Sunday 12th January 2020. Read Isaiah
42:1-7, Psalm 29, Acts 10:34-38 and Matthew 3:13-17.
_“But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is
fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” *(Matthew 3:15)*_
The Gospel of Matthew is more than just a narrative of the
earthly life of Jesus; it is an Epiphany. From the very beginning of His Gospel
to the end, Matthew sought above anything else to prove beyond doubt to his Jewish
audience that Jesus is the direct fulfilment of the promised Messiah. Hence,
Matthew more than all the other Gospel writers, constantly quoted (and
paraphrased) so many portions from the Old Testament which the Jews were very
familiar with. The Baptism of Jesus is a clear example of this.
During this reflection, we shall be looking at the meaning of
baptism, the implication of Jesus’ baptism, the meaning of the symbols involved
in baptism. Above all, we shall consider how the baptism of Jesus affects us as
Christians today; in other words, the lessons we learn from the events of the
baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
*1. The Baptism of Jesus: Not Just a Mere Cleansing From Sin.*
The church defines baptism as a sacrament which cleanses us from
original sin (the sin of Adam and Eve), makes us Christians, children of God
and members of the Church. At the time of John the Baptist, baptism was not a
sacrament per se, rather it was a ritual signifying repentance from sin and preparation for the Messiah. As John the Baptist noted: “I baptize you with
water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose
sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
with fire.” (Matthew 3:11)
Jesus was not born with any stain of original sin (his
conception was not natural; the word became flesh in Mary’s womb) and as God in
human flesh, Jesus committed no sin; there was absolutely nothing to repent
from. More still, Jesus was the reason John was baptising people. Hence John
protested when he saw Jesus but Jesus insisted saying “it is fitting for us to
fulfil all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15).
As soon as John the Baptist had baptised Jesus, it became
obvious that Jesus did not come to be cleansed from sin. Rather, Jesus came to
reveal (to manifest, to make known – epiphany) Himself to the world as God and
as the second person of the Trinity. The heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit
descended in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven said: “This is my
beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” Those who witnessed this event
quickly remembered the passage of Isaiah (where our first reading today comes
from) and it dawned on them powerfully that Jesus is not just anybody but God
in the midst of men; the promised Son of God; the Saviour and Redeemer of the
world.
*2. The Implication of Jesus’ Baptism For Us Today.*
Firstly, our celebration of the feast of Jesus’ baptism brings
us to the end of our Christmas festivities. The Baptism of Jesus was His launch
pad; His move from everyday life in the carpentry workshop to full-time
Ministry. Jesus’ Baptism served as His Gateway from one life to another, from obscurity
to activity. Therefore, we see Baptism as the gateway sacrament; the sacrament
of rebirth from the old life to a new life.
Nicodemus asked Jesus: “How can a man be born when he is old?
Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus then
explained the rebirth of baptism saying: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless
one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John
3:3-5). The day we were baptised is the day we died to our old selves (the life
of the flesh) and were born again into a brand-new life; a life of renunciation
of sin, rejection of the devil and all his works.
Today, we remind ourselves of the white cloth placed on our head
on the day of baptism symbolizing sinlessness, we remind ourselves of the
candles we held signifying our mission to be lights in the world. How faithful
have I been to my baptismal promises? Am I living like a person who is born
again? Am I still making efforts to keep my dignity unstained till I get to
heaven? Am I still a shining example of virtue and morality?
Jesus desired to fulfil all righteousness. He did the right
thing even when it was not necessary. Is this my approach to life? The voice of
God was heard saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” In
all honesty, can I say God is pleased with me right now? Is my life pleasing
to God? Do I seek to please God or to please human beings? Do I pretend to be
good before others while doing evil in secret?
*3. Baptism is For All.*
Our second reading today comes from Acts of the Apostles chapter
10 where Peter saw a vision which led him to the house of Cornelius, a Roman
Centurion (that is to say, a Gentile). God showed Peter in a vision not to call
anything He made unclean. When Peter got to the house of Cornelius at Joppa, he was
still speaking when the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his entire
household. Peter then realised that “God shows no partiality but everyone who
does right from any nation is acceptable to Him.”
In that occasion, we are told that Peter baptised Cornelius and
his entire household which must have included infants, children, teenagers, and
adults. Truly, no one should ever be denied the privilege of baptism. We
baptise infants based on the faith of their parents to live up to their
responsibility of bringing them up to live holy lives and keep their baptismal
promises. Parents and Sponsors who fail in this duty will answer for it on the
day of their judgement.
*Conclusion: Renew Your Baptismal Vows Today.*
It is possible that we may have forgotten about our baptism but
as we remember that of Jesus today, it is an opportunity to renew our vows and
call on God to impact us with the grace to remain faithful.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may my life become more pleasing to you.
Amen.
Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live
Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Solemnity of the
Baptism of Jesus Christ. Year A. Bible Study: Isaiah
42:1-7, Psalm 29, Acts 10:34-38 and Matthew 3:13-17).
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