Is 42: 1-4, 6-7; Ps 29; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17
God has no Favourite
Dear friends, today is the feast of the Baptism of our Lord, which is theologically known as Theophany—the manifestation of God to human beings. With this feast, we close Christmastide and begin the short interlude of Ordinary Time before we enter the Lenten season on the 5th of March. Next Sunday will be the second Sunday of Ordinary Time.
At his Baptism, God the Father confirms that Jesus is his beloved Son who enjoys his favour. After John’s baptism, Jesus began his public ministry. The coming of the kingdom of God on earth was meant to bring light to all nations and set free all who lived in captivity and imprisonment.
Jesus is in human form, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and the Father in the Voice represents the Holy Trinity’s presence at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. This means that the same Persons present at creation, “Let us create man in our own image” (Gen 1:26), are also coming to save fallen humankind.
The question we may ask on this feast is, “If the baptism of John was for repentance of sin, then why did Jesus, who was born without original sin, be baptized? Even John the Baptist himself hesitated to baptize Jesus, instead he asked Jesus to baptize him. Jesus insists that John should baptize him to fulfill all justice. By being baptized with sinners, Jesus identifies himself with those he came to save. Jesus employed This compassionate attitude when dealing with the sinners and outcasts. It is the same attitude he comes with to us today and the very attitude we must approach our brothers and sisters. Isaiah had written about the humility of the servant of the Lord, “he will not cry out and will not show favouritism … the bruised reed he will not break and the smoldering wick he will not extinguish” (Is 42:2-3). Have you experienced the compassionate messiah yet?
The mission of Jesus was very clear from the very beginning. It was to change the human condition and bring a new way of looking at human life – the way of God. Jesus brought the Good News to all who had longed for it for many generations especially those enslaved by the oppressive systems. Today we are the beneficiaries of this Gospel and by our Baptism; we become members of God’s household with all the privileges and responsibilities of sons and daughters. After his experience in Caesarea with the Gentiles, Peter realizes that “God has no favourite” but accepts anyone who acts uprightly no matter whether they are Jew or Gentiles. It is we who discriminate against people because they believe in God differently. Do you still discriminate against people because of their religion? You need to be saved, brethren?
Our own baptism gives us access to God’s graces as legitimate sons and daughters. However, in his wisdom, God has left us free to choose to accept these graces or reject them. As St. Augustine said, “He who created you without you will not save you without you”. The way God does things may sometimes seem surprising to us. Our human craving for control over all things makes us impatient with one another. However, God gives us radical freedom allowing us even to deny him but accepts us every time we come back knocking. God treats us with respect and though he is saddened by our hardness of heart, he restrains himself from arm-twisting us to comply with his commandments. God offers us salvation free of charge, but we must make a deliberated choice take it.
Before the incarnation, humanity had languished in slavery and corruption of all kinds. Jesus revealed to us another reality different from the one the world had known before – the Kingdom of God. He spent three years creating awareness about the Kingdom of God and how to enter it. This is the mission of the Church in the world – creating awareness of a different reality in Christ Jesus. To choose one reality over the other, one must weigh the benefits of both and make a radical decision. This is not as easy as it seems. When we choose one, we suffer ‘opportunity cost’ over the other. Once we choose the kingdom of God, we must let go of the world and its enticements. For us to remain unshaken, we need proper conviction about our choice, otherwise, life is a big struggle between the things of heaven and the things of the world. Which things appeal to you most?
The times when people believed because they were threatened with hell are long gone. People from those parts of the world where religion (any religion for that matter) presented God as a ruthless master have since abandoned religion. God is ever-loving and compassionate with his creation. He protects those who seek him with sincere hearts but allows us to exercise our freedom. God’s commandments are straightforward and practical. What do you think?
Dear friends, as we wrap up the Christmas season, let us allow Christ to be truly “Emmanuel” (God with us) in our lives.
Have a blessed feast.
Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 