2nd Sunday after Epiphany
John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29; NAB)
When John sees Jesus, it is not merely a physical sighting, He sees into the mission of Jesus. His seeing is a revelation, and so it begins with the word that triggers revelation, “Behold.”
The content of the revelation is that Jesus takes away the sin of the world. “Sin” does not refer to the many individual transgressions of the human race. Rather it points to the fundamental alienation of God from creation. Jesus bridges this basic separation. Therefore, he is the way to God, the door leading to life.
In the prologue of the Gospel of John (1.1-18) the Word (logos) is the original way God and creation are in communion. The Word is both with God from the beginning and is God. Also “all things are made through that one [logos]. There was nothing that was made that was not made through that one” (John 1.3; trans. mine). Therefore, the Word is the connective channel between God and creation.
However, this primordial condition has been compromised by human sinfulness. In theological language, creation has become “the world” (eg 1 John 2). World is creation in its alienated state, creation that does not acknowledge or open to its Divine Source. The connection with God has been broken or lost sight of or obscured. Now the “logos Made Flesh” (Jesus) is coming into the world to reverse the estrangement and to reestablish communion with God. In this sense, he takes away the sin of the world. Therefore, Jesus coming to John should be read as “The true light, which enlightens everyone . . . coming into the world” (John 1.9). John the Baptist sees it ie knows its deep meaning. John the Baptist “saw Jesus coming towards him.
So we need to look up and Behold the Lamb of God.
God bless us all,
With love and prayers, Fr Michael