GOSPEL REFLECTION, FRIDAY 2 JANUARY 2026, ST BASIL THE GREAT AND ST GREGORY NAZIANZEN

John 1:19-28.  In the sublime and magnificent Prologue of John’s gospel (1:1-18) the evangelist proclaims what he intends to do as he continues to proclaim who Jesus is and what is his mission on earth.  He is the Word of God, Incarnate Son of the Father, and his mission is to reveal the Father to us and to redeem humanity from sin and death.  Now, in today’s gospel reading he tells of Jesus’ first steps into his public ministry.  In order to make it clear just who Jesus is, John tells us that a delegation of the authorities in Jerusalem came to ask who John the Baptist was or claimed to be.  Was John the messiah?  There was a variety of understandings among the people who the messiah was to be.  John is asked, ‘are you the Messiah, or Elijah, or The Prophet?’  John denies that he is any of these, but that ‘there is one among you whom you do not yet recognise whose sandals I am not fit to untie.’  John then immediately begins his narration of Jesus’ life which is the rest of the gospel.  In it, divine revelation gradually makes clear just who Jesus is.

Beginning with verse 19, John now tells us the first steps in how Jesus was revealed to be as he began his public ministry.  Of course, the full revelation of who Jesus was is yet to come with the Pascal Mystery -- Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.  In the verses immediately after our reading Jesus is baptised by John the Baptist as a dove from heaven descended on Jesus.  John proclaimed, “this is the Son of God!”