Skip to main content

The Baptism of the Lord, 2014

By
With this Sunday’s celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Church brings the Christmas Season to a close and transitions to a period of Ordinary Time.  Baptism marks a new beginning…  a rebirth.  For Jesus, this marks the beginning of his ministry, and serves as an excellent transition from the infancy narratives to the story of his life and ministry.  So this week we begin a new journey…

The Word for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17

Our first reading, from the Isaiah, tells us about “the servant of the Lord”… in this case, the prophet chosen by God to save Israel.  This prophecy comes from the section of Isaiah that predicts the coming glory for Israel.  That not only will he raise it up in gleaming splendor, but through is servant, make it a beacon, a shining example to all the other nations.  No small task given that Israel, at this time, is still living in exile in Babylon.  What we have in this passage is an example of how this new servant will be… not a voice crying out in the wilderness like John the Baptist, but one who does “not cry out, nor shout”… one who cares for those in need by telling us he will not break the bruised reed or quench the dimming candle.  Through his kindness that justice will be established.

Our second reading, in honor of the feast, comes not from the Hebrew Scriptures, but from the Acts of the Apostles.  In it we hear a brief story of Jesus and the good he did in God’s name.  What makes this story amazing is not what Peter is talking about, but where and to whom.  Peter is telling this story in the house of Cornelius, a Roman centurion from Italy… that is, someone who is not native to the region.  Further, this house is in the city of Caesarea, a city built by Herod the Great in honor of Caesar Augustus, located on the coast some 60 miles northwest of Jerusalem.  Not only has Peter found a convert in a foreigner, but in was Cornelius who sought out Peter based on a vision he had of an angel of the Lord.  It is a story that not only speaks powerfully to the prophecy from Isaiah, but is a suitable bridge to our Gospel.

Our gospel, not surprisingly, is from Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism.  Matthew’s version, however, has an interesting twist, where John initially refuses to baptize Jesus, saying instead that it is he who should be baptized by Jesus.  This is a formality that Jews of the day would understand, but gets a little lost on a Gentile audience, but Jesus manages to convince John to do it.  Jesus knows that for scripture to be fulfilled, he needs to be recognized by John.  Not only does John know Jesus, but upon being baptized God himself recognizes his servant with a voice from the heavens for all to hear.  It is a fitting start to our new journey with Jesus through Ordinary Time. 

Catholic Update:
Sacraments of Initiation:  Sacraments of Invitation
Sacraments of Initiation:  God’s “I Love You”
Baptism:  Our Lifelong Call
Confirmation:  A Deepening of Our Christian Identity
Eucharist:  Understanding Christ’s Body
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ascension of the Lord - Cycle C

By
Following the traditional calendar, the Solemnity of the Ascension falls on a Thursday, 40 days after the Resurrection, and 10 days before Pentecost.  But since the Ascension is such an important moment for us as Church, many dioceses, including our own, have moved this celebration to this coming Sunday (in place of the 7th Sunday of Easter). The Word for the Ascension of the Lord Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Ephesians 1:17-23 or Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23 Luke 24:46-53 Our first reading is from the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.  While it might be more appropriate that this reading should follow our Gospel reading for today (as it naturally follows after Luke’s Gospel), the book-end effect of these two readings remains intact, reminding us how this was a pivotal moment for the Church.  Like most sequels, our reading opens with a recap of where we left off at the end of Luke’s Gospel with the Ascension of Jesus.  Also like most sequels, this “recap” of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

28th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

By
“Thank you.”  It’s a phrase we hear and use every day.  It’s an accepted and expected courtesy for a variety of interactions.  In fact, when we don’t hear it when we expect to, we feel slighted and unappreciated.  Here’s a question:  Does God feel slighted and unappreciated when we don’t give him thanks for his great gifts?  Let’s see what this week’s readings might say on the subject… The Word for the 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2 Kings 5:14-17 Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Luke 17:11-19 Our first reading comes from 2nd book of Kings.  Naaman, a Syrian military commander, seeks to thank Elisha for curing him of his leprosy (an act that King Joram of Israel isn’t likely to appreciate).  Not only does Naaman wish to give thanks to Elisha, but also to his God.  This is nothing short of a complete conversion for Naaman, who not only sees the glory of God but recognizes the importance of the land in this covenant relationship.  In f...
Post a Comment
Read more

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

By
Persistence.  The Oxford Dictionary defines this as “firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.”  Persistence is an important part of our faith tradition, as our readings this week teach us: The Word for the 29th Sunday of Ordinary Time Exodus 17:8-13 Psalm 121:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2 Luke 18:1-8 Our first reading is a story from the book of Exodus.  Here Moses and the Israelites, not long after their flight from Egypt, are pushing forward into Southern Canaan where they are experiencing resistance from the nation of Amalek (named for the grandson of Esau, Abraham’s other son – though this may just be a literary device).  As they engage in battle, Moses holds out his hands (as he would in a prayer position) and the battle goes in favor of Israel, but as Moses grows tired and lowers his hands, the tide of battle shifts.  With the help of Aaron and Hur, Moses is able to keep his arms up so that Israel wi...
Post a Comment
Read more