2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time READING 1:
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 Psalm 40 READING 2: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 GOSPEL: John 1: 29-34
(Paper airplanes made from a piece of typing paper, a page out of a magazine, a dollar bill) Which of these paper airplanes would you rather have? First, take a look at them. You can see that they are different sizes and shapes. To see, let’s fly them. See—some fly better than others. If I offered you one of the paper airplanes, which one would you take? I think you would all take this one. It may not fly as good as the others, but if you noticed that this one is a dollar bill, you know what I mean. Now remember the dollar bills as we think about the readings today. Throughout human history valiant liberators have been celebrated. Thomas Jefferson wrote that our nation is founded on the principle that all men are created equal. Abraham Lincoln dreamed of a united nation of free men and women. Sr. Elizabeth Ann Seton dreamed of a Catholic school system. Martin Luther King, Jr., who our nation celebrates this week, expressed his dream that all people would be judged on the values of their character not their race. All these people dreamed dreams and put their lives on the line for their dreams. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” has moved in to the neighborhood. The New Testament proclaims the good news. Jesus takes center stage and various individuals are introduced only to interrogate, respond, or react to Jesus. Fringe people stay on the fringe: Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, Peter, Thomas, Mary Magdalene, Caiaphas, Pilate, and a score of others are background to the person of Jesus. They all, like John point to Jesus and when they point to Jesus they are pointing to the future. The good news is not merely centered on Jesus; the whole gospel is Jesus. When the final whistle blows, Jesus will upstage all the famous, beautiful, and powerful people who have ever and will ever live in the course of human history. Every person will be seen as responding to Jesus. When John points to Jesus, it is a titanic moment because the entire future is the object of his pointing. Some think the crucifixion is a once and for all historical event. They don’t understand the difference between the great heroes of history and the living Jesus Christ. The body pierced Jesus of the cross is alive. Do you think he does not feel the pain of the suffering? Do you think he does not suffer when innocent children of God are killed in abortions or wars? Do you think he hears our prayers but doesn’t hear their cry? Some think the incarnation was a once and for all historical event. The incarnation is not over either. It continues today and this body and blood of Christ which we receive today enters our historical context and loves us, becomes part of us and challenges us to make his presence felt. Behold, the Lamb of God has moved into the neighborhood. Will the neighborhood change now? Before you answer, consider the airplanes. We chose this dollar because it had the most value not because it was the easiest way to fly. We choose to welcome Jesus to change our neighborhood because the greatest increase in our personal property values is rising with him. And that is Good News! Fr. Jeff McGowan |
