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Homily for the Feast of Baptism of the Lord

READ: (Isa 42: 1-4, 6-7; Acts 10: 34-38; Lk 3: 15-16, 21-22)

REFLECT: Be a true Child of God, a worthy member of the Church and enrich life in the Spirit of God…

My dear friends, today we are all blessed to be Christians because we receive at different stages of life the gifts and graces of God in and through the sacraments that were instituted by God and established by the Church to promote the faith and live the faith more meaningfully and joyfully. The sacraments lay a foundation to enjoy the privileges as children of God and as Christians. Today we as a Church celebrate the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord. It reminds of us that by virtue of our baptism we become the children of God, we become members of the church and we receive the Holy Spirit as a prime gift to accompany and make our live spirit-filled and grace-filled.  

Very well, the Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks of the importance of the Sacrament of baptism in the following words: Baptism as the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons and daughters of God; we become member of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission. Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word (CCC, No. 1213).”

Yes, this feast day of the Baptism of the Lord reminds of our roles and responsibilities, our vows that have been made by our parents and God parents on our behalf to reflect the light of Christ in life, to nurture the catholic faith and to follow Christ with enthusiasm by the Spirit of God. Therefore, it is a time to look into ourselves whether we reflect the light of Christ, nourish our lives in catholic faith and live our lives as recipients of Holy Spirit, its fruits and gifts. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1.     Be a true child of God

Being a true child of God would mean doing what pleases God. By doing what is pleasant to the Lord we all become God’s true children and the children of light or life. A child of God can fear no ill, no evil or danger. Because, he or she believes in God and in his graces. The utmost reason why Jesus came to earth was perhaps to make us all children of God and children of light because we had entangled in sin, a life of darkness and full of sadness. When can we be called as a child of God? We become children of God when we do what pleases the Lord. Most of us can make out or easily identify whether one is good or bad based on the behavioral traits or mannerisms one practices or manifests. Although at times sense perception may deceive us, but there are times proven too that sense perception teaches us valuable lessons for life.

That’s what we hear from the Gospel reading, “This is my beloved son with whom I am well-pleased.” Jesus was certified by God the Father that he was beloved son because he did what pleased God. What did Jesus to please God? Jesus came to earth as sent by God; He began proclaiming the Kingdom of God as directed by God.  So much so he became part of the human nature to divine nature to make us all obtain the lost stature of perfection. Have we ever received any certificate like that we are Good or kind or loving and gentle? Or have we ever obtained a certificate saying that we were or are worthy Christians that people are well-pleased with us by our works of charity, by our way of life and our approach? It is a time for all of to reflect the face of Christ in life so that we attest that we are children of God in all that we do.

As we all know that Israel was very close to God because God loved them as treasured people. The first reading from prophet Isaiah confirms it again the love that God has for people of Israel as he calls them as my servant, chosen in whom my soul delights. Towards the end of the first reading we hear again from God telling them, that they are called in righteousness; that they will be held by the hand of God and be supported; that they will become a light to the nations to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out the prisoners in darkness. Yes, this is what God does to every child born and baptized in his name. God is ready to make us righteous; God is ready to help and support us; God can make us light for many to those living in idleness and darkness. But are we ready to listen to his voice, change our lives and become a true and sincere child of God? That’s what baptism does and baptism reminds or calls us to become a child of God.

Pope Francis very beautifully tells us that “our Baptism has made us in turn children of God. It is, in fact, not, like John’s, a symbolic gesture, but a real gift of divine, eternal life, an event of grace and communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. At our Baptism, we are immersed in His infinite embrace, transmitting to us the power of His saving love. Further, Baptism is the gift not only of a new life, but of becoming, in Jesus, beloved children of God forever.” Yes we have become one with the Trinitarian God by virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism that we have received and have become the children of God. Therefore, it is each one’s duty to remain as children of God without being provoked by various turmoil and temptation of the worldly concerns.

2.      Be a worthy member of the Church

Pope Francis gives us a meaningful message about the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism saying, “Baptism is like a birthday because baptism makes us reborn in Christian life. Therefore Pope Francis advises every parent to teach their children the date of their baptism as a new birthday: that every year they will remember and thank God for this grace of becoming a Christian.” Yes becoming a Christian mean, being and becoming member of the Church established by Christ. The sacrament of Baptism in a way has made all of us to enter into the door of catholic faith. As members of the Catholic Church, we can never receive any sacraments of the church without having been received the sacrament of Baptism. Therefore, Baptism lays a foundation for all other sacrament. It makes us a member of the Catholic Church.

The membership that we have obtained is not for namesake just like the membership that we obtain in the companies and factories as managers, organizers, staff or other official titles. But the membership that we receive in and through the sacrament of Baptism is an indelible mark or seal that we have imprinted on ourselves to be Christ like and live as true and worthwhile Christians. Today the membership that we have has become name sake. Do we feel that we are member of the Church or number of the Church? Membership grants us quality whereas number manifests just a quantity. When one says that he or she is the member of the family, they are affiliated to the family, affective towards the family and are attached to the family but when we say we are just a number in the family, we don’t have that bond tied or attached.

Today we are to restore that membership to have love and reverence for the Church founded by Christ. Today there are lots of sheep-stealing take place by different other denominations. Do we support the Catholic Church by our prayers and participation in the liturgy? Today we pray that the vow the parents and God-parents have taken before God to bring the children in catholic faith become really part of Catholic Church to live the faith that Christ entrusted to the Church. By the fact that we have become the members of the Catholic Church, we partake and participate in the common priesthood of Christ in sharing his views and goals. Thus Christ’s mission and Church’s vision becomes our mission and vision. Let’s pray that as true members of the Church we spread the good news of Christ to all by our ways of loving and living.

3.      Be recipients of the Holy Spirit:

There is a famous story shared by Archbishop Fulton Sheen, I would like to share the same. There were two brothers one was good and the other was wicked. One day the wicked brother ran home and the robe that he wore was spotted with blood. He said, “I have just killed a man.” And his brother said, “I will take your robe and you take mine. You leave.” And the guilty brother left, the police came in and arrested the one who had on the robe filled with blood, and he was condemned to death. When he was dying, he sent a message to his brother, saying, “I am sending you a white robe. Remember that I died to save you.” Yes, that’s precisely what our Lord did for us. He wore our robe of Sin to save us. He died to our sins to raise us to new life. We can renew this life given by God in and through the Sprit of God given to us in and through the sacrament of Baptism.

That’s what we see the work of the spirit of God in the instances or events narrated in the bible. In the beginning of creation when God made humans he breathed his spirit into them then the lifeless body became lifeful. Same thing we find that Jesus after the resurrection when he appeared to the apostles he says to them to receive the spirit. After having received the spirit of God their life was changed, they had the power to change the life of the other. It is because of the all pervading presence of the Holy Spirit; it is because of the promptings and inspirations of the Holy Spirit; it is because of the guidance and accompaniment of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus and the apostle or disciples. I am sure by the fact that we have received or receive baptism, all of us have received the Holy Spirit and are sealed by God’s spirit. The spirit of God resides in us, the spirit of God speaks to us, the spirit of God guides us but we have become unaware or ignore because of the worldly powers and passions, the material allurements and amusements.

Today’s Second Reading from the Acts of the Apostles reveals to us that how God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power; by the presence of the Holy Spirit and the power of God working through him, Jesus went about doing good and healing all those who are oppressed by the devil. Something similar can happen to us too when we allow presence of the Holy Spirit to abide in us and the power of God invested in us through the sacrament of Baptism for doing good and for the healing of the oppressed humanity at different levels of life.  Today this feast reminds of us to live and reside in the spirit to change one’s life and to change others lives. That’s what we find in the Gospel reading as well, the heaven was opened; the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove to reside in him, with him, through him. So today we pray that we allow the spirit of God to work in us, with us and through us. So that we may change our lives and the lives of others; that the spirit of God may enable us to partake and participate in the mission of Christ that we are called to share in the Priesthood of Christ by virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism.

RESPOND:

How much effort do we put in to become true children of God, children of light and children of life?

Have we realized the membership that we hold in Christ or Church by the virtue of the Sacrament of Baptism and are we worthy of the membership that we hold?

How much importance do we give to the Holy Spirit and to the promptings and guidance of the Spirit of God in our lives?

So let us become true children of God, worthy members of the Catholic Church and become recipients of the Holy Spirit to begin a new life in Christ and renew our lives the lives of others.  Amen.

Happy Feast! God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh  George MSFS