In today’s reading, John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching and cries out, giving witness about who Jesus is. John the Baptist uses two titles for Jesus that are familiar to us.  John calls Jesus the “Lamb of God” and the “Son of God.” By using these titles, John the Baptist identifies Jesus’ ultimate purpose: to redeem sinful humanity. The purpose of John’s baptism was to make Jesus known to Israel. John the Baptist’s sense of purpose is clearly identified in this reading: he baptized in order to prepare for and make known the ministry of the One who was to follow.  John’s witness is an excellent example of what it means to be a disciple. By our Baptism, we are called to make Jesus known to all the world by our words and by the witness of our lives.