May the Peace of Christ be with you.
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS: We received a compliment from last weekend that we wanted to pass along to you. Someone noted that a Eucharistic Minister sanitized their hands following someone receiving the Eucharist by lounge. Thank you for your intention to keep our community healthy!.
USHERS: As we did last weekend, we will be taking up TWO collections this weekend. If you are scheduled or not, please do present yourself as available to help with the collections. Many thanks.
- The first collection is to follow the prayers of the faithful and the announcements.
- The second will follow communion. This may begin as the last Eucharistic Minister is beginning their return to the altar.
If you are scheduled or not, please do present yourself as available to help with the collections. Many thanks.
LECTORS: For the Prayers of the Faithful, please proceed to the altar in anticipation of your role, as the presider begins to introduce our prayers. Please do not wait in your seat for him to finish the introduction, therefore, placing quiet time between the introduction and the actual prayers. Thank you.
The First Reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 and is the second of the "suffering servant" prophecies, found in Isaiah. These were prophecies uttered during the Babylonian exile to encourage the Jewish exiles to persevere in their trust in Yahweh, who would soon liberate them from Babylon, and eventually send them the long-expected Messiah, promised to Abraham.
The Second Reading is from the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians 1:1-3. The opening verses of this letter have been chosen for the reading because they show the prophecy, read in the first lesson, as fulfilled among the pagans, as well as emphasizing the purpose of the Messiah's coming: the sanctification and true enlightenment of all nations.
The Gospel is from St. John 1:29-34. The pages of the Gospel present John the Baptist as a symbolic example of a ‘bridegroom’s friend’, as Christ’s excellent and exemplary witness. The Baptist’s pre-eminent witness was affirmed in two ways: firstly with regard to the content of his testimony and secondly with respect to its style.
With regard to the content of his testimony, the Baptist identified Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world’ (Jn 1:29). Anticipating Jesus’ messianic and salvific role, each of the four evangelists start their Gospels with the Baptist’s words. The Lamb refers to the idea of salvation. The Lamb is the gift of liberation that, following the flight from Egypt, the Israelites sacrificed to the Lord. The Lamb recalls the servant of the Lord, the messianic image described by the Prophet Isaiah, ‘like a lamb led to the slaughter-house, like a sheep dumb before its shearers’ (Is 53:7). The Lamb recalls the image of the Victorious Lamb in the Book of the Apocalypse who at the end of time will definitively destroy evil and sin. John the Baptist is therefore, an authoritative witness who knew Jesus’ exact identity and why He came amongst men. Learn more here.
A brief prayer / meditation for you can be found here.
You can now find previous flocknote messages (including for Lectors) at
Finally, please reserve the morning of Saturday, February 11 for this event.
