Opening Prayer

God,
your Son stands among us,
but we don't know him enough
and people may not know him enough
because they don't see him in us or among us.
Make us his voice,
perhaps a silent and timid voice,
because we show a bit of his goodness,
of his compassion and forgiveness
by the way we live.
We are not Christ,
but let us be his humble sign and voice,
for he is our Lord for ever.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction:

In his first letter, John, probably reacting against the Gnostics, strongly asserts that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ in our midst.

First Reading: 1 Jn 2:22-28

Who is the liar?
The one who denies that Jesus is the Christ.
This is an antichrist, who denies both the Father and the Son. The one who denies the Son is without the Father, and those who acknowledge the Son also have the Father.
Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you, too, will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise he himself gave us: eternal life.
I write this to you thinking of those who try to lead you astray.
You received from him an anointing, and it remains in you, so you do not need someone to teach you. His anointing teaches you all things, it speaks the truth and does not lie to you; so remain in him, and keep what he has taught you.
And now, my children, live in him, so that when he appears in his glory, we may be confident and not ashamed before him when he comes.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

R/  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R/  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R/  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R/  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Gospel Introduction:

Like John the Baptist in the gospel, we, and the whole Church, have to assert strongly that we are not the Christ, though he stands among us, but we have to be his voice, most of all by the way we live. Our lives have to point to him.

Gospel Reading: Jn 1:19-28

This was the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, "Who are you?" John recognized the truth and did not deny it. He said, "I am not the Messiah."
And they asked him, "Then who are you? Elijah?" He answered, "I am not." They said, "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." Then they said to him, "Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?" And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, "I am the voice crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord."
Those who had been sent were Pharisees; so they put a further question to John: "Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?" John answered, "I baptize you with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal."
This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.