Saint John the Baptist had knowledge of Christ. At the approach of the Lord he exclaimed unto his disciples: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world."
We should desire to cultivate this same knowledge of Christ for ourself. We should not be content with hearing such an invitation and in return going no further what we have received. May we heed the words of John the Baptist and thus be willing to "behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world."
How do we cultivate such knowledge? In order to do this we must enter into the silence of prayer, we must study Sacred Scripture and other books which might assist us in our understanding of faith, and we must enter into the sacramental life of the Church. All of this assists us in coming to have this knowledge of Christ that Saint John the Baptist had extended unto his disciples.
The more that we come to know Christ the more that we will desire to emulate Him by the way in which we order our life. We will come to surrender ourself unto Him and thus be willing to always profess the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Not only will we come to profess this reality, but we will also be sent forth like John the Baptist extending this same invitation unto others.
We spend so much time cultivating other amusements within our life thus forgetting the important need of cultivating this knowledge of Christ for ourself. We are concerned with celebraties and television. We are concerned with excelling at our job in order that a promotion may be achieved. We are fixated upon health and how to fix it. We value the neccessity of relaxation, but we do so without giving thought to God. Today Saint John the Baptist invites us to something so much greater and that is an encounter with Jesus Christ and His abudant mercy which takes away the sins of the world.
Saint John the Baptist's life is given in compete testimony to the coming of Christ. He studied scripture and he knew that it pointed the way towards Christ. He entered into prayer which ordered his life towards the coming of Christ. He performed actions of penance which ordered his life towards Christ. He gave a message of repentance because He desired others to order their life after the coming of the Messiah.
Therefore, may we too be willing to accept this invitation of Saint John the Baptist into our life. May we come to use the time in which we are given to nurture our knowledge of Christ. May we be open to welcoming Him into our homes in order that His Most Holy Name may always come to be professed. In all things may God be glorified and thus may we accept the Lamb of God into our life and thus allow Him to pour His mercy upon us. Thus may we truly come to profess with Saint John the Baptist: "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world."
