Baptism of the Lord (Year B)
Is 42:1-4,6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mk 1:7-11
Two pastors and one priest talking about the problem of cats invading their churches. The Baptist minister said he put the cats in bags and threw them in a nearby river. In spite of that, the cats survived and there were twice as many there the next week.
The Methodist minister said they were not in a position to harm any of God’s creation. So he confided they humanely trapped the cats and set them free many miles outside town. But three days later, the cats were back.
But the Catholic priest bragged that he had the best and most effective solution. He said, “I simply baptized them and I haven’t seen them in church since then!”
At times, how true it is!
Baptism:
Baptism was not invented by John the Baptist or Jesus Christ. It had been practiced for centuries among the Jews as a ritual equivalent to our Confession; until the fall of the Temple in 70 A.D. It was common for Jewish people to use a special pool called a Mikveh (means collection of water) as a means of spiritual cleansing, to remove spiritual impurity and sin. Men took this bath weekly on the eve of the Sabbath, and women took it monthly. Converts were also expected to take this bath before entering Judaism. The Orthodox Jews still retain this rite. Jesus transformed this continuing ritual into the one single act with which we begin our life of faith.
Our Baptism and life messages:
1) The baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity and mission. Baptism reminds us of who we are and Whose we are. It is good to recall what Church teaches us on Baptism. By Baptism we become the adoptive 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].
2) Jesus’ baptism reminds us of our mission: We are called to experience the presence of God within us, to acknowledge our own dignity as God’s children, and to appreciate the Divine Presence in others by honoring them, loving them and serving them in all humility. Secondly, to live as the 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 son/daughter with whom I am well pleased.” Being “God’s child” means that we are to let His thoughts direct our thoughts, His mind controls our mind, His concerns be our concerns.
With the celebration of the baptism of the Lord, the Christmas season formally comes to an end and the Ordinary time begins this Monday. Let us now get back to normal from the festive mood. Our normal is no more the same. We are in the NEW NORMAL. This New Normal demands that we become other-centred. We are called to practice our baptismal promises in our everyday life. As I am the beloved son/daughter of God, so too is my neighbour.
Let our baptism make us more committed and dedicated followers of Christ and His Church.
(You are most welcome to add your reflections and comments in the section below.)
Happy Sunday
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