Called to be the Beloved Forever

 The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord - Cycle C: January 9, 2022

Readings: Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7; Psalm 29:1–4, 9–10; Acts 10:34–38; Luke 3:15–16, 21–22

A mosaic on the Baptism of the Lord by Fr Marko Rupnik SJ

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Most of the cultures or traditions have definite ways of educating their people. For example, in ancient India, there were sages or gurus who had mastered a certain kind of ability to give spiritual depth to the seekers. They anointed their disciples and continued the legacy of their masters. Russian Christian tradition and history speaks about Starets (Старец) or elders who were spiritual masters in their own capacity, and common men and women would run to them seeking advice on spiritual and other matters of life. The imagery that comes to our mind as we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord is that of an elder, John the Baptist leading young Jesus into a ministry of faith and service in building the Kingdom of God. There is someone who is an experienced wise man initiating or laying a strong foundation towards the future work of a person of God.

1. God's way of leading is wholesome

Fyodor Dostoevsky, the author of the classical novel Brothers of Karamazov takes Starets Zosima as a spiritual guru in educating his son Aloysia. The role of persons like elder Zosima is to show a path of morality, righteousness and truth to people. We need to have virtuous and upright people who already walked that path for a long time. Such leaders and teachers are like signposts or like educating a child to walk. Today in the liturgical readings, we heard the names of prophet Isaiah and John the Baptist, both in different times of the history of humanity guided their people in their cosmic and acosmic quest for truth.

Today, we celebrate the baptism of the Lord.  This feast day is one that helps bridge the Christmas season and Ordinary Time. The Spirit-filled Beloved of the Father enters into the active ministry of salvation. We hear oracles of the prophet Isaiah in the first reading. He says that we will have someone who shall establish justice on the earth; he will be a light to the nations – a hope and new establishment. What kind of justice is he going to bring to us when we have our parliaments and courts to enact and execute laws? He reminds us that God’s justice is not like our justice that is promulgated in the parliaments with political clout or ideology. 

2. God Wills that everyone is embraced

God's justice is to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from their confinement, to take the people out of dungeons and give them light so that they too can live forever with the everlasting One. A just society is one where everyone has what they need to have, where their dignity is respected and affirmed and where people live in right relationships with each other.

John the Baptist answers the questions of people who are coming to see and listen him on the banks of river Jordan. He is busy baptizing people with water, and preparing people to listen to the One who is coming and is almost there. And Jesus takes the baptism from John the Baptist and the vision of God becomes very clear when they hear God’s word. John and others become witnesses of this scene where the appointed one is really there, amidst of them.  

3. Jesus brings God into our lives

Today's Gospel (Luke 3:15–16, 21–22) speaks about prayer, baptism, dove, peace, heavenly voice, words of fulfillment and of promise. There is no space for illusion; Jesus is the Son of God. Down through the infancy narratives, the Gospel writer insists that Christ is the protagonist who brings God into our lives. Once Jesus appears on the scene of the public life of Galileans, John the Baptist becomes invisible; he fades away in the shadows. For John, Jesus must increase and he must decrease.

When Galileans are confused with who the real promised one is, they receive an answer from John saying that Jesus is the one who would baptize people with Holy Spirit and with fire. He would be like a Prophet Elijah-type figure who brought down fire from heaven to destroy God’s enemies (2 Kgs 1).

4. Journeying with others means becoming one with them

Jesus does not remain aloof from the people but becomes one with them by receiving baptism along with his countrymen and women in the river Jordan. Instead of fire, the New Testament often speaks about the Holy Spirit. Here we have the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove coming down upon Jesus. 

Dove is a bird that brought the olive leaf to Noah after the flood, to signify a new era between God and His creation. Until now we have heard in the infancy narratives of Luke that God was speaking through his angels, but now, God speaks directly to Jesus. It is a sign that would confirm Jesus even though human, is the real Son of God. He is going to be a sign of God’s visible presence on this earth; who will be speaking for God and God alone. 

5. Jesus leads others by awakening who they are

Jesus would establish the Kingdom of God which will surpass manmade boundaries, manmade laws and regulations, manmade hostilities and horrors. Jesus would be hearing the same words again in Gethsemane before his death that God is going to be with him and is well pleased with his accomplishments as His Son.

Both water and fire are symbols of purification. Disciples would be receiving the Holy Spirit in the form of fire and would be powerful people to carry out the message of Christ and become witnesses of truth. They would be preaching the kingdom of God to others. Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is within you. How are we to recognize that kingdom? It is by carrying within us the values of the Kingdom like love, peace, justice, honesty, prudence, faithfulness, charity, fellowship and sharing them with others. 

6. We are imitators of our Master, Jesus

We are Christ’s disciples. God’s action at Christ’s baptism is a sign that each one of us who is baptized in Christ is called to carry within us the same spirit of Christ. And this spirit of Christ helps us walk in his footsteps, where we can touch, hear, see him. And the message is that we need to be his witnesses of love, hope and healing.

If incarnation becomes God’s docility and humility towards humanity now this is realized in Christ becoming part of the cleansing process along with sinners in the river Jordan. It is a sign that Christ is going to walk with people and finally bring them salvation. “The Word was made flesh and lived among us,” says Saint John’s gospel. His immersion into humanity becomes concrete in this action. 

As we celebrate this feast of Christ’s baptism, it is an opportunity for all of us to recall our own baptism that we received when we were just a few days old. Some of you might have received baptism as an adult. Baptism is a lifelong journey that begins our life in Christ. Thus we become members of Christ’s body that is the Church. 

7. With Christ's baptism we are called to live on a new level as a Church

It is an experience of community where we are active members. If we live in the spirit of Christ, then certainly, we cannot own a passive membership. We have to be actively involved in the life of the Church. The Church is not a private property of anyone; we don’t even own it communally but of Christ. The Church is that which we are,  in fact, makes us alter Christi another Christ.

Let us be vibrant collaborators of Christ’s mission here on earth. God who has sown the kingdom of God within us, be realized in our external activities.  The Church is a community, which gathers in love, hope and faith. It gathers around an Alter which celebrates with others the same Christ who called us to be from our various backgrounds.  

8. Unbreakable belongingness as beloved

Each one of us is called to be a living witness to the Gospel: to be the salt of the earth, a city on a hill, a lamp radiating light for all. Our baptism is a never-ending call to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Every word of Isaiah can also be applied to each one of us who has been baptised. In the words of John Henry Newman, through this event of God coming into our midst must "find us more and more like Him who at this time became a little child, for our sake; more simple-minded, more humble, more affectionate, more resigned, happier, more full of God."

So let us today renew our faith in and our commitment to follow Jesus. Let us re-affirm our readiness to carry on his work. And finally, we can say with St Gregory of Nazianzen, ‘let us be buried with Christ by Baptism to rise with Him; let us go down with Him to be raised with Him; and let us rise with Him to be glorified with Him.’ Amen.

Questions for reflections

1. What difference does my baptism or commitment to God make in my life?

2. Am I conscious of my baptismal promises? Perhaps, today I think about my own baptism or a commitment to God that I've made.

3. In what ways can I tell that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within me? What signs do I have when I look at them at Jesus' baptism? 

4. Let me take a moment of silence and listen to God who is whispering into my ears: ‘You are my child, my beloved; with you, I am well pleased.’  What do you feel about it? Think about the Holy Spirit coming to live within me. I think about my life being shaped by the Spirit.  

Prayer

Good shepherd, seek us out and bring us home into your fold again. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be joyful with clear hearts.

Father, may our commitment through our baptism may be strengthened everyday as we encounter you through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Invigorate in our resolve to walk in your footsteps ever boldly, so that we may bring glory to your name. We make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

08 January 2022