Posted January 19, 2014 by FLL Editorial Team in
 
 

What is Jesus’ identity?

常年期第二主日

依撒意亞先知書　49:3,5-6

上主對我說：「以色列，你是我的僕人，我因你而自豪。」

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

因天主的旨意，蒙召為耶穌基督宗徒的保祿，偕同索斯特乃弟兄，致書給格林多的天主教會，就是給那些在基督耶穌內受祝聖，與所有在各地呼求我們的主，亦即他們和我們的主、耶穌基督之名，一同蒙召為聖的人：

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

那時候，若翰見耶穌向他走來，便說：「看，天主的羔羊，除免世罪者！這位就是我論及他，曾說過：有一個人在我以後來，成了在我以前的，因他原先我而有。連我也不曾認識他，但為使他顯示於以色列，為此，我來以水施洗。」

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。」

Christ being baptised, © Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.

Christ being baptised, © Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.

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

The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.Now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!

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

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 1:29-34

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

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.


FLL Editorial Team

 


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