JANUARY 8th, 2024
The Baptism of the Lord
Scripture: Matthew 3:13-17
By Tom Andino, contributing writer
While driving around town the day after Christmas I couldn’t help but notice the number of Christmas trees that had already been tossed to the curb. I suppose I shouldn’t have been so surprised. We live in a culture that is fast paced, overly commercialized, and constantly moving us on to the next event. I was reminded of this again on December 27th. I went to the mall to take care of some Christmas returns, yet I could find very little evidence of anything remotely Christmas; only merchandise and signs reminding me that Valentine’s Day was less than two months away. In case I had forgotten to give my true love something she really wanted for Christmas, I could redeem myself by spending more money and making up for it in February. What a message!
Our economy identifies us as consumers whose mission is to buy and spend. The entertainment industry has us believing that we are nothing more than spectators whose only mission is to “tune in” to the latest and greatest movie, TV show, sporting event, etc. This, however, is far different from our mission as followers of Jesus Christ; but, more on that in a moment.
For the last two and a half weeks the Church, unlike our culture, has continued to celebrate the Christmas Season and the Gospels have recounted the manifestations that reveal Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us. The first manifestation, Christ’s birth, was celebrated on Christmas Day. The second manifestation was celebrated last Sunday on The Feast of the Epiphany. On Monday January 8th, we will celebrate The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and in addition to revealing the third manifestation of God’s presence among us through Jesus, it also marks the conclusion of the Church’s celebration of the Christmas Season.
The first two manifestations are obviously linked with Jesus’ birth. The third one, however, comes thirty years later just at the moment that Jesus is about to begin his public ministry. It is interesting to note that in Matthew’s Gospel account the baptism itself is described only briefly. What happens afterwards, however, is dramatic: the heavens open, the Spirit of God descends upon Jesus like a dove, and God’s voice is heard saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” What a wonderful ringing endorsement Jesus is given with which to begin his public ministry!
The voice from heaven reveals Jesus’ identity and this is the starting point for all that he will undertake through his ministry of teaching, preaching, healing, challenging, self giving, and ultimately suffering, dying and rising. I am sure most, if not all of us, would run away from such a ministry if we were called to it thinking: “Who am I to do this? I am not qualified.” Yet, it is because Jesus knows who he is that he does what he does. And, lest you think that you are not qualified and therefore off the hook for such a mission, let me conclude this reflection with a final thought.
All of us, by virtue of our own baptisms, have also been marked as God’s beloved sons and daughters and our identity and mission is the same as Christ’s. The way in which the mission is carried out in our modern world will, of course, be very different from the way Christ carried it out over two thousand years ago but the mission itself has not changed. We are called, like Jesus, to bring about God’s kingdom of justice, love, healing, liberation and peace through whatever ways and means are possible.
As we settle back into Ordinary Time; albeit only for a few weeks before Lent begins, let us remember that through our own baptism God has named us as his beloved sons and daughters and that like Jesus, all that we undertake must flow from who and what we are – God’s beloved.
Editor’s note: Tom Andino lives in Syracuse, New York and serves as director of music ministry at Our Lady of Hope Church and The Church of St. Michael/St. Peter.
