Behold, the lamb of God
Published Jan 3, 2026 12:05 am
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Updated Jan 2, 2026 06:09 pm
REFLECTIONS TODAY
The Latin saying “Nomen est omen” states that the destiny or future of a person is revealed in one’s name.
Thus “Jesus,” which means “God saves,” strongly proclaims Jesus’ vocation to be the Savior of humankind. This name has variations in Israel like “Joshua” or “Yehoshua.”
The Archangel Gabriel revealed this name to Mary in the Annunciation and also to Joseph in a dream. Thus, on the eighth day after the birth of the child, as is the custom among the Jews, the parents gave the name “Jesus” to the child.
The Son of God entered in to the world and is given a common human name. But at the completion of his mission, the name takes literally what it signifies, so that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11).
John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God after the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove.
Jesus saved his people by assuming the role of a sacrificial lamb. His demeanor would be meek and humble as a lamb, and he will offer his very life as a form of worship to his heavenly Father.
It would be a life and mission dedicated to seek and to fulfill the will of his heavenly Father and not his own.
Owing to his perfect sacrifice on the cross, we believe that “there is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved”(Acts4:12).
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to keep his Father’s name holy.
We can also honor Jesus’ name by cooperating in the power of the Holy Spirit in our life and allow Jesus to continue to save us from our sins.
First Reading • 1 John 2:29—3:6
If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him.
See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him.
Responsorial Psalm• Ps98
“All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.”
Gospel • 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.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.