First impressions last forever

January 3, Christmas Weekday

1 Jn 2:29-3:6; Jn 1:29-34.

It is often said that first impressions last forever. I can still recall when, how and where I was when I was introduced to some people who are important in my life. I can also recall my first impressions and how these were either confirmed as I got to know the person more, or completely changed. I guess that we all have such experiences.

John the Baptist had such an experience too. John and Jesus were cousins with only six months' difference between them. Who knows how much they played together in their childhood (NB there was no Playstation at the time). Several painters have in fact depicted Jesus sitting on Mary's laps, with John standing close by. However when the time came, John recognised who Jesus is, for him and for the whole world.

Who is Christ for me? How has this image matured over time - if at all? Our image of God conditions the way that we relate with God, with others, with ourselves and with the rest of creation. Our first image or impressions of Jesus might be that the very same image that those who introduced us first to him might have held in their minds. Hopefully it was a good image. Sometimes, with all good intentions, it might have been a more negative image, for example that of one who is always with "writing a list and checking it twice to see who is naughty or nice." In any case, we are called to go deeper into our relationship with Christ to verify and strengthen or revise and change our impression of who Jesus is for us.

There is step further to go than this. Who Jesus is to me also has an effect on who Jesus is for the rest of the world, starting with those closest to me. When you are at a wedding and somebody introduces his or her spouse or partner to you, you can often tell a lot about the relationship from how he or she is introduced to you. This is no different with Christ. I do not mean here that we must go about speaking about Jesus wherever we are, because that is not always prudent. But the way that I live must be able to speak volumes about my relationship with God, even through the simplest actions.

When we do so, the words, "Takes away the sin of the World" take on a new meaning. First, Jesus becomes him who takes away the sin not of a few privileged ones, who were fortunate enough to hear about Jesus, but of entire the world, nobody excluded. More importantly, Jesus is him who takes away the sin of the world, that is of our worldliness, of our shortsightedness, of an existence that starts and ends here. Jesus, the Lamb of God, transforms the sin of the world with His grace. This very world is no longer sin but becomes a means to get a step closer to God, the world is no longer sin that shackles us but a tool that gives us freedom to live our life creatively in love for others and for God.