their own kin. All these people are yearning for freedom. If every one of us lights a candle, of love, justice, and peace, the whole world will be illuminated.
Dear friends, do you know that though we may not be in control of what happens around us, we have the power to determine how it affects us. I, therefore, invite you today to be the light and an agent of positive change to dispel all the darkness wherever you are. It is not the easiest thing to do, but it is doable. There is no amount of whining and shifting blame that can make any situation better. It is rather our desire to make things better, and the positive energy that we emit makes things better. Make a choice today, whether to remain stuck in self-pity and lamentation or to start the journey toward a brighter tomorrow.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 