Our Witness to the Spirit

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invoke the images of children and a lamb to initiate our contemplation of the Way we are invited to be witnesses like the Baptist to Jesus presence in our world.

Children of the Lamb

The Reading from the First Letter of John exhorts us to be Children of God Avoiding Sin.

* [3:1–3] The greatest sign of God’s love is the gift of his Son (Jn 3:16) that has made Christians true children of God. This relationship is a present reality and also part of the life to come; true knowledge of God will ultimately be gained, and Christians prepare themselves now by virtuous lives in imitation of the Son.

* [3:2] When it is revealed: or “when he is revealed” (the subject of the verb could be Christ).

* [3:4] Lawlessness: a reference to the activity of the antichrist, so it is expressed as hostility toward God and a rejection of Christ. The author goes on to contrast the states of sin and righteousness. Christians do not escape sin but realize that when they sin they cease to have fellowship with God. Virtue and sin distinguish the children of God from the children of the devil. (1 John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 98 proclaims that all nations are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world.

* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John proclaims John the Baptist’s Testimony to Jesus.

* [1:29] The Lamb of God: the background for this title may be the victorious apocalyptic lamb who would destroy evil in the world (Rev 5–7; 17:14); the paschal lamb, whose blood saved Israel (Ex 12); and/or the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as a sin-offering (Is 53:7, 10).

* [1:30] He existed before me: possibly as Elijah (to come, Jn 1:27); for the evangelist and his audience, Jesus’ preexistence would be implied (see note on Jn 1:1).

* [1:31] I did not know him: this gospel shows no knowledge of the tradition (Lk 1) about the kinship of Jesus and John the Baptist. The reason why I came baptizing with water: in this gospel, John’s baptism is not connected with forgiveness of sins; its purpose is revelatory, that Jesus may be made known to Israel.

* [1:32] Like a dove: a symbol of the new creation (Gn 8:8) or the community of Israel (Hos 11:11). Remain: the first use of a favorite verb in John, emphasizing the permanency of the relationship between Father and Son (as here) and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.

* [1:34] The Son of God: this reading is supported by good Greek manuscripts, including the Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri and the Vatican Codex, but is suspect because it harmonizes this passage with the synoptic version: “This is my beloved Son” (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22). The poorly attested alternate reading, “God’s chosen One,” is probably a reference to the Servant of Yahweh (Is 42:1). (John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Vivian Amu comments that Jesus, Emmanuel, the Christ, comes near, not only in the manger, but in the face of a stranger, the kindness of a neighbor, in the beauty of creation, the quiet whispers of hope in our hearts. Yet, like John, we may not truly see him, recognize him, or know him.

As we step into the first days of a new year, perhaps our invitation is to look for Christ in the moments we might too easily overlook—an unspoken forgiveness, a sunrise breaking through clouds, laughter in unexpected places. The Christ we celebrate is here, and if we open ourselves to the spirit, we might say with wonder: “I did not know him…but now I do.” Let Him shape not only who we are, but also, how we live in our beautiful, holy identity as children of God.

God whose presence is love, help us see you, recognize you, and know you, throughout this new year. (Amu, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “John points to Jesus' saving mission,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"No longer does John need to 'prepare the way,' since the one for whom the preparation was being made is right there before his eyes... But now he who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all, that he might drive away the sin of the world, that he might overturn the destroyer of the earth, that dying for all he might annihilate death, that he might undo the curse that is upon us... For one Lamb died for all (2 Corinthians 5:14), saving the whole flock on earth to God the Father, one for all, that he might subject all to God." (excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 2:29–3:6 comments that this hope of seeing God, this promise of being with him forever, can fill our hearts with a deep yearning for heaven. It can move us to put away any sin that is clouding our vision of him so that we can live more fully for the Lord here and now.

Of course, any experience of the Lord that we have here, even the most powerful, is only a taste of the glory that awaits us. Even the gift of the Holy Spirit is the “first installment” of what we are promised as children of God (Ephesians 1:14).

So keep your eyes fixed on your Father in heaven, and every step you take on earth will bring you closer to him.

“Lord, I can’t wait to see you!” (Meditation on 1 John 2:29–3:6, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that 1 John contains the dualistic idea that one is for God or for the world, understood as those who live in sin and darkness. We are urged, in 1 John, to make ourselves pure as God is pure, citing Leviticus. John the Baptist proclaims Jesus as the “Lamb of God” using his language of Aramaic in which the word for lamb is the same as servant. The Gospel recalls that the death of the suffering servant is for our sins. John gives witness to Jesus the one who is Baptised by the Spirit. The dove in the Hebrew Testament is a symbol of Love. The Spirit is the Love between the Father and the Son. John the Baptist proclaims that the Spirit descended upon Jesus. Friar Jude notes that in John’s Gospel the phrase “son of God “ is refined from the Hebrew Testament concept of “a good person” to be the only begotten Son of God, a person of the Trinity.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Buddhist teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo who offers a guided meditation that grounds us more deeply in what it means to be salt and light. This 5-minute guided meditation is led by mindfulness teacher and author Kaira Jewel Lingo, who spent fifteen years living as a nun under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh. Her work is regularly featured in Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations.

Being Salt and Light: A Guided Meditation

(Rohr, 2026)

We contemplate our prayerful instruction to “Behold the Lamb of God” and seek guidance to act as disciples that respond to our mission to transform the “face of the earth”

References

Amu, V. (2026, January 2). Daily Reflection January 3, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-january-3-2026 

John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?29 

Meditation on 1 John 2:29–3:6. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 3, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/03/1464433/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/3 

Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Rohr, R. (2026, January 3). Being Salt and Light: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/summary-being-salt-and-light-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Behold the Lamb of God! Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 3, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

The Word and Life

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, challenge us to ponder the faith and love of the Beloved Apostle that shows us the Way to fullness of life.

Beloved and the Word

The Reading from the First Letter of John proclaims The Word of Life*

* [1:1–4] There is a striking parallel to the prologue of the gospel of John (Jn 1:1–18), but the emphasis here is not on the preexistent Word but rather on the apostles’ witness to the incarnation of life by their experience of the historical Jesus. He is the Word of life (1 Jn 1:1; cf. Jn 1:4), the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible (1 Jn 1:2; cf. Jn 1:14), and was heard, seen, looked upon, and touched by the apostles. The purpose of their teaching is to share that life, called fellowship…with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, with those who receive their witness (1 Jn 1:3; Jn 1:14, 16). (1 John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 97 praises God appearing in a storm.

* [Psalm 97] The hymn begins with God appearing in a storm, a traditional picture of some ancient Near Eastern gods (Ps 97:1–6); cf. Ps 18:8–16; Mi 1:3–4; Heb 3:3–15. Israel rejoices in the overthrowing of idol worshipers and their gods (Ps 97:7–9) and the rewarding of the faithful righteous (Ps 97:10–12). (Psalms, PSALM 97 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John proclaims The Empty Tomb. 

* [20:1–10] The story of the empty tomb is found in both the Matthean and the Lucan traditions; John’s version seems to be a fusion of the two.

* [20:1] Still dark: according to Mark the sun had risen, Matthew describes it as “dawning,” and Luke refers to early dawn. Mary sees the stone removed, not the empty tomb.

* [20:2] Mary runs away, not directed by an angel/young man as in the synoptic accounts. The plural “we” in the second part of her statement might reflect a tradition of more women going to the tomb.

* [20:3–10] The basic narrative is told of Peter alone in Lk 24:12, a verse missing in important manuscripts and which may be borrowed from tradition similar to John. Cf. also Lk 24:24.

* [20:6–8] Some special feature about the state of the burial cloths caused the beloved disciple to believe. Perhaps the details emphasized that the grave had not been robbed. (John, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Anish Kochanichottil, SJ, comments that St. John is called ‘the beloved disciple’ because the biblical narratives reveal a man of great emotional power, capable of profound love and unwavering commitment. And love and commitment, he believes, help us understand others more clearly.

The Gospel says, “…he saw and believed.” John believed that Jesus had truly risen. He is credited as the first to understand and believe in the resurrection. What made this possible? It was love, love that gave him eyes to read the signs and a mind ready to grasp their meaning. The gospel and the Epistles of John speak repeatedly of love, showing that the author wrote from experience. Love is the greatest interpreter. Love can grasp the truth when intellect is confused. Love looks beyond the surface. (Kocnanichottil, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Word of Life was seen and touched,” by Severus of Antioch (488-538 AD).

"Given that this same John also said, 'No one has ever seen God' (John 1:18, 1 John 1:4:12), how can he assure us that the living Word of Life has been seen and touched? It is clear that it was in his incarnate and human form that he was visible and touchable. What was not true of him by nature became true of him in that way, for he is one and the same indivisible Word, both visible and invisible, and without diminishing in either respect he became touchable in both his divine-human nature. For he worked his miracles in his divinity and suffered for us in his humanity." (excerpt from CATENA) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 1:1-4 comments that the saint we celebrate today had the privilege of knowing the Lord and witnessing his resurrection—as well as the responsibility of proclaiming the good news of all that he saw and experienced. And John did proclaim it, not only in his missionary efforts, but especially in his Gospel and in the letters and the Book of Revelation that bear his name.

What is at the heart of John’s proclamation? That each of us can experience the joy that he felt because every one of us is a “disciple . . . whom [Jesus] loved” (John 19:26). That means you can experience John’s joy. And like John’s joy, it’s made “complete” as you give it away (1 John 1:4).

How have you seen and heard and felt Jesus? Whatever you have experienced, share it with someone today—and watch your joy grow!

“Holy Spirit, fill me with joy that overflows as I share the gospel!” (Meditation on 1 John 1:1-4, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the reading from the First Letter of John is from one of  perhaps three authors of the books; the Letters, the Gospel, and Revelation because the style and theology is very different in the three books. The beginning of the letter today is to remind us not of the preexisting nature of Christ but the Incarnate nature thereby fighting the heresy of docetism that claimed Jesus just pretended to be human. This letter emphasizes His humanity and when we saw the Word became flesh. Mary goes early to the tomb and informs the others and the Beloved arrives first demonstrating the power of Love to do incredible things. He arrives first but He bows to authority and presents again the contrast of the Beloved and Peter in the Gospel of John. Friar Jude reflects on the burial clothes being placed separately and the cloth over the face of Jesus was simply folded up and is connected to the Shroud of Turin. 

James Finley invites us to rest in the same awareness or “mind of Christ” that Jesus lived from. He did not live out of his head. It was not mere ideas that he espoused, but deeply realized, deeply lived truths of what it means to be a fully alive human being. Saint Irenaeus said, “The glory of God is the human person fully alive.” We see the glory of God in the fully alive human person of Jesus. And in this way we, in seeing Jesus, see the glory of the flesh-and-blood human being we simply are and are called to be.

When we meditate, we enter the mind of Christ from the ground up. We do not bypass our breathing. Rather, we sit and listen and settle into the mystery of breathing…. When we sit still, we do not bypass the concrete immediacy of our bodily being. Rather, in sitting still we settle into the mystery of our bodily being that God the Father eternally contemplates in Christ the Word. When we meditate, we do not bypass our feelings. Rather, we settle into the mystery of all our feelings, as having their hidden, uncreated origins in the Father’s eternal contemplation of our feelings in Christ the Word. When we sit in meditation, we neither continue thinking nor abandon thought. Rather, we sit, quiet and still, in deepening meditative awareness of the uncreated origins of the Father’s eternal contemplation of thought in Christ the Word. (Finley, n.d.)

We hear that John “saw and believed” and we invoke the Spirit to enhance our vision and understanding of the message of Christ for fullness of life in our journey.

References

Finley, J. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/christ-in-all-things-weekly-summary/ 

John, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/20?1 

Kocnanichottil, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-december-27-2025 

Meditation on 1 John 1:1-4. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/12/27/1459913/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/1?1 

Psalms, PSALM 97 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/97?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). John Saw the Word of God Made Flesh and Believed. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 27, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/