Is 42: 1-4, 6-7; Ps 28(29); Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17
Universal Messiah
Dear friends, today is the Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, which is theologically known as Theophany—the manifestation of God to humanity. With this feast, we conclude the Christmastide and begin the short interlude of Ordinary Time before we enter the Lenten season on the 18th of February. Next Sunday will be the second Sunday of Ordinary Time.
At his Baptism, God the Father confirmed that Jesus was His beloved Son, who enjoyed His favor. After his baptism by John, Jesus began his public ministry. From the first reading, Isaiah says that the coming of the servant of God on earth was meant to bring light to all nations and set free all who lived in captivity and imprisonment in their lives. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus declares his mandate and mission statement to the people of his synagogue: to preach good news to the poor, open the eyes of the blind, release the prisoners, and set free the captives. This is the same mission that the Church continues to carry on even today.
At his baptism, Jesus is in human form, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and the Father is heard as represented by the Voice. This confirms the presence of the Holy Trinity at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The same Persons present at creation, “Let’s create man in our own image” (Gen 1:26), are also coming to save the 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; he asked Jesus to baptize him. Jesus insists that John should baptize him to fulfill all justice. By being baptized together with sinners, Jesus identifies himself with those whom 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 with which we too 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 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 who they are, Jew or Gentile. 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 surprise 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 repentant. 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 deliberate choice take it.
Before the incarnation, humanity had languished in slavery and corruption of all manner. 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. To choose one reality over the other, one must weigh the benefits of both and make a radical decision. 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. The false prophets still present God as a ruthless master or a referee who runs around looking for faults to punish us. 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 even when we are ruining ourselves. 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 