Gospel Reflection 2020/2021

Yes, the ‘spiritual hype and excitement’ of Christmas is coming to an end. With the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Christmas Season is ending, but our spiritual journey enters into a new phase – the Ordinary Time.

What purpose could there be to something that has such a boring name? To many of us, it just means ‘boring’ or ‘snoring’ time. Etymologically, ‘ordinary’ has its origin traced to the word ‘ordinal’, which means ‘ordered’, ‘numbered’, or ‘counted’ – and it definitely does not mean ‘boring’ or ‘snoring’.

Since ‘Ordinary Time’ is ordered or counted, what are we ordered towards? What are we counting to? Ultimately, the Ordinary Time is intended to direct us, together as a pilgrim Church, towards the return of Christ, as we journey towards the last Sunday of the liturgical year – the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe.

The Ordinary Time is never a time for boredom. It is never a time for us to snooze and snore. Instead, it is a time to come down from our ‘spiritual hype’ and to be more reflective. It is a time to catch our breath and to reflect on what we have just celebrated – and what is to come. It is a time for spiritual growth and maturation.

And on this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we hear of Mark’s account of Jesus being baptised by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.

1) Jesus wants to be one with us.

John the Baptist was preaching the baptism of repentance. Since Jesus is the Sinless One, the Unblemished Lamb of God and the Divine Son of the Father, He did not need to be baptised by John. But Jesus went through it anyway to be one with us. Through His baptism, He unites Himself with the whole of humanity and shares our burdens of sins and sorrows. He is the beloved Son; through Him, we become the sons and daughters of the Father.

2) Jesus reveals Himself to us.

The Baptism of Jesus is an important manifestation of God in the person of Jesus, another Epiphany. The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God and the Saviour of the world. The adoration of Jesus by the wise men (last Sunday), together with His Baptism (this Sunday) and the wedding feast at Cana form the great Feast of Epiphany. At His Baptism, the Father’s voice came from heaven and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus marked the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He is the Beloved Son of the Father who baptises us with the Holy Spirit.

The Baptism of the Lord also reminds us of our own baptism.

1) We are one with Jesus.

Our baptism unites us with Jesus Christ, incorporates us into the Body of Christ (His Holy Church), and begins in us a lasting communion with God [c.f. Youcat 194]. Since God is for us, who can be against us? [Rm 8: 31] Even if trials come, tribulations strike, turbulences rise and temptations overwhelm, we have nothing to fear for Jesus is one with us.

2) We must be imitators of Jesus and ambassadors for Christ.

By the grace of our baptism, we have become the disciples of Christ and the members of His Holy Church. We must therefore always be guided to the fullness of the truth that He has revealed to us through the Church. We must imitate Jesus in all things because He is our perfect example – strive to make the mind of Jesus Christ our own and pattern our life on the teachings of the Gospel. Like John the Baptist, let us always point others to Jesus the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ, help us to be more and more like You.”