HOMILY FOR THE 3RD OF JANUARY
Homily for the 3rd of January (The Most Holy Name of Jesus) 1 John 2:29-3:6;Jn.1:29-34 Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, in the Gospel reading God today, we hear those beautiful words of John the Baptist declaring the identity of Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29. These familiar words of John the Baptist offer us a beautiful meditation. They are spoken every time we attend Mass when the priest holds up the Sacred Host. When John first spoke these words, the “Lamb of God,” was seen in a very ordinary way. The eyes of all present saw only an ordinary man approaching the scene. But the eyes of faith saw, rather, he who would give his life for the salvation of the world as the Sacrificial Lamb. When we look at the Sacred Host, as it is held up at Mass for all to see, we see Jesus, the Sacrificial Lamb, in an even more veiled way. We see, with our eyes, a piece of bread. But with the eyes of faith, we behold the Savior. The Sacrificia...