John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29).

The only one who can take away sins is God. The unblemished lamb is the animal that is sacrificed at the Passover meal, commemorating when the angel of death passed over the Hebrews whose doorposts were marked with the blood of the lamb. The next day they were freed from their slavery under pharaoh, and the Exodus event began culminating in their passing through the Red Sea to freedom.

The Son of God became human to become the Lamb of God. He experienced laughter, pain, suffering, love, tears, and all of our human condition even temptation, but he did not sin. The Son of God became human so that what he assumed in his human condition, he could redeem. As the Lamb of God, Jesus approached John for baptism, he took upon himself the sin of the world and submitted his divinity to his human condition and was willing to be baptized for repentance not because he sinned, but so that he entered into solidarity with us in our sin. He was then and is not afraid now to come close. This act also foreshadowed his crucifixion.

The Incarnation, the Son becoming fully human while remaining fully divine, was the premiere act of mercy, in that miracle, Jesus entered the chaos and woundedness of our lives. His willingness to die on the cross is the greatest expression of his love. The same love that he has, continued to and always will share with his Father, in holding nothing back, we can see him doing so visibly when we look upon a crucifix. He was born and died, he gave everything, including his life for each and every one of us.

We cannot redeem ourselves, heal by our own willing it, escape from our own sins alone, nor be restored to who we have been created to be. We need a savior. Jesus is a model to follow and teacher to guide us, while at the same time he so much more. He who is divine, became one with us in our humanity to lead us and free us from our slavery to sin. Each Christmas is a reminder of the gift of the incarnation, that we can be blessed by every day. As we receive his invitation to grow in our relationship with Jesus daily, he grants us the grace to access and share in the divine Love experienced between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus holds his hand out to each one of us today. May we receive his hand, and as our fingers touch his palm may we feel the wound there, touch, as did Thomas, the imprint of the nail that pierced his flesh, and realize he allowed this to happen so that we could have this very moment with him. Even in our wounds, anxiety, insecurities, confusion, fear, and sin, may we resist pulling away. May we feel the warmth of his hand grip ours. Let our gaze be drawn up to see his face, his smile, and so experience his forgiveness, healing, and his infinite love.

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Photo: Blessed at each Mass and second Advent as a priest, to hold up the Body of Christ and say, “Behold, the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sin of the world.” May we who behold him and receive his Body and Blood or spiritual communion, believe in him.

Link for the readings of the Mass for Saturday, January 3, 2026