Sunday, January 15
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Roman Ordinary calendar
Book of Isaiah 49,3.5-6.
The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.
For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
Psalms 40(39),2.4.7-8.9.10.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
and trust in the LORD.
Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
First Letter to the Corinthians 1,1-3.
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 1,29-34.
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’
I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.”
John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.
I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’
Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”
Reflection by Fr Ciappi:
This morning the Church challenges us with the discipleship of three people. Isaiah, Paul and John the Baptist. The Scriptures challenges us to imitate them through in their work by attracting the sinner, bringing them home, and by using our senses as well as our heart in deepening our relationship with Jesus.
Isaiah is the servant whose job it was to bring back those who strayed from the covenant. His life was to serve God first, above all things and to bring others back to the covenant.
Paul was called to be holy. The meaning of his whole life was to attract others to pray together in the Church.
John the Baptist, who lived in the desert, was a man of truth and insight. By silencing himself, he was able to strengthen his eyes and his ears to deepen his life with God. Entering into the world, he could recognize the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world.
This gift of these men is to help us see who we are or who we could be. The true disciple is a person fully engaged and alive in his faith; a person who realizes God first above all things and that I am responsible for attracting others to join us in praying together in the Church.
The disciple’s life is defined by his gathering up of those who are lost to the covenant in which they have been baptized.
The disciple of Jesus works on perfecting the virtues in his life in order to be fully alive in the Communion of the Saints, recognizing my servant hood by receiving and sharing God’s forgiveness and mercy.
And finally, the disciple is the person who, by silencing himself, is able to strengthen his eyes and his ears to deepen his life with God, so when he encounters the world at work or in the marketplace, he can help others recognize the Lamb of God Who extends to all forgiveness and mercy.
Yes, indeed, we too can re-awaken our spirit by emulating these disciples. We too can share an ignited zeal to deepen and mature our relationship with Jesus, knowing Him better by reaching out to the lost and alienated; we can become less shallow and understand the mysteries we so often celebrate here at the core of our Christian life.
“Pour on us, O Lord, the Spirit of Your love, and in Your kindness make those You have nourished by this one heavenly Bread one in mind and heart.”
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
Pingback: Sunday Mass Readings and Reflections – William Hemsworth-The Bible Catholic