Commentary on the Readings for Sunday – January 10, 2010
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
The Readings for Sunday, January 10th, are all connected, in some way with the Baptism of Jesus which we traditionally celebrate the Sunday after the Epiphany. Therefore, I would like to comment on the meaning of this great event in the life of Christ, the God-Man, rather than commenting on each scripture passage: (Isaiah 42:1 – 7; Acts: 10:34 – 38; and Luke 3:15 – 22).
The entire focus or purpose of Christ’s life, His coming to earth and living as Man and dying as if He were the lowest of criminals, was to reconcile humanity to God. Certainly this could have been done in a less dramatic way, but it was God’s way of showing mankind how much we are loved. Also, because God, being perfect in all respects, lives by the rules of divine perfection and thus the reconciliation process He required came about in a powerful and amazing way.
The Baptism of Jesus Christ was the first theological event in the life of the adult Jesus. Up to this point and time of His life, Jesus had “set aside His divinity” and lived as any ordinary human being in order to experience all the life-building joys and trials that it takes to grow from infancy to a mature adult. Now, with that part of His mission completed, He is ready to take up His role in the Father’s Plan of Salvation. That is why the evangelists, Mark and John, begin their Gospels – at the Baptism of the Lord.
John the Baptist, a relative of Jesus, had been preaching and baptizing a form of repentance that was not new to the Jews of that culture, but his was more energized with a sincerity and urgency that the others did not have. John’s baptism was a ritual form of personal repentance and acknowledgement of one’s sins. So, you might ask, why did Jesus need to be baptized? The answer is more difficult to verbalize than one would think because Jesus was “without sin.” Think of it this way: Even the greatest of saints went to confession frequently – to acknowledge their humanity which is naturally prone to sin. This does not mean that Jesus or the greatest of saints were sinners, but that they admitted to themselves and to the world that they were human and, except for the abundance of God’s grace working within them, they were capable of sinning.
Another theological reason for Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan river by John was: For those who are subsequently baptized in the Name of Jesus after His death and resurrection, what was once just a personal pious act now becomes a commitment to God through Jesus Christ. Plus, the Holy Spirit is released into the soul of the baptized, thereby overcoming the consequences of original sin and initiating him or her into the family of the faithful. This is why Jesus elevated this ritual to a sacrament (See Matt: 2818B, 19).
There is so much more to this event than meets the eye. It seems so simple yet we have difficulty in seeing and acknowledging its importance. However, God the Father put His ‘stamp of approval’ on this event with His confirming statement, “You are my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” So, each time you dip your hand into the baptismal font in a church and bless yourself, remember, this act is a renewal ofyourbaptismal commitment. Something to think about during your Prayer Time this week!
If you have comments or questions regarding the above, please send them, in writing, to the parish office. We will try to answer them as quickly as possible.
Sunday Commentary
Commentary on the Readings for Sunday – January 10, 2010
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
The Readings for Sunday, January 10th, are all connected, in some way with the Baptism of Jesus which we traditionally celebrate the Sunday after the Epiphany. Therefore, I would like to comment on the meaning of this great event in the life of Christ, the God-Man, rather than commenting on each scripture passage: (Isaiah 42:1 – 7; Acts: 10:34 – 38; and Luke 3:15 – 22).
The entire focus or purpose of Christ’s life, His coming to earth and living as Man and dying as if He were the lowest of criminals, was to reconcile humanity to God. Certainly this could have been done in a less dramatic way, but it was God’s way of showing mankind how much we are loved. Also, because God, being perfect in all respects, lives by the rules of divine perfection and thus the reconciliation process He required came about in a powerful and amazing way.
The Baptism of Jesus Christ was the first theological event in the life of the adult Jesus. Up to this point and time of His life, Jesus had “set aside His divinity” and lived as any ordinary human being in order to experience all the life-building joys and trials that it takes to grow from infancy to a mature adult. Now, with that part of His mission completed, He is ready to take up His role in the Father’s Plan of Salvation. That is why the evangelists, Mark and John, begin their Gospels – at the Baptism of the Lord.
John the Baptist, a relative of Jesus, had been preaching and baptizing a form of repentance that was not new to the Jews of that culture, but his was more energized with a sincerity and urgency that the others did not have. John’s baptism was a ritual form of personal repentance and acknowledgement of one’s sins. So, you might ask, why did Jesus need to be baptized? The answer is more difficult to verbalize than one would think because Jesus was “without sin.” Think of it this way: Even the greatest of saints went to confession frequently – to acknowledge their humanity which is naturally prone to sin. This does not mean that Jesus or the greatest of saints were sinners, but that they admitted to themselves and to the world that they were human and, except for the abundance of God’s grace working within them, they were capable of sinning.
Another theological reason for Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan river by John was: For those who are subsequently baptized in the Name of Jesus after His death and resurrection, what was once just a personal pious act now becomes a commitment to God through Jesus Christ. Plus, the Holy Spirit is released into the soul of the baptized, thereby overcoming the consequences of original sin and initiating him or her into the family of the faithful. This is why Jesus elevated this ritual to a sacrament (See Matt: 2818B, 19).
There is so much more to this event than meets the eye. It seems so simple yet we have difficulty in seeing and acknowledging its importance. However, God the Father put His ‘stamp of approval’ on this event with His confirming statement, “You are my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” So, each time you dip your hand into the baptismal font in a church and bless yourself, remember, this act is a renewal of your baptismal commitment. Something to think about during your Prayer Time this week!
If you have comments or questions regarding the above, please send them, in writing, to the parish office. We will try to answer them as quickly as possible.
-MFB