Friday, Christmas
Weekday
(I John 2:29-3:6; John 1:29-34)
Even when humans admit to sin, they often present
excuses. They can say that their sins
are small compared to others’. Or they
may blame others for causing them to sin.
Sometimes they claim that they could not have avoided the sin. These excuses or the outright denial of sinning
are tragic in a way. They add up to a
denial of the need for a savior from sin.
In other words they separate the persons from an intimate relationship
with Jesus.
Both readings today emphasize that Jesus came to save
humans from their sins. The first reading
says outright, “… (Jesus) was revealed to take away sins…” In the gospel seeing Jesus, John the Baptist says,
“’Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’” That “sin of the world” is nothing less than the
collective betrayal of God by every person.
In many places Christmas has degenerated into an end-of-the-year
family reunion. It should be more than
that with us Christians. We celebrate
the one who came to take away our sins. Through
Jesus’ death and resurrection we are being formed into God’s daughters and sons. The process presumes that we recognize our
sins and turn to Christ for forgiveness.
