Today’s Scripture ReadingsPsalm 40:9-12 In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: “I love to do your will, O my God; your law is deep in my heart.” I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I did not restrain my lips; and that, O Lord, you know. Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance; I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation. You are the Lord; do not withhold your compassion from me; let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. John 1:29-42 John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). Scripture ReflectionThis Sunday’s lectionary readings harp on the revelation of Christ, fitting for the Second Sunday of Epiphanytide. Paul lifts up prayers of thanksgiving for the Corinthian Church that they “are not lacking in any spiritual gift as [they] wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When we see the word “revelation” in scripture, it’s translating the Greek “apocalypse,” and perhaps that word might invoke terrifying visions of the end times for some. But Paul’s grateful prayer here is that Christ is being revealed among the Corinthian saints in their spiritual gifts. He is grateful for the shining of their little lights, if I may nod to “This Little Light of Mine” — because the little light within us all is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). The Psalmist sings that he has not hidden the light of God’s righteousness in his heart, nor has he concealed his love and faithfulness from the multitudes. Rather, he has proclaimed it through his words, and his love. “I love to do your will, O my God.” This is the song of Jesus as well: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.” What is the will of God? “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up at the last day. For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” In this passage from John 6, Jesus teaches that it is only by the divine intervention of the Father that one may be so drawn to the Son: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Whom will the Father draw to his Son? Jesus provides the answer a few chapters later, in John 12. As his ministry came to a close, Jesus exchanged his mysterious parables and riddles for more clear, blunt statements, and as he drew near to the Cross he said, “I, when I am lifted up from the earth [onto the Cross], will draw everyone to Myself.” (Jn. 12:32). From this we know that it’s God’s will to draw, and raise up, all humanity into relationship with himself. He is not inaccessible to anyone: he is the light of the world (Jn. 8:12), and his divine life is the “little light” in all people (Jn. 1:4). In the story of Jesus’ manifestation at the baptism of John, John testifies, “I myself did not know him” until the light of the divine Spirit highlighted Jesus as the Lamb of God. And John, like the Psalmist, “did not restrain [his] lips,” but proclaimed: “Behold, here is the Lamb of God.” When Andrew and Simon heard this joyful proclamation, the same Spirit, stirring in their hearts, drew them toward Christ to follow him. “What are you looking for?” Jesus asked them. It is interesting how simple their answer is. They don’t say that they are looking for the Messiah; they don’t say that they are looking for the Kingdom of God; they don’t say that they are seeking anything in particular. They just want to know, “Where are you staying?” They have set their hearts on abiding in his love (Jn. 15:9). “Come and see,” answers Jesus. This is the invitation of the Spirit, the invitation which is the climax of the Bible and all prophetic hope: “Come!” (Rev. 22:17). The Spirit within us beckons toward Christ, who reveals himself to, and through, us in his Spirit. Ever more intimate communion with the Divine Word awaits the faithful who follow his voice within themselves. The Spirit unveils all things to us, even unveiling our true divine selves, degree by degree transforming us into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). Just as Jesus called Simon by a new name, Cephas (Rock), calling him to fundamental, divine transformation, Jesus promises a new name to all the faithful who have given themselves to the life of the Spirit (Rev. 2:17). According to Jesus, this name is “the name of my God,” and “the name of the city of my God” (Rev. 3:12) — that is, the name of Christ himself, the name above all names, the Divine Word and true dwellingplace in whom we “live and move and have our being” (Ac. 17:28). We may best answer Our Lord’s invitation to “Come and see” by putting our minds into our hearts, where the treasures of the Spirit grow (Mt. 6:21), and letting out our little lights to shine Christ upon the world.
Song Meditation: |
Patient Like A Lamb, by Seán McMahon Seán McMahon |
“I will sing of all the things I wish I could see in the world: a real idea, something new that hasn’t been done before; a brotherhood staked on the hearts of the people’s goodness; a spiritual force that don’t need no rules to make it worthless and dead. An isle redeemed, stable and free. Patient like a lamb. I will sing of all the things I wish I could see in the world: a new idea, a way of being that ain’t misunderstood; a faithful heart that need not be given, or taken, or taught, or unlearned; a candlelight at night that never darkens and always burns. And I think that I’ve seen such things in my dreams. So it must not be too far. So I’ll be patient like a lamb.”
New This Week: “Whether We’re Awake Or Asleep”
“Whether We’re Awake or Asleep” is a musical meditation on 1st Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 — Christ’s reconciling love for all beings which encourages us toward faithful unity and mutual understanding. This is another experiment in melodic hip hop sermonizing inspired by Tobe Nwigwe and Father Dave Swantek, the rapping Catholic priest.
Whether We're Awake or Asleep, by Seán McMahon Seán McMahon |
ICYMI: “You”
“You” is a rap about self-discovery, soul retrieval, and theosis in the spiritual life of Christian mysticism. I’m been a huge fan of Beck for years, so I suppose it is inevitable that I would try my hand at rap. My Christian rap was inspired by two artists I recently discovered, Tobe Nwigwe and Father Dave Swantek, the rapping Catholic priest.
You, by Seán McMahon Seán McMahon |
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