Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 15, 2023
First Reading: Isaiah 49.3, 5-6
3He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."5And now the LORD says- he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength-6he says: "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
Psalm 40
1I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.2He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.4Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.5Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced,; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.7Then I said, "Here I am, I have come- it is written about me in the scroll.8I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.11Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.12For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.13Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.14May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.15May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" be appalled at their own shame.16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"17Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1.1-3
1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours:3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel: John 1.29-34
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound messages that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from Isaiah 49 introduces the servant of the Lord, whose mission extends beyond Israel to all nations, emphasizing a universal call to be a light to the Gentiles. The second reading from 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 is Paul's greeting to the Corinthians, highlighting their sanctification and calling to sainthood, reminding us of our divine vocation. The Gospel, John 1:29-34, presents John the Baptist's testimony, identifying Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
These readings are interconnected, as Isaiah's servant prefigures Jesus, who fulfills the mission of salvation for all. Paul's letter shows the early Christian community living out this mission, called to holiness. John's Gospel reveals Jesus as the one anointed by the Spirit, embodying the servant's role. Together, they illustrate the progression from prophecy to fulfillment, emphasizing our universal call to serve and spread God's message.
In our daily lives, we are called to be light in the world, recognizing Jesus as our savior. We must embrace our role in God's mission, living as saints and spreading His message. The moral lesson is clear: our faith is not just for us but for the world. Let us strive to reflect God's light, inspired by Jesus, the Lamb of God, and live out our calling with grace and peace.