It was the Archangel Gabriel who first spoke the name of Jesus to His mother,

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus” (Luke 1:31).

Saint Paul, he said, “…at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,

of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”

 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊       

1 John 2:29-3:6

You know, that he is the Just One:

know, then, that anyone living justly is born of God.

See what singular love the Father has for us: we are called children of God, and we really are.

This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God's children, and what we shall be has not, yet, been shown.

 

Yet, when he appears in his glory, we know that we shall be like him,

for then, we shall see him as he is. All who have such a hope, try to be pure, as he is pure.

Anyone who commits a sin, acts as an enemy of the law of God; any sin acts wickedly,

because all sin is wickedness. You know, that he came to take away our sins,

and that there is no sin in him. Whoever remains in him, has no sin, whoever sins, has not seen, or known him.

 

Ps 98: 1, 3cd-4, 5-6

All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

John 1:29-34

The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said,

"There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! It is he of whom I said:

A man comes after me, who is already ahead of me, for he was before me.

I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing to prepare for him, so that he might be revealed in Israel."

 

And John also gave this testimony, "I saw the Spirit coming down on him, like a dove from heaven, and resting on him.

I myself did not know him, but God, who sent me to baptize, told me, 'You will see the Spirit coming down,

and resting on the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.! Yes, I have seen! And I declare that this is the Chosen One of God!

 

Gospel Reflection ：

God saves.

When God embraced our human condition, He called it Jesus.

Jesus in Hebrew means "God saves" or "Yahweh is salvation."

The salvation wrought by Jesus is not merely a singular moment in history

but is very much ingrained in the continued movement of God in creation daily.

 

Our human experiences, whether good or bad, simple or grand,

can always be opportunities to encounter God and experience His grace.

May we make it a habit to pray in the name of Jesus

so that we may live constantly in the courageous hope that God always saves.