Next Wednesday we begin our week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Too often in the past, the Christian Churches have been divided on different issues instead of focusing on what unites us all as followers of Jesus Christ.  

When John sees Jesus coming towards him, he is quick to proclaim, ‘Look there is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’. He tells them that Jesus was the one he spoke of when he said that someone was coming after him who was far greater than he was. It’s almost as if John the Baptist is saying that his task is now complete and that it’s up to those listening to decide for themselves if they want to become followers of ‘the Chosen one of God’.

Through the sacrament of baptism, we are all called to be Jesus modern day disciples and his witnesses by the way we live our lives. That seed or gift of faith which was planted back then requires a loving personal response from us. Our faith is not something that we live out in isolation from the wider world. We are called to be ministers of his love and show compassion to those we meet daily. Bearing witness to Christ is an active, not passive, lifelong task. By doing so we can also draw or invite others to ‘come and see’ and hopefully respond to his lifelong invitation.

May that flame of faith we all received at baptism burn brightly in our hearts always.

Fr Gerry