The Gospel for Saturday, Christmas Weekday is taken from John 1st, chapter 2934. John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, a man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me. I did not know him. But the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel. John testified further, saying, I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him.

I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, on whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God. In a way, it seems strange that John the Baptist would say that he didn’t really know Jesus. He certainly knew Jesus, the cousin, the relative, the playmate. But when he says, I did not know him, he’s emphasizing the importance of the moment at the baptism of Jesus when there was a voice from God saying, this is my beloved Son on whom my favor rests. Listened to him.

Imagine that experience. For John the Baptist, it is the absolute confirmation of everything he dreamt about, thought about, wondered about, hoped for. It was made clear to him who this Jesus is. And John was so ready to step away, to allow this gift to take flesh and to change the world. After the music, I will close with a prayer. Closing prayer There’s a way in which we can understand John the Baptist as representing everything that happened in the Old Testament.

It was all pointing to something. It was all awakening people to something that’s coming. And we see John the Baptist so clearly naming it, and he was the one they thought might be the one who was to come. But no, he’s so clear. It is not me that is coming. It is the Christ, my cousin, my friend.

And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.