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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 1:29–31
Though John grew up in the hill country of Judea near Jerusalem and
Jesus grew up in Nazareth, it is very likely that their families
visited each other regularly, allowing John and Jesus to spend time
together as cousins. Despite this, when John first saw His cousin
coming to him in the wilderness, he said, “I did not know him.”
John did not fully understand who Jesus was—that He was the
Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world—until
John began his public ministry and witnessed the Holy Spirit
descending upon his Lord, his cousin.
What an awe-inspiring and joyous moment that must have been for
John. He had discerned that his mission was to prepare the way for
the Messiah, to be the Messiah’s immediate precursor, preparing the
way for Him. He embraced that mission and fulfilled it by preaching
and offering a baptism of repentance to those who believed. He
lived in the wilderness, fasting, praying, and anticipating the day
the Messiah would arrive. Imagine his surprise and delight at that
moment when he saw the Holy Spirit descend upon his cousin.
Though the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in a singularly unique
way, since He is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, John’s
experience offers us an invitation to remain vigilant as we await
Jesus’ ongoing coming among us. Though our Lord came and walked the
Earth 2,000 years ago, He continues to do so today through His
Body, the Church. Like John, we must be on the lookout, and when we
see Him, we must cry out in faith, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
The most important way our Lord comes to us is within the Mass. The
priest repeats John the Baptist’s familiar words as he holds up our
Lord, hidden within the Sacred Host, for all to see. Additionally,
our Lord comes to us as the Holy Spirit descends and makes Him
known. This happens in sermons, reflections, Church teachings,
within the charity of others’ actions, through personal prayer, and
in numerous other ways. We must see the Lamb of God every time He
comes to us, ideally with the same wonder and awe that filled
John’s mind and heart during those first encounters.
Reflect today on those sacred words with which we are very
familiar: “Behold the Lamb of God…” As you do, ponder how often you
personally “behold” Him. Are you filled with wonder and awe at
Mass? Within your daily prayer? In the life of the Church and in
the lives of faithful Christians you encounter? As we continue our
Christmas season, which focuses on the Incarnation, make the words
of the Baptist your own as you discover the ongoing presence of our
Lord made possible through the Incarnation.
My awe-inspiring Lord, because of Your Incarnation, You continue
to be present in this world, coming to us and drawing us to
Yourself. When Your cousin, John the Baptist, first saw the Holy
Spirit descend upon You in the desert, he cried out, “Behold, the
Lamb of God!” Please give me the eyes of faith I need to echo that
cry as I encounter Your divine presence in my life. Jesus, I trust
in You.
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