Christmas Weekday Saturday Gospel: John 1:29 – 34 The Testimony of John the Baptist
Today is the Weekday of the Christmas Weekday Saturday. The Gospel for the Mass is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Saint John, which tells of the testimony of John the Baptist concerning our Savior Jesus Christ.
When he saw Jesus approaching, John said: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”(see John 1:29). At the same time, he directly pointed out the mission Jesus was to fulfil: “who takes away the sin of the world. “This means Jesus would act as the true Paschal Lamb, with the Cross as His altar. On this altar, He would offer Himself to the Father to atone for all the sins committed by humanity, reconciling the world with God. For all human beings living under the power of sin and death, their old self—marked by the death of sin—would be united with His human flesh-and-blood body and crucified with Him on the Cross. After He rises from the dead, we may begin a new life in Him.
Meanwhile, John the Baptist said: “I saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and remaining upon Him. I did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me: ‘He upon whom you see the Holy Spirit descend and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God”(John 1:32-34). He clearly showed us that the Savior Jesus Christ, who was about to appear among humanity and begin His public life, is not only the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, not only the Son of David, not only the son of Joseph, but the Son of God. The work He was to accomplish was not done by Himself alone, but in cooperation with the Holy Spirit of God.
Our Heavenly Father calls us to be His children. We are called, like Saint John the Baptist, to discern our own vocation in life and to fulfil it under the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit of God. Therefore, today, let us follow in the footsteps of Saint John the Baptist, be guided by the Holy Spirit, live up to God’s holy will, and faithfully carry out the mission entrusted to us by the Father.
Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen John 1:19-28 Imitating Saint John the Baptist, Courageously Bearing Witness to Christ
We often, just like John (cf. Jn 1:19-25), need to testify about what we have said or what we have seen. Sometimes, we also, like John, need to testify on behalf of others, to confirm that everything they have done is entirely true.
Why do we need to testify? Is it because everything we do is incomprehensible to others? Or will the world believe our testimony? If we harbour such doubts, we are like the timid person spoken of by the prophet Isaiah (cf. Is 35:4), because we dare not bear witness to Christ.
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of two saints, St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, who faithfully and without reservation spoke to the world all that they hear in the Church, and with their own actions bore witness to the Word of God they proclaimed. Similarly, we too must imitate their virtues, bearing witness to Christ throughout our lives, so that the world, by contemplating the work of redemption begun by God in us, may together with us receive the same baptism of Christ, be given the same Holy Spirit, share in the same cup of blessing, the same broken bread, and be united together in the Body and Blood of Christ, becoming one in Him.
St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, pray for us to God. Amen.
Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God Luke 2:16-21 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Model of Holiness for Christians
Through the Gospel narrated by St. Luke, we can clearly see that when the shepherds learned from the angel of God that our Lord, God, Jesus Christ had been born among men, they hurried to seek the infant Jesus, who brought hope and salvation to the world. Upon finding him, they spread the news of the child through the angel’s discourse. (See: Luke 1:16-17) However, if we carefully observe the Virgin Mary’s response after these events occurred, we will discover that she did not cling to her identity as the Mother of God; instead, she adopted a contemplative attitude. (See: Luke 1:19) This sets a holy and virtuous example for us. In this ever-changing world, we sometimes find ourselves adored by others, even living during flattery and compliments. Whether it’s admiration or fawning, such adulation does not bring us any tangible benefits in this world. Instead, it can foster pride, making us feel as if we are a flawless being. Sometimes, after achieving certain successes, we often attribute these accomplishments solely to our own efforts, forgetting God, especially the prayers offered by the Virgin Mary before Him on our behalf. Therefore, without God’s creation and the intercession of the Virgin Mary before Him, no matter how great our achievements or how high our social status, they cannot earn us eternal rewards when we ultimately face God’s just judgment at the end of our lives. Therefore, we should learn from the Virgin Mary in our lives, learning to carry out God’s will in all things. Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for us before the Lord, that we may be worthy to receive His grace. Amen.
全属于祢 
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