Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1:1-3; John 1:29-34
Maybe not so much for human beings, but “smell” plays a vital role in the animal kingdom: at least, it marks boundaries and territories, in addition to group identity. Little did I know that “smell” is also important for human beings and, today, I realize that it is vital for Christianity. As a young minor seminarian, I went for morning Mass with another seminary at a sisters’ convent chapel. As we stepped into the convent, it took barely seconds before the seminarian with me asked the sisters, whether his Mother was in that convent. The sister superior retorted: “what made you ask?” He said: “I can perceive my Mother’s perfume/cologne!” True to life, his Mother visited that convent the previous day! You and I, what is our smell? How do people know that we are Christians?
If we seek a connecting link that cuts across our readings of this Sunday, and gives the Christian “smell”, it is “mission” and “action”. Not necessarily mission as “missionary” that requires going to foreign lands and countries to preach the good news, but “mission” as having a duty and responsibility to make Christ known wherever we find ourselves. The way to make Christ known is through what we do; so, mission is connected to “action”. From the first reading’s commission that “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6), through “you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours” (1 Corinthians 1:2), to “the One who sent me to baptize with water told me . . .” (John 1:33) they all attest to mission—a God who calls and sends on mission—and “action,” the fact that there is work to be done by every human being.
Our readings, this Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, just one week after the Baptism-of-the-Lord, require the fruits of baptism from us—Christian mission and action! Let us begin with today’s gospel reading. It is ironic the confession of John, but interesting his testimony. “Ironic” because his mission involves “faith” rather than a clear vision: John confesses that he didn’t know the “Lamb-of-God,” but he points him out all the same. Interestingly, without knowing him, John then goes on to testify, to tell us how he put one-and-two together to prove that Jesus is the Lamb-of-God: “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’”. There was a prior relationship between John and God. God sent John on a mission with directives. John carries out his mission of baptizing, and during the course of discharging his duties, the Holy Spirit’s descent on Jesus revealed the personality and destiny of Jesus to John. John’s testimony is based on the knowledge he got from God not human beings. By implication, a relationship with God provides the knowledge of God and mission, and by discharging one’s duties for God and human beings (Christian action), one testifies to God’s presence.
Every Christian, after baptism, has the responsibility to make Jesus known through his/her mission, the work he/she does. In fact, on seeing us, people should know who we are. It was by sight that John testified about and identified Jesus. John saw in his mission, a job to reveal Jesus to the world: “the reason why I came baptizing with water was that Jesus might be revealed to the world” (John 1:31). The revelation of Jesus as the “Lamb-of-God” suggests that it was known what mission Jesus himself had: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The mission of Jesus is to “take away the sin of the world”. To describe Jesus’ mission in the present “who TAKES away the sin of the world” is to emphasize the need, even today, to rid the world of sin.
It is the daily elimination of sin, the ignorance of God and the redemption won for us by his Son, Jesus Christ, and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, that makes baptism an empowerment for Christian action. Our first reading indicates that Christianity, the light that every Christian carries, is meant to reach to the ends of the earth: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Christianity is not a private gift, it must be shared with others. It is the power of the smell of Christianity that reveals the presence and identity of Christ among human beings. The “smell” of Christianity is the charity of Christians, the signature of love and a sign of universal brotherhood and sisterhood we show to one another. Love doesn’t discriminate, it is impartial, and sees in every human being God himself!
Imagine what the sweet smell and perfume of Christianity would be, should you and I be at our tasks/duty posts as John was at his? It was by baptizing Jesus that the Holy Spirit provides the smell of Jesus to John —he recognized Jesus. It was the smell of John’s duty/mission to baptize that drew Jesus to John. Our second reading makes everyone important in this project: “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” (1 Corinthians 1:2). “Holiness” is this smell required of Christians—fidelity to our missions. The smell of holiness, the testimony of hospitality and charity, the power of relationships with God and one another: behold the smell of Christianity and the presence of God among his people!
This is the message of today—to know God is to have relationship with him, a relationship that is made manifest through our actions and activities—the Christian smell! If my seminarian friend could recognize the presence of his Mother through her perfume, how are you known and recognized as a Christian?
Assignment for the Week:
Do something that will mark you out as a Christian this week.