Called To Be The Father's Beloved

HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD. JANUARY 10, 2021.⛪

“The baptismal promises that we renew every year in the Easter Vigil have to be reaffirmed every day, so that baptism ‘Christifies’ whoever has received it, rendering us truly another Christ.” – Pope Francis

My Dearest People of God, today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Baptism of the Lord is the great event celebrated by the Eastern Churches on the feast of Epiphany because it is the occasion of the first public revelation of all the Three Persons in the Holy Trinity, and the official revelation of Jesus as the Son of God to the world by God the Father. It marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Hence, it is recorded in all the four Gospels.

Jesus’ baptism by John was a mystical experience that Jesus felt deep within His Soul at the crucial turning point of His life. The opening of the Heavens with the Holy Spirit descending as a Dove upon Jesus, and the Voice declaring of Jesus, “This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased,” are God’s Revelation to mankind of the Mystery that He is Triune. In His Baptism, Jesus identified with sinners. For our sake, He who knew no sin, underwent the Baptism of Repentance so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (cf. Rom 3:21). His Baptism was a moment of equipment. The Holy Spirit equipped Jesus by descending on Him in the form of a Dove, giving Him the power of preaching and healing. Through His Baptism His Divine Sonship, Ministry, and Identity were confirmed. So today is a great feast because it reminds us also of our identity and mission. It is a day we renew our baptismal promises. We are baptized in Christ that we might die to sin and live in the newness of life.

Baptism as a moment of identification

Empathy means identifying with others, experiencing with others what they feel and being part of solving their problem. Posterity will always remember the heroic effort of saints like Mother Teresa of Calcutta who identified with the poor, the sick and the abandoned. She became a mother for the motherless and a voice for the voiceless. Her heroic example demonstrates true Christian living. To be a Christian is to identify with others in moments of peace and crises. There is no Christianity in isolation. We are called to live for others. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven.” (cf Mathew 5:16). The Baptism of Jesus is a moment of identification with humanity. He has come to save. Jesus did not live in isolation. He identified with men in every circumstance of their earthly life except sin. He was baptized to give us an example we must follow. In a world of individualism, we are called to identify especially with those who are suffering; with the poor, the sick, the homeless and the marginalized, just as Christ identified with all these during His earthly mission. When we understand that humanity is one neighborhood then we can better appreciate the reason to reach out to others. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. (cf Rom 12:15). When we rejoice and enjoy our comfort zones when millions out there are weeping, hungry, marginalized and dying what do we gain? God has called us to help others. They see, through our love in action and the help that we give, that He loves them; that He also invites them to be His sons and daughters and that He wants to be their helper and strength through all the troubles that life in this world can bring.

Baptism as Our identity and Mission

In our world where many are confused about who they are and why they are here on earth. This great feast of the Baptism of the Lord provides a fundamental answer to who we are and why we are here. Baptism reminds us of our identity and mission. “No one merits Baptism, which is always a gift to all, adults and newborns. But as happens with a small seed full of life, this gift takes root and bears fruit in a land nourished by faith.“- Pope Francis

Baptism reminds us of who we are. Baptism inserts us into communion with Christ and therefore gives life, life itself. This life is a gift that must be accepted and lived out. By Baptism, we become the adopted sons and daughters of God, brothers, and sisters of Jesus, members of His Church, heirs of Heaven, and temples of the Holy Spirit. We become incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ and made sharers in the priesthood of Christ [CCC #1279]. Hence, “Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments.” –CCC# 1213

Our mission is to live as the beloved children of God in thought, word, and action so that our Heavenly Father may say to each one of us what He said to Jesus, “You are My beloved with whom I am well pleased.” Baptism is a gift of life and friendship which implies a “yes” to the friend, a “no” to all that is incompatible with this friendship, and a “no” to all that is incompatible with the life of God’s family. It is a “yes” to true life in Christ. It is our mission to lead a holy and transparent Christian life and to not desecrate our bodies (the temples of the Holy Spirit and members of Jesus’ Body) by impurity, injustice, intolerance, jealousy, or hatred. We are called to accept both the good and the bad experiences of life as the gifts of a loving Heavenly Father for our growth in holiness. It is our mission to grow daily in intimacy with God by personal and family prayers, by reading the Word of God, by participating in the Holy Mass, and by frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are called to be build up the “Kingdom of God” on earth, which is a Kingdom of compassion, justice and love. We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

As Peter testified in Acts, we are called to promote justice and equality, showing no partiality, segregation nor any form of discrimination that builds walls amongst us and others in our world. It is our mission to give those blinded spiritually the knowledge p of the truth. We are to live uprightly in the fear of God and to be acceptable to Him in whom we were baptized.

Baptism as a moment of equipment

The Holy Spirit equipped Jesus by descending on Him in the form of a Dove and giving Him the power of preaching and healing. So by our Baptism we not only become priests, prophets, and kings, we are also equipped with grace for every good work. As God’s children, we have equal access to God and we have the power and grace to work miracles. Don’t be intimidated by anyone because you are well equipped by God. All we need is to strive daily to live holy lives and remain connected with God Who is the source of our power and grace. When we disconnect from God by living sinful lives, we lose this inner power of sanctifying grace.

In his reflection, Pope Benedict XVI said there are the elements in Baptism: water, the anointing with oil, the white garment, and the flame of the candle. Water is the symbol of life. Baptism is new life in Christ. The oil is the symbol of strength, health, and beauty, for it truly is beautiful to live in communion with Christ. Then, there is the white garment, as an expression of the culture of beauty and of the culture of life. Lastly, the flame of the candle is an expression of the truth that shines out in the darkness of history and points out to us who we are, where we come from, and where we must go.

Let us renew our baptismal commitments today and persevere in our Christian faith, trusting in the mercy of God who wishes all men to be saved. May God strengthen our faith, so that daily, we shall profess and practice our baptismal promises. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (cf John 3:3)