The Baptism of the Lord
Lectionary: 21
Reading I
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
I, the LORD, have called you for the
victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
OR:
Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread,
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.
As I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of nations,
so shall you summon a nation you knew not,
and nations that knew you not shall run to
you,
because of the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.
Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call him while he is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked man his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.
For just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
and do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
so shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
my word shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (11b) The Lord will
bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
OR:
R. (3) You will draw
water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Reading II
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”
OR:
Beloved:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and
blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three that testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
John saw Jesus approaching him, and said:
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
This is what John the Baptist
proclaimed:
“One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
It happened in those days that Jesus came
from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
Today we celebrate The Baptism of Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ. This event marks the beginning of the Gospel of Mark and also marks the revealing of Jesus Christ to the entire world. John the Baptist was performing a Baptism of Repentance and heralding the coming of Jesus:
“A voice crying out in the desert.”
This Baptism of Repentance was in preparation for the Coming of Jesus Christ. He emphasized that with the coming of Jesus Christ there would be a Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is where we received the Sacrament of Baptism within the Church. Jesus would later commission his disciples to go out and baptize all peoples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The importance of this event cannot be overstated. It marks the full Revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and reveals the Holy Trinity: Jesus Christ the Son is baptized by John whereupon the Holy Spirit descends upon Him in the form of a dove and then the Father cries out:
““You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Before this event, since the beginning of creation, the relationship of the Trinity was witnessed in many different ways but here was when it was displayed for the first time in its entirety.
We can further understand the importance of this baptism because of its presence in all four of the Gospels as well as it being testified to in the Acts of the Apostles by Peter. It was a moment remembered and one of profound impact which was God’s intent in the first place. Everything that Jesus did was and is done with a purpose and that purpose is always for our benefit. Jesus did not have to be baptized by John. He was without sin and there was no need for Him to repent for anything. He emphasized this when John hesitated:
“Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”
To establish a relationship with Jesus Christ it is importance that we confess our sins, acknowledge our wrongdoings, and then make a commitment to do better in the future. The water used in John’s baptism was a symbol of a spiritual cleansing that occurs when our sins are washed away by God. What is left is a cleanliness of the soul. God has given us the gift of forgiveness and renewal every time we come forward to recommit ourselves to Him again. No one is without fault and it is vital to recognize these faults and get rid of them if we are to continue a relationship with God. Constant renewal is necessary if we are to grow stronger in our faith.
This is where the Sacrament of Reconciliation comes in. This was given to us to strengthen the bonds of love between us and God. Jesus gave his disciples the power to forgive sins, cast out demons, and to cure the sick. Jesus further gave Peter the authority over the Church here on this earth:
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven., and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
It was through Peter that the Church was established and through those he appointed that within the Church Confession became an important act in the life of a Christian in order to sustain a relationship with God. Reconciliation and Repentance, first presented by Jesus’ example in the Jordan then continued through His ministry, have been and always will be a vital part of our lives if we are to have any type of relationship with God. We are encouraged to follow the example that Jesus made.
The Apostle Peter tell us that, “ God shows no partiality.” He favors no one. We are all loved the same and are His children. The opportunity for love, forgiveness, and redemption is offered to everyone at no cost. There is an expectation that is grounded solely in love. One of the tenants of love is to please the one who is loved. To please God is to love God and express that love to him always. This is done by doing what is good and avoiding that which is bad. It is also done by listening to what He is saying. When we fail at this we only have to admit our faults, ask forgiveness, and recommit ourselves to doing that which is good. When this is done all the wreckage that we created is cleared away and there is only us and God. Just as God was with Jesus He can be with us in everything that we do. We are constantly being invited into a relationship with the Trinity by responding to God’s call, listening to Jesus, and recognizing the presence of the Holy Spirit which draws us to Him.
The tender love that God approaches his relationship with us can be understood through the Reading from Isaiah today. There is no shouting or crying out in the streets. There is no violence. A gentleness that is in direct opposite to the greatness of God is described. God wants to create and not destroy. God wants to repair instead of break. God wants to build up instead of tearing down. Jesus’ purpose was to be the gateway to the Father and it is through Jesus that the Father becomes known. This comes in the form of an invitation that has at its core a new way of looking at things through the eyes of God. It comes in the way of discovery; diving deep into the mysteries of God while tuning out all things that did not originate from Him. From knowledge and understanding will come wisdom. Wisdom leads us closer to God.
Recently there has been a lot of talk about The Great Reset that is needed in the world. A lot of very influential people have been emphasizing a rearranging of social and economic policies in an effort to reshape the world. The Revelation of Jesus Christ is really the only reset that anybody really needs. John the Baptist made it perfectly clear regarding how to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus in our lives. A recommitment to one’s faith opens the door to living a life that God intended us to live in the first place: a life that includes Him, God, and ultimately love.
Whenever we are challenged or struggling we can look back to that moment in the Jordan as a guidepost to what we must do to push out the negative and let God’s love in to heal us. We can “prepare the way of the Lord” to come into our lives by first confessing our sins, asking for forgiveness, then committing ourselves to a better way of living. This better way is with the guidance of Jesus, a relationship with the Father, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.
Deacon Tom
The Baptism of the Lord can serve as a time of renewal and rebirth for all of us. It can become a time for us to recommit ourselves to our faith in preparation for the Season of Lent which will be beginning a very short time from now. Sacred Scripture tells us that John the Baptist was sent ahead of Jesus proclaiming a Baptism of Repentance of Sins. Through this event we are encouraged to do the same. Repentance is two-fold. First there must be remorse for one's actions then there must be a commitment to change one's ways. This will inevitably prepare our hearts, minds, and souls to bring ourselves closer to Christ and affect the relationship in a positive way. Whatever we did in the past is guaranteed to stay there abandoned and forgotten while the future becomes a shining light with Christ.
The symbol of water is an effective tool to envision what happens to us as Christians when we confess our sins, repent, and repair our relationship with God. Our sins are washed away and we are reborn with Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit repairs the wounds caused by sin and heals us completely. We come forward broken and beaten. We leave strengthened and new. This is how much God loves us. He offers us this gift continuously through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and it will never be refused. We just need to take that first step and respond to the call.
With the Baptism of the Lord, Jesus takes what John the Baptist Offered and brings it to perfection. The Holy Trinity is revealed to us in its entirety. We are reminded what our own baptism is and what it should mean to us. Through the Power of the Holy Spirit we receive the Sanctifying Grace which is necessary for salvation. This special grace is only received once in our entire existence and must be cherished as such. It also gives us the necessary strength and protection to combat the evils and temptations of this world. Our relationship with God, broken by Original Sin, is once again brought back to where it should be: a perfect state of perfect love which actually reflects the Holy Trinity Itself.
At the center of this is God’s Love. The Trinity and Jesus’ Baptism demonstrate this in a most splendid fashion. This moment marks a monumental event. Jesus’ Divinity is revealed and it reflects on everything else to come. What was revealed partially throughout Sacred Scripture has now burst forth in a brilliant fashion. It is a glimpse of the perfect love which we all are invited to participate in. Love is not only an emotion but is an action that when received can transform all of our lives. Us receiving that perfect love can affect us in so many different ways. We become keepers of this love and are challenged to accept it, cherish it, and allow it to influence all of our actions. This in itself is a great honor and responsibility. If we treat this unearned love with the realization that it is indeed the most precious thing we can experience and have then we will be opened have the capability to live our lives the way we supposed to: happy and content to be Children of God.
Jesus kneeling in the Jordan to be baptized by John displayed the greatest humility and love. He gives us an example to live our lives by. Our God, creator of everything, kneels down to receive what he didn’t need to receive. John was undeserving to perform this as much as Jesus didn’t deserve the baptism because he didn’t need it. Yet, he did it for us as a model to go by. We need to be cleansed continuously through the Love of the Holy Spirit and we need to insure that our relationship with God remains fruitful and abounding.
Everything is offered to us. We only need to accept it.
Deacon Tom
My sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus,
On the Epiphany we spoke of light and the radiance of love. Today we speak of water and being immersed in the Lord. The mystery of the Epiphany and the mystery of the Baptism of the Lord are the same mystery with perhaps a stronger focus on God’s action toward us in the Epiphany and a focus on the need to die on our part in the mystery of the Baptism.
Die? Yes, the Baptism is about dying to ourselves so that we can live in Christ Jesus. The first reading is from the Prophet Isaiah, just as it was on the Solemnity of the Epiphany. The focus of the Epiphany was on God’s light coming to us and today the focus is on our being called to the Lord and the necessary inner transformation that would allow us to be caught entirely up in the mystery of Jesus Christ.
Come to the water! But we will only come to water if we are thirsty! Are we thirsty? Probably not always! Only as we begin to recognize the brokenness of our world and the craziness of it all do we begin to look and wonder whether there is not something better and more stable and with less bent to darkness and evil.
The second reading today is from the First Letter of Saint John. It is so clear that our belief is only true if our lives begin to reflect the love of God, both for others and also for ourselves. We must love. We are invited to love. We are told that love is all that really matters. We come to understand that love is not about feeling good but about serving others and looking for their good. When we love others in this way, our lives and our world can become transformed!
The Gospel today is Saint Mark’s account of the Baptism of Jesus. The first thing to notice is that the heavens are opened and a voice is heard: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” The Father wants us to recognize His Son and also the presence of the Holy Spirit. We can spend our whole life without paying much attention to God. Perhaps at some point we begin to recognize that there is a God and then perhaps, we recognize that God wants us to believe in Him and to come to understand Him more and more.
The world is transformed in the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus has taken on our flesh and goes into the very depths of our humanity. God seeks us out and looks for us. Do we look for God and seek Him out? God gives His life for us. Do we give our lives for Him and for His people?
Baptism is death to ourselves and life in Jesus. We must be taken over entirely by God and by His love—and that will be reflected in the way we live. May our baptism be strengthened today so that we can die for others and so gain our own lives.
Your brother in the Lord,
Abbot Philip
The Christmas season comes to an end with the Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord. We still have a glimpse of the season when we celebrate the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, on February 2nd, forty days after His birth. Nonetheless, the Christmas decorations are coming down now, and on Monday, January 10th, we return to Ordinary Time in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church.
The first lesson for the Baptism of the Lord comes from the Prophet Isaiah, written eight centuries before the birth of Christ. Even so, the text beautifully illustrates for us who Jesus is, the Chosen One, upon whom God’s Spirit rests, who brings justice and light to the nations, opens eyes that are blind, releases prisoners and all who are confined in darkness. Such encouraging words for all of us! And all who will come after us as well.
While Jesus is prophet, Prince of Peace and Messiah, He is first and foremost a servant. As Jesus described himself: I have come to serve not to be served (see Gospel of Matthew 20:28). This sets the tone for the public ministry of the Lord, which began after His baptism, ultimately leading to suffering and death, with an enormous sacrificial value: nothing less than resurrected and eternal life in Christ.
Jesus was endowed with the Spirit of God, like the kings of old, but also different, by not being set on defeating and conquering others. Instead, Jesus’ mission is realized through meekness and peace. Only the devil is defeated and conquered by the saving deeds of the Lord. As a result, humanity can experience justice, liberation and light. No greater gifts can come to the human race, to each of us.
In the second reading for the Mass of the Baptism of the Lord, from the Acts of the Apostles, the inspired hand of the Evangelist Luke tells us that Saint Peter, the prince of the Apostles, sees the baptism of Jesus as the moment of the anointing of the Messiah Lord. As such, Jesus possesses the power to perfectly fulfill the mission described by the Prophet Isaiah centuries earlier. The program is beautifully described this way: “Jesus went about doing good works and healing all who were in the grip of the devil, and God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).
The Gospel text assigned for this Sunday is the opening words of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, who announces that the fullness of time has come and now is the time of Jesus’ saving proclamation and work. First, though, is the Baptism of the Lord, who has come from heaven, but now exists in time and space. Expressed another way, Jesus is true God and true man.
The role that Jesus has on earth is rooted in His unique relationship to God. Jesus is the “Beloved Son” of the Father, who anoints Jesus at the time of baptism, for the unique mission as Savior of the world, who died and rose so we might be full partakers in God’s Kingdom, on earth and in Heaven.
Jesus is not the Spirit-filled Son of God for Himself, but for all God’s people, past, present and still to be born. The new and final era of Salvation History begins when Jesus is Baptized, and our own Baptism, as infants, young people or adults, is closely linked to Jesus’ Baptism. By our Baptism we are anointed to become full partakers in God’s life, which we want to cultivate throughout out life. How best to do so? By lives of loving service and self-forgetfulness, in accordance with our particular vocation in life. Saint Teresa of Calcutta used to say, what matters most in life is not how many people we touch, but the quality with which we touch those who enter our lives. How true that is!
May we be filled with a deep appreciation of the never-failing love of God extended to us in Jesus Christ. May we think back on the day of our own baptism, which we may not even remember—I certainly do not—recalling those who “stood in our place” (as in my case, my parents, godparents and grandparents), to bring us to the Fountain of Life, Jesus Himself, and to immortality!
In our lives we should hear the words that Jesus heard from the heavens: “You are my beloved son or daughter. On you my favor rests.” That doesn’t mean we are the Messiah, but certainly potential partakers in Divine Life, which God alone can give.
May we commit ourselves to Jesus Christ totally and find our deepest joy and delight in the Lord!
Abbot Christian, OSB
No comments:
Post a Comment