Fr. Marcel Okwara’s Bulletin Message on the Baptism of the Lord
Dearest beloved, as the season of Christmas and Epiphany comes to a close, before we begin the Ordinary Time, the Church presents us with an episode from the life of the Lord Jesus to reflect and contemplate: his baptism by John the Baptist. The baptism of Jesus Christ marks the inauguration and the beginning of his public life and ministry. The simple catechism teaches that baptism washes away Original Sin and personal sin. But of sins against God, Jesus had none since he himself is God. Of sins against the Law, he also had none since he himself was the author of the Law of Moses.
The baptism of the Lord by John the Baptist is noteworthy because it is in this event that the Old Law (represented by John the Baptist) and the New Law (which the Lord himself begins) meet. This event is also remarkable because it profoundly shows the humility of the one Jesus himself talks about in these words: “Truly I say to you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11: 11). This event demonstrates the incomprehensible humility of Jesus our Lord. In his humility, he went to John to be baptized. In John’s humility he said to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me?” And remember that John the Baptist had before now described Jesus as the One “he (John) is unworthy to untie the straps of his sandals”. Humility is always a virtue! Unfortunately, our contemporary world tries to undermine this great virtue. Many of us understand humility as weakness; the humble man or woman is pushed aside as a weakling. But to underscore and highlight the necessity of this rare virtue, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once said “There are virgins in hell, but there is no one in Hell who is humble.”
It is commonly said that the baptism of our Lord Jesus is the figure of our own baptism. But if his baptism is the figure of ours, then it is not only because baptism cleanses us of original sin, since Jesus didn’t have it. Like Jesus, baptism places us on the royal road of the Holy Cross, the road which Jesus was the first to walk and which he covered with his own redeeming Blood. Saint Paul wrote in Romans 6: 3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life.” The new life which baptism gives us is life in the Spirit.
Brethren, as we celebrate the baptism of the Lord, let us renew our commitment to always follow the Lord in humility. Jesus was completely obedient to his Father hence during his baptism the Father spoke from heaven “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”. If God were to speak about you today, will He say the same thing He said of Jesus? What will be the Father’s account of you? Will He also said, “This is my beloved son, this is my beloved daughter, with whom I am well pleased?” Think about it!
The baptism of the Lord by John the Baptist is noteworthy because it is in this event that the Old Law (represented by John the Baptist) and the New Law (which the Lord himself begins) meet. This event is also remarkable because it profoundly shows the humility of the one Jesus himself talks about in these words: “Truly I say to you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11: 11). This event demonstrates the incomprehensible humility of Jesus our Lord. In his humility, he went to John to be baptized. In John’s humility he said to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me?” And remember that John the Baptist had before now described Jesus as the One “he (John) is unworthy to untie the straps of his sandals”. Humility is always a virtue! Unfortunately, our contemporary world tries to undermine this great virtue. Many of us understand humility as weakness; the humble man or woman is pushed aside as a weakling. But to underscore and highlight the necessity of this rare virtue, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen once said “There are virgins in hell, but there is no one in Hell who is humble.”
It is commonly said that the baptism of our Lord Jesus is the figure of our own baptism. But if his baptism is the figure of ours, then it is not only because baptism cleanses us of original sin, since Jesus didn’t have it. Like Jesus, baptism places us on the royal road of the Holy Cross, the road which Jesus was the first to walk and which he covered with his own redeeming Blood. Saint Paul wrote in Romans 6: 3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life.” The new life which baptism gives us is life in the Spirit.
Brethren, as we celebrate the baptism of the Lord, let us renew our commitment to always follow the Lord in humility. Jesus was completely obedient to his Father hence during his baptism the Father spoke from heaven “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”. If God were to speak about you today, will He say the same thing He said of Jesus? What will be the Father’s account of you? Will He also said, “This is my beloved son, this is my beloved daughter, with whom I am well pleased?” Think about it!
No comments:
Post a Comment