2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Who is Jesus for us? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the "wages of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the "destruction of both body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
It is significant that John was the son of the priest, Zachariah, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus, John saw the true and only sacrifice which could deliver us from the bondage of sin, death, and the powers of hell. How did John know the true identity of Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior of the world (John 1:29)? The Holy Spirit revealed to John Jesus' true nature in such a way that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend - with enlightened minds and eyes of faith - the great mystery and plan of God to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things.
Have a Blessed and Joyful Week
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Who is Jesus for us? John calls Jesus the Lamb of God and thus signifies Jesus' mission as the One who redeems us from our sins. The blood of the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) delivered the Israelites from their oppression in Egypt and from the plague of death. The Lord Jesus freely offered up his life for us on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Corinthians 5:7). The blood which he poured out for us on the cross cleanses, heals, and frees us from our slavery to sin, and from the "wages of sin which is death" (Romans 6:23) and the "destruction of both body and soul in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
It is significant that John was the son of the priest, Zachariah, who participated in the daily sacrifice of a lamb in the temple for the sins of the people (Exodus 29). In Jesus, John saw the true and only sacrifice which could deliver us from the bondage of sin, death, and the powers of hell. How did John know the true identity of Jesus, as the Son of God and Savior of the world (John 1:29)? The Holy Spirit revealed to John Jesus' true nature in such a way that John bore witness that this is the Son of God. How can we be certain that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God? The Holy Spirit makes the Lord Jesus Christ known to us through the gift of faith. God gives us freely of his Spirit that we may comprehend - with enlightened minds and eyes of faith - the great mystery and plan of God to unite all things in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will in all things.
Have a Blessed and Joyful Week
Our Lady Of Grace Romney
W V
Next week’s readings:
Acts of the Apostles 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48;
Psalm 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4;
1 John 4: 7-10;
John 15: 9-17
Letter from Fr Joseph
Thank you very much
I would like to thank you all my dear people at Our Lady of Grace in Romney for the three wonderful years of my stay over there. I was always very proud to say to my friends how beautiful the community was at Our Lady of Grace and how I loved saying Masses in that pretty little church. Your participation at the liturgy by responding to the prayers and singing the hymns was the highlight of my stay over there. It was always a full house participation that came from the heart. And I always enjoyed it. When a community is liturgically very active, thats the best thing a priest can get in his life. All of you were full of love, concern and care for me although I was a little different in every way from all of you and I never missed my home or my mom or my family when I was there. My last couple of weeks, I was so deeply touched and overwhelmed to see and hear how much more you had loved me. I cannot thank you enough for the tears, words of love and appreciation, and for the extremely generous gift you gave me to bring my mom over here. It has been a little over a month that I have been gone, I still do and will miss you everyday. You have a very special place in my heart and you are all in my prayers. Please keep me in your prayers and may be we will see each other again somewhere.
Thank you. Love. Father Joseph.