We are God’s Special People

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

January 13, 2013, Year C

Shortly after his election as the pope in 1958, Pope John XXIII spoke of the shock he felt at being elected to the papacy. But within few hours of becoming Pope, he told his advisors that in a matter of days, he would like to visit the large prison called Regina Caeli, on the outskirts of Rome. On getting to the prison, the Roman Pontiff told his prison audience that he had come to them as “Joseph your brother.” “I want my heart to be close to yours; I want to see the world through your eyes.” Today those words of the Servant of the Lord are found inscribed on a plague in the prison chapel.

It wasn’t just what the Pope said that endeared him to the prison inmates and to the rest of world; it was the very fact that he was there, that he had come among them as one of them. His presence and his words touched the hearts of many in his congregation. There were tears in the eyes of some of the prison officers, as well as in those of the prisoners. The Pope saw himself as one of the prisoners. 

Today we celebrate the baptism of the Lord. We celebrate God’s only Son who came into the world to become one of us. We celebrate his association with us. Today, God, the Creator submits himself to the hands of a creature to be baptized. The Lord plunged himself into the waters of Jordan, shoulder to shoulder with sinners, and with that shows himself as our redeeming Lord, our compassionate Savior, our dearest friend and our loving brother. He blessed and sanctified the waters of baptism.

The baptism of Jesus, at a first glance might seem odd since the Church teaches that the sacrament of baptism is necessary for the remission of sin, particularly the sin we inherited from our human progenitors, called the Original Sin, and Jesus did not inherit it, and he lived his entire life with no sin. This means he had no need of baptism as we do. Yet, he humbly submitted himself to the baptism of his cousin John the Baptist. By doing that, the Lord provided the example for the rest of us. If he should submit himself to baptism, though he does not necessarily need it, then the rest of us should do likewise after all we are his followers.

But it is important to understand that baptism is not all about forgiveness of sins. Baptism marks a dividing line between the old life and the new life, between waiting for the Messiah and finding him, between living with guilt and living in freedom, between living in a community of law and living in a community of love. By baptism we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ, and it is a relationship of friendship. Baptism initiates us into a life-giving relationship with God. Through it we become adopted sons and daughters of God, members of Christ’s body, children of the Father, and temples of the Holy Spirit. By baptism, we become the people of God; our gathering becomes a gathering of God’s people. We become the family of God, and enjoy fellowship with God. Baptism makes us new creation. It imprints an indelible spiritual mark of ownership. We no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to God.

Today we celebrate the baptism of the Lord. At the baptism of the Lord, the Father and the Holy Spirit were present. Jesus’ baptism reveals the Trinity. No wonder Jesus orders us in Matthew 28: 19 to baptize using the Trinitarian Formula: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” At the baptism, the Holy Spirit was present in the form of a dove: “The Spirit of God was descending like a dove and coming upon him.” And immediately the Father’s Big Voice was heard from heaven testifying for his beloved and begotten Son, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Jesus was not alone during his baptism. His Father was present. The Holy Spirit was present. They were present to testify of the specialness of Jesus. They were present to glorify Jesus. They were present to tell the world “I have given you everything; I have given you my all.” God has given us his beloved Son, his special Son, his One and only Son. What a great and wonderful event!

Dearest beloved, on the day of our baptism, we too were not alone. Apart from the priest and God’s people who were present when we were baptized, the Triune God- Father, Son and the Holy Spirit was also present. The day of our baptism was the day of our divine recognition. On that very day, Jesus was present, the Holy Spirit was present, the Father was present. The Father’s Voice also sounded from heaven, “This is my beloved son; this is my beloved daughter with whom I am well pleased.” Hence baptism is our official recognition as children of God. On that very day, the Father testified for us. On that very day, the Father said to the world and the Devil, this is my beloved son; this is my beloved daughter with whom I am well pleased. On that day, we were set aside for God and for God’s matters. On our baptism day, God declares how special we are. On our baptism day, God claims ownership of us. On our baptism day, he also set some expectation for us. When God declared that he is pleased with us when we were baptized, he expects us to continue to strive to please him.

On the day of our baptism, God claims us as his own. We become God’s servants, God’s children, God’s friends, and God’s special “treasure.” We become God’s jewels of inestimable value. On that day, the Holy Spirit rests upon us. On that day we become God’s voice speaking and bringing justice to the nations. We become God’s effigies, that whoever encounters us encounters not us but God living in us.

Baptism transforms us from just being creatures of God to being God’s children- sons and daughters of God. God was well pleased with us. God was happy when we first accepted him. The Triune God was present to testify that we belong to him. But is God still pleased with us? When God looks at us now, does he still throw a party with the angels? Can God still say “This is my beloved son; this is my beloved daughter with whom I am well pleased?” Baptism makes us God’s children for ever. But sin does not please God. It separates us from Him. Unfaithfulness to God does not please God. Though we are God’s children, but is God still pleased with us? Can the voice of the Father resound from heaven and testify that he is pleased with us? You know the answer, and I know mine. Think about it!