God Bless

If one was to come across a signpost for San Francisco pointing a certain way and one was to follow that signpost and then see another sign that continued to point to San Francisco and continue to follow that sign, and then follow a series of such signs. What would be safe to assume? That you would reach to San Francisco.

Now, if you did not follow those signs, what would you think would happen? You are going to get lost! You will not get to San Francisco! Well, you may or may not get to San Francisco. There is no guarantee you will get lost. You might know the way to San Francisco, but you just did not use the signs to get there. You are not necessarily going to get lost, but if you do want to get to San Francisco, it is probably a good idea to follow the signs that point to San Francisco. And the same would be true of Sacramento, Oakland and indeed also to get to San Jose.

Today we hear John the Baptist, the Prophet, who acts as a signpost. He points the way to Christ and says, "This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the Son of God." John points us to the Christ and and who follow his sign are called to "repent and turn away from sin for the kingdom of God is near at hand." Now, having said that some people who did not listen to John still found Christ in other ways. However, if they wanted to find Christ, they would probably have been better off to follow John's advice, John's signs, on how to find the Christ.

We are also called to point to Christ in our life. We are called to act like John the Baptist and point the way to Christ by what we do, what we say and what we think. It is through our words, our actions and yes, even our thoughts that others can find the Christ. Now, if that is the case, there are times when we point to Christ and some people still might not find Christ. They might not follow the signs we show them. But don't worry because they might find Christ another way. This might be the case for those of you who have adult children who do not go to church. Many of you are concerned they will not find Christ, that they have lost their way. We hope and pray that somebody else's signs will point their way to Christ.

Our role then is to continue to point the way to Christ, and to make sure that all our words, all our actions and yes, even all our thoughts are oriented in such a way that anyone who is observing us would say -they are Christian, they point the way to Christ.

Let's think about just this last week, let us think about all our words, all our actions and even all our thoughts. Let us think about it - have they pointed to Christ? Have they pointed the way to Christ? Or did we get distracted? Have we been a little less than kind to somebody this week? When in our actions, we did not point to Christian behavior and when did not point the way to Christ. Were our words less than kind, and less than directed to Christ? In our thoughts, have we been generous, kind and patient? Are we quick to judge? Are we quick to be unforgiving?

It is hard work if we are serious about this role as Christians, it is hard, hard work. And we will regularly fail to point to Christ. Why? Because being Christ-like is not easy in a world where it is not promoted, in a world where such values of patience, kindness and forgiveness are just easily considered to be signs of weakness. Yes, we stand out; stand out as signs pointing the way back to Christ.

In the same way John the Baptist did so, we are called to point to Christ. Yet John the Baptist was not the Christ and neither are you or I the Christ. We are called to point the way to Christ. Here is the twist for us: not any one of us is the Christ, but collectively, all of our individual signs together and all of our individual ways pointing to Christ, collectively act as the Body of Christ. In other words, the signs that we are, becomes the sacrament of Jesus Christ in this world-the church. Remember, a sacrament is what it points to and we literally become living members of this Christ in our world.

This reality is hard work and that is why we come back here each Sunday. We come back to this table to be renewed, replenished, and to be nourished for the journey ahead. We come to be strengthened here by becoming the sacrament of the Church in our collective signs. Then we get pushed out into the world to be individual signs once again, to be clearer signs, to be better signs for others to see the Christ, not only in our eyes but in the community so others can find their way back to the Lord.

So every one of our words, every one of our actions, and even every one of our thoughts somehow needs to always point towards Christ. Today, may we renew ourselves, may we re-strengthen ourselves and be ready to make sure we are good signposts to Christ.

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Is 49:3, 5- 6

The LORD said to me: You are my servant,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.
Now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Reading II
1 Cor 1:1-3

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Sosthenes our brother,
to the church of God that is in Corinth,
to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,
with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.


Gospel
Jn 1:29- 34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,
"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said,
'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.'
I did not know him,
but the reason why I came baptizing with water
was that he might be made known to Israel."
John testified further, saying,
"I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven
and remain upon him.
I did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,
'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,
he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

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