Continuing the Mission

January 15, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Is 49:3, 5-6, Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10, Gospel: Jn 1:29-34

Aren’t we all embarrassed when relatives try to outdo each other by comparing their children or grandchildren during family reunions? Who graduated from this famous school, who earns the most, who has a rich boyfriend, who lives in the most expensive condo?

But in this kind of talk, nobody wins. Everyone just wants to be the best among the rest. Is that our mission here? To proclaim that the more we have, the better?

John the Baptist had a mission: to proclaim to the world about Jesus, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” He was not just born as Jesus’ cousin, or a prophet. He was here to pave the way for Jesus, to make known to people that the promised Savior is coming and that people had to change for the good. He fulfilled his mission even if it cost him his life.

Similarly, we were not just born into this world to make money, live in the biggest house or get the highest number of followers – we are here to highlight Christ by serving and loving others. We are to continue what John the Baptist and the other prophets have started.

God said through the prophet Isaiah that “I will make you a light to the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” However, we can proclaim that we can be “the light of the world” but we cannot do that if we do not follow Christ. We cannot be a source of light for others unless we follow the Light Himself, Jesus. And when we do, we become the light by loving and serving them, just as Jesus loved and served those who followed and listened to Him.

And if we, the light of the world, are able to continue this mission, then perhaps more people will come to know and follow Jesus. Maybe nobody would be in the dark anymore.