Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
The First Book of Samuel, chapter three, verses three(b) thru ten & nineteen;
Psalm Forty, verses two, four, seven & eight, eight & nine, & ten;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six, verses thirteen(c), fourteen, fifteen(a), & seventeen thru twenty;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses thirty-five thru forty-two.
Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in our Gospel for today, we hear John the Baptist proclaim, in response to meeting Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God!”Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
One of the earliest heresies that the Christian church fought was Marcionism, the conviction that Jesus should be interpreted in abstraction from the Old Testament. But the categories that the Gospel writers used to present Jesus as the Christ were, almost exclusively, drawn from the Hebrew Scriptures.
In John’s prologue, the passage before today’s reading, we read that the Word of God’s covenantal love, which was addressed to Abraham, Moses, and David, has become flesh in Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is the covenant in person. But throughout Israel’s history, the covenant between God and humanity is always accompanied by sacrifice.
That brings us to today’s reading, where John the Baptist offers one of the most important interpretive keys of the New Testament: Jesus will play the role of the sacrificial lambs offered in the temple, and through a sacrifice, take away the sins of the world.
One reason that people today have such a difficult time appreciating Jesus is that we have become, effectively, Marcionites. To really understand the Christological language of John, we need to understand the great story of Israel.
Video reflection by Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word.
Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D.: Breaking the Bread.
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Bible Study—Pauline Letters
The Letter to the Romans, chapter eleven (verses one thru thirty-six).
Commentary: Israel's Rejection Is Not Final (Romans, 11:1-10), the Salvation of the Gentiles (11:11-24), & All Israel Will Be Saved (11:25-36).
Mass Journal: Week Three
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:
Two thousand years ago, a small group of people captured the attention & intrigued the imagination of the entire Western world. At first, these people were thought to be of no consequence, the followers of a man most considered to be nothing more than an itinerant preacher. But when this man was put to death, a dozen of his followers rose up & began telling people about his life & teachings. They began telling the story of Jesus Christ. They were not the educated elite of their time, they had no political or social status, they were not wealthy, & they had no worldly authority, yet from the very beginning people were joining this quiet revolutionary group one hundred at a time. This small group of people were the first Christians. They were the original followers of Jesus of Nazareth & the first members of what we known as the Catholic Church.
Otherwise, 14 January would be the festival of Saint Macrina the Elder (died circa 340): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: St. Macrina was the mother & mother-in-law of Ss. Basil the Elder & Emmelia (30 May) & grandmother of Ss. Basil the Great (2 January), Peter of Sebaste (9 January), Gregory of Nyssa (10 January), Macrina the Younger (19 July), & Naucratius (?).
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Odo of Novara, Priest, O.Cart. (circa 1105-1200): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Petrus Donders, Priest, C.Ss.R. (1807-1887; Anglicized as Peter Donders, A.K.A. Peerke Donders): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Saint Quote o' This Day
"Instead of death & sorrow, let us bring peace & joy to the world."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta (A.K.A. Mother Teresa, 1910-1997; feast day: 5 September)
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