In today’s Gospel we watch St John the Baptist as he points Jesus out to the people. He declares “Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”.

We are, of course, very familiar with these words, or ones very similar, as they have entered the Mass itself, before Holy Communion. We say them first as the priest breaks the host, and then we hear them again as he invites us to come forward to receive Jesus. It is believed that the words have been part of the Mass since at least the year 700.

So it is clear that this proclamation by St John touches something very deep in our understanding of and love for Our Lord. All the more strange then, that scholars have been discussing for many many years what exactly they mean. The problem is that lambs are mentioned in many different contexts in the Old Testament. One scholar outlined no fewer than eight different possible references elsewhere in the Scriptures to lambs that may have a bearing on these famous words. To which one – or ones – is St John drawing our attention by using them to describe Jesus?

As is often the case, perhaps we should look not to scholars but to the arts to help us. Take music – the words of the Mass have inspired many of the greatest composers. The way they set the “Lamb of God” or “Agnus Dei” often reaches the heights of beauty. Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Verdi’s Requiem, Palestrina’s Masses and many others offer us an alternative way into these mysterious words.

Painters also have created masterpieces on this theme. Van Eyck’s great alterpiece in Ghent is centered on the Lamb of God. The Spanish painter Zurbaran created an unforgettable image of the slain Lamb. (Just search “Ghent altarpiece Lamb of God” or “Zurbaran Lamb of God” to take a look.) Words such as these can touch us in a way that goes deeper than human words… So do not let them slip past in a kind of “Iammagod” way, Say or sing them with faith and let them linger in your heart.

“Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”.

Fr Matthew