Behold the Lamb of God

Dear Friend,

“Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” says John the Baptist in this Sunday’s Gospel, words that bring to mind for me the image of the lamb depicted on the front of the main altar in our Mission church. Quite visible from my spot at the presider’s chair, the image of the lamb might well be too small for most in the assembly to see. I recently invited the children to join me up front and a photographer managed to get a shot of one little girl apparently pointing at the lamb. Well done!

I recently learned that the word for “lamb” in Aramaic (Jesus’s first language) can also mean “child” or “servant.” So John’s use of the word in his Gospel is multi-layered, which makes it all the more interesting that the first reading from Isaiah is taken from what are often called “suffering servant” passages.

John the Baptist goes on to say, “I did not know him” - which is to say, John did not “get” Jesus immediately, that it took time, and only happened through God’s initiative. So it is with us. Furthermore, the identity of Jesus is deeply connected to what happens for us and among us at the altar each Sunday. “Getting it” takes time.

Let’s be patient as we look toward the altar - and toward each other and ourselves. To confront is always the temptation to close off from what is not immediately visible. Yet we believe that the heart of our reality - the Living Word Made Flesh - is a “servant” hidden in our midst, working, active, loving us into the one body we were created to be. It is a gift to behold, to have a child’s eyes for newness.  

Gratefully,

Father Dan Lackie ofm

Pastor