Our readings today beautifully relate how Jesus takes up his mission as the Lamb of God who has come into the world to take away the sin that could in no other way be removed.
Isaiah prophesied in the first reading that Israel would be the servant of the Lord, and more than that: it would be a light to the nations, that salvation would reach the ends of the earth. This referred, of course, to the perfect Israelite who would be born to be the true and only light by which men were to see and be saved: Jesus Christ.
Our responsorial psalm had the familiar refrain today: Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. We often think that this refers mainly to us and our stance of readiness in relation to Jesus, but actually, it is primarily and first the stance of readiness of Jesus in relation to his Father. Jesus never, ever, diverted from this prescription: Father, I have come into the world to do your will! And because it was Jesus’ prescription – it must also be ours, who are baptized into his life, into his body, into his family! This is undeniably Jesus’ most amazing trait: absolute, complete, total and uncompromising obedience to the will of the Father! Can we believe that he would expect any less from us!
This sounds like a tall order – who can possibly do this, but Jesus? Jesus tells us in many ways and at different times: for us – for unaided human will and intellect and memory - it is impossible – but with God all things are possible. So, logic tells us that the more we attach ourselves to God, (actually, the more we allow God to love us the way he wants to love us) the more miraculous things will get – and the more amazing our lives will be!
Our second reading today is simply an extended “greeting” from Paul to the Church of Corinth. It is a greeting of “grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” What is so miraculous here is that the words are effective: when they are spoken, the grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus does in fact descend upon those who hear the words. Jesus went about freely distributing his grace and peace to any who would want it – this came with his task of redeeming us. The cross would bring grace and peace like mankind had never experienced it before. It is from the cross that all grace and peace flows! We are fortunate indeed to be at the receiving end of God’s astonishing gifts at this particular time in salvation history!
May we, this day, this week, help Jesus to distribute grace and peace, and light and knowledge of salvation by all that we say and do for others – especially those we might not want to associate with; these are the very ones that God the Father has placed in our path to be helped first – for Jesus is in them waiting for us to recognize him and serve him! We can never forget what we will hear on judgment day – whenever that might be: “What you did to the least of my brothers and sisters – you did to me!”
May God bless us, and protect us and give us life – eternally!
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