2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, our first Sunday in Ordinary Time this year 2023. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Ordinary Time is a time for growth and maturation, a time in which the mystery of Christ is called to penetrate ever more deeply into history, until all things are finally caught up in Christ. The Sundays and weeks of Ordinary Time, on the other hand, take us through the life of Christ. So, the season of Ordinary Time is a season of spiritual growth and conversion as we are called to live out the life of Christ. Today's Sunday readings call on us to become better disciples of Christ, by changing our lives, and growing spiritually in our faith in God.
God calls on us in today’s First Reading, from the Book of Prophet Isaiah Chapter 49, verses 3, 5 to 6, to be the light to the nations, so that His salvation might reach to the ends of the earth. He urges us as well, to be His servants, through whom His glory will be shown to the world.
Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians Chapter 1, verses 1 to 3, our second reading today, while telling us about his calling as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, reminds us who have been sanctified, to aspire to holiness.
In the gospel of Saint John Chapter 1, Verses 29 to 34 (today’s gospel reading), John the Baptist testifies and witnesses to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Hence, today’s readings all emphasize the need to be true disciples of Christ, and faithful children of God.
My dear friend in Christ, ask yourself these questions! How can I be the light of Christ, to show His glory in the world today as proclaimed in the first reading? How can I aspire to be holy as Saint Paul stated in the second reading? How can I testify and witness to Christ better in the world today, like John the Baptist did in the gospel reading?
We can change our lives and grow spiritually in our faith in God this season of Ordinary Time, by being open and welcoming to the word of God. Being open and welcoming to God’s word entails, being willing to find out, learn and know more about Him, accept His teachings, and put His teachings in practice. In order to be open and welcoming to God, we have to do the following:
- Read the Scriptures daily, so as to grow in our faith in God.
- Meditate on the word of God we have read, and think about its impact in our lives as Christians.
- Pray always, so as to worship, praise, adore, thank the Lord for all He has done for us, and ask Him for our needs.
