What is Jesus’ identity?
依撒意亞先知書 49:3,5-6
我在上主眼中是光榮的;天主是我的力量。那由母胎中,形成我作他的僕人、將雅各伯領回他面前、並把以色列聚集在他面前的上主,現在說:
「你作我的僕人,復興雅各伯支派,領回以色列遺留下的人,還是小事,我更要使你作萬民的光明,使我的救恩達於地極。」
保祿宗徒致格林多人前書 1:1-3
願恩寵與平安,由我們的天主父和主耶穌基督,賜給你們。
若望福音 1:29-34
若翰又作證說:「我看見聖神,彷彿鴿子,從天降下,停在他身上。我也不曾認識他,但那派遣我來以水施洗的,給我說:你看見聖神降下,停在誰身上,誰就是那要以聖神施洗的人。
「我看見了,我便作證:他就是天主子。」
這個主日的福音反覆深入闡明耶穌的身份。祂是「天主的羔羊,除免世罪者」(若 1:29)。洗者若翰這樣形容祂:「在我以後來,成了在我以前的,因衪原先我而有」,更為祂作證:「衪就是天主子。」(若 1:34)耶穌雖是天主子,卻以僕人的姿態來到世上:「因為人子,不是來受服事,而是來服事人,並交出自己的性命,為大眾作贖價。」(谷 10:45)
依撒意亞先知在他的預言中多次提及一位無名僕人。在幾首詠上主僕人的詩歌中,描述這位無名僕人將藉衪的苦難拯救以色列及萬民;經文為顛沛流離的以色列人帶來希望,也堅定不移地宣佈了將會「作萬民的光明」的那一位所將肩負的使命,是怎樣的舉足輕重。
「我的天主,看,我已來到!我樂意奉行你的旨意。」(詠 40:8,9) 耶穌來到世上,為的是承行天父的旨意,但願我們都能懷著這樣的態度生活,視承行主旨為生活的中心。
這篇默想是以 Foundations in Faith – Catechist Catechumenate Manual 為根據,並獲得版權持有人 RCL Benziger, LLC 批准使用。
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
1 Corinthians 1:1-3
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 1:29-34
The Johannine readings of this Sunday reveals the truth of Jesus’ identity. He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) John the Baptist described Him this way: “A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.” (John 1:30) He testified to the divinity of Jesus: “He is the Son of God.” (John 1:34) Despite being the Son of God, He came to this world as a servant: “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Isaiah had prophesized an unnamed Servant who, by his sufferings, would bring deliverance to Israel and to all the nations. This prophecy had brought, powerfully, assurance of hope to Israel in the face of the adversity of the exile and the certitude of the pivotal role of the One who will be a “light to the nations.”
“Here I am Lord, I come to do your will” (Psalm 40:7,8) Jesus came to the world for the purpose of doing God’s will. May we live our lives with the same purpose.
This material is adapted from the Foundations in Faith – Catechist Catechumenate Manual with the permission of the copyright holder, RCL Benziger, LLC.