Sister Kate’s “Gospel Question of the Week” (John 1: 29-34) …Weekend of 1/18-19/2014 … The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time… In this weekend’s passage from the Holy Gospel we hear from John the Baptist again. He refers to Jesus with a title that we are still using…every time we celebrate the liturgy. The title is “Lamb of God.” What, pray tell, is the meaning of this title? All of us have probably had a title or nickname at one or more times in our lives. Sometime those nicknames stay with us for a lifetime and sometimes they fade with time. “Lamb of God” is a keeper title for Jesus. Let’s try to have a better understanding of the meaning behind the phrase/title. "Lamb of God" is the perhaps most meaningful title given to Jesus in the Bible. It is used 29 times in the book of Revelation. It sums up the love, the sacrifice and the triumph of Christ. John’s introduction of Jesus to the Jews using this title probably brought many pictures of the “lamb” to the mind of his Jewish listeners. Let’s consider just a few. For the Jews, a lamb was brought to the Temple on the Day of Atonement. Placing his hands over the head of the lamb, the high priest transferred all the sins of his people on it. It was then sent into the forest to be killed by some wild animal. A lamb was sacrificed every morning and evening by the Jews to atone for their sins. There are other references to the sacrifice of the lamb in the Old Testament. In each instance, the sacrifice took place for the forgiveness of sins. Christ as “Lamb of God” should be a title familiar to us. In the Eucharist, at "the breaking of the bread" we proclaim in word or song what John the Baptist said. We sing/recite the Agnus Dei – “Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us/grant us peace.” In this prayer we give expression to our deepest understanding of the identity and purpose of Jesus Christ as our Lamb and Lord. By His life of love and sacrifice, we believe and affirm that He is the One who came and continues to come into a broken world to take our sins upon Himself. Our challenge now as the followers of Christ is to live like the Lamb of God and to die like the Lamb of God. In both the first and second readings this weekend, God calls individuals (us) to his service, entrusting them(us) with a mission. Paul reminds us that we are "sanctified and called to be holy" like all who call on the name of Jesus. As we mature as Christians, we are gradually called to accept the identity of the One who calls us….to take on the “likeness” of the Lord, the Lamb of God. As disciples, we don’t pick and choose which qualities of Jesus to take on. Rather, we are called to embrace Jesus! If we are true to our call, then we will be willing to sacrifice as well for our own sins and the sins of the world. This is not a “pretty calling, “but it is nonetheless a part of being a true Christian, a true follower of Jesus, the Lamb of God. In a cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark there is a magnificent statue of Jesus by the noted sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen. When Thorvaldsen first completed the sculpture he gazed upon the finished product with great satisfaction. It was a sculpture of Christ with His face looking upward and arms extended upward. It was a statue of a majestic, conquering Christ. Later that night, however, after the sculptor had left his fine new work in clay to dry and harden something unexpected occurred. Sea mist seeped into the studio in the night. The clay did not harden as quickly as anticipated. The upraised arms and head of the sculpture began to drop. The majestic Christ with arms lifted up and head thrown back was transformed into a Christ with head bent forward and arms stretched downward as if in a pose of gentle invitation. At first Thorvaldsen was bitterly disappointed. As he studied the transformed sculpture, however, he came to see a dimension of Christ that had not been real to him before. It was the Christ who is a gentle, merciful Savior. Thorvaldsen inscribed on the base of the completed statue, "Come Unto Me," and that picture of the Lamb of God in His mercy has inspired millions. GOSPEL QUESTION FOR THE WEEK: Have you ever contemplated Jesus as the LAMB of God?