Homily (Reflection) for
the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (A) (12th January, 2020) on the
Gospel and the Feast
Is 42:1-4. 6-7;
Ps 28:1-4.9-10 (R. v.11);
Acts 10: 34-38;
Matt 3:13-17.
We celebrate today both the
feast of the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ which marks the end of the
Christmas season as well as the first Sunday of the Ordinary Time, A.
Topic: Baptized in the Trinity.
We
read in today’s gospel that after Jesus was baptized:
…just
as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice
from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased’ (vv.16-17).
This
is the manifestation of the Blessed Trinity. Could it be that this happened because
Jesus is the Son of God?
While instructing his disciples Jesus said: “Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt
28:19). And while addressing the crowd Peter said, "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Baptism is the beginning of
one’s life as a Christian and Christ himself affirms the necessity of Baptism
for salvation, cf. Jn 3:3, 5; CCC 1213, 1257.
During Baptism, the plunging into or pouring of water
symbolises being buried with Christ and with him every baptized rose as a new
creature, cf. 2Cor 5:17; Rom 6:3-4; CCC
1214. Every baptized must live accordingly, cf. Rom 6:6-7, 12-13. Hence, while clothing the neophyte with the white
garment the celebrant says: “N, N you have become a new creature, and have
clothed yourselves in Christ see in this white garment the outward sign of your
Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example
bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.” And “For the
grace of Baptism to unfold, the parents’ help is important. So too is the role
of godfather and godmother, who must be firm believers, able and ready to help
the newly baptised – child or adult – on the road of Christian life.... The
whole ecclesial community bears some responsibility for the development and
safeguarding of the grace given at Baptism” (CCC 1255). And “The candle, lit from the Easter candle, signifies
that Christ has enlightened the neophyte. And in him the baptized are ‘the
light of the world’” (CCC 1243; cf. Gal
3:27; Matt 5:14; Acts 13:47).
Saint Paul wrote,
You
were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and
deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and clothe
yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true
righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24).
Baptism
goes with repentance, forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Holy Spirit,
cf. Acts 2:38.
Although Baptism is necessary for salvation but it does not
grant an automatic entrance into heaven. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
puts it thus: “For all the baptized, children or adults, faith must grow after Baptism. For this reason the Church celebrates
each year at the Easter Vigil the renewal of baptismal promises. Preparation
for Baptism leads only to the threshold of new life. Baptism is the source of
that new life in the Christ from which the entire Christian life springs forth”
(CCC 1254).
It is because of the fact that we receive the Holy Spirit at
the Baptism that Saint Paul asks: “Do you not know that your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own” (1Cor 6:19). In his Letter to the Ephesians
he also wrote: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph
4:30). We are baptised into Christ, who is the light of the world (cf. Rom 6:3). Hence Jesus tells us: "I
am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but
will have the light of life" (Jn
8:12). Do we still walk with that light given to us at Baptism, (cf. Eph 5:8) and how about our garments? It
is only “The faithful Christian who has ‘kept the seal [of Baptism]’ until the
end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart
this life ‘marked with the sign of faith’” (CCC 1274). And this is the true meaning of being a born-again. Remember
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love
the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matt 6:24, cf. Lk 16:13).
My dear ones in Christ, we are called to be beloved children
of God. And God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us, (cf. Lk 12:12; Jn 14:26; Acts 1:8) and Jesus
Christ as our example, (cf. Jn 13:15; 1Pt
2:21). One will either hear on the last day “This is my Son [daughter], the
Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt
3:17) or “… I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me,
all you workers of iniquity!” (Lk 13:27;
Matt 7:23; 25:41). It depends on what you make out of today. If you have
repelled the Holy Spirit given to you ask God for he does not refuse anyone who
asks, cf. Lk 11:13. We can do
nothing on our own, cf. Jn 15:5.
Bible
Reading: Jn 3:1-21; Matt 28:16-20; Rom 6:1-14; Eph 2:1-10;
Eph 4:1-5:2.
Silent Prayer: Do you remember that you ought to be
God’s beloved?
Let
us Pray: Lord, give us the grace to remember always the
dignity of our call as Christians and live our lives accordingly – Amen.
May
the grace of our Baptism be ever new + AMEN!
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