{"id":3087,"date":"2020-01-12T11:29:56","date_gmt":"2020-01-12T16:29:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=3087"},"modified":"2020-01-12T11:29:56","modified_gmt":"2020-01-12T16:29:56","slug":"baptism-of-the-lord-homily-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/baptism-of-the-lord-homily-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Baptism of the Lord – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Baptism of the Lord<\/a>
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 (11b)
Acts 10:34-38
Matthew 3:13-17
January 12, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas day\nwas 18 days ago.  We began our Christmas\nseason with the story of the birth of our savior \u201cwho is Christ and Lord.<\/em>\u201d  Then,\nwe celebrated Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the Holy Family and heard of their\nflight to Egypt and their return.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then we\nhonored Mary as Mother of God.  Last\nSunday was the Epiphany of the Lord, the visit of the magi.  Today, our Christmas season draws to a close\nwith our celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up to this\npoint, everything we have celebrated on Sundays and Holy Days during our\nChristmas season has been from the infancy of Jesus.  So, knowing that Jesus was baptized as an\nadult, why do we hear about the Baptism of the Lord as part of our Christmas season?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course,\ntoday we baptize babies.  So, the\ndiscussion of a birth of a baby could naturally lead to a discussion of\nbaptism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, I\ndon\u2019t think that fully explains why we end our Christmas season with the story\nof Jesus\u2019 baptism.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why was Jesus\nborn?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He came to be\na savior.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What has\nJesus done as our savior.  Ultimately, He\nwas crucified for our sins but He had much to do in his public ministry.  His public ministry began at his\nBaptism.  From there, He did mighty deeds\nand proclaimed God\u2019s Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, we end\nour Christmas season with the Baptism of the Lord to think about the purpose of\nhis birth, our salvation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John baptized\nmany people in the Jordan River. \nHowever, when Jesus comes to him to be baptized, John the Baptist knows\nhe is not worthy, trying \u201cto prevent him,\nsaying, \u201cI need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me!\u201d<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus replied\nsimply, \u201cAllow it now, for thus is fitting<\/strong> for us to fulfill all righteousness<\/strong>.<\/em>\u201d  It is what God wants and John does what God\nwants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So why did\nJesus come to be baptized?  What is\nbaptism?  What effect does it have?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, we\nneed to understand that John\u2019s baptism was not the same as we celebrate Baptism\ntoday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John\u2019s\nbaptism was for one purpose, the forgiveness of sins<\/em><\/strong>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus had no\nsins.  Thus, He didn\u2019t need baptism for\nforgiveness.  Yet, it was \u201cfitting<\/em>\u201d for Jesus to be baptized.  He sets an example for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, as Son\nof God, took the baptism of John and made it something more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happened\nwhen Jesus \u201ccame up from the water<\/em>\u201d?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe heavens were opened for him.<\/em>\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, in\nBaptism, Heaven is opened for us.  We are\nadopted into God\u2019s family.  We are God\u2019s\nchildren with Jesus as our brother.  When\nwe open ourselves to the grace of Baptism we are \u201cinwardly transformed\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who can be\nbaptized?  Everyone, for \u201cGod shows no partiality.  Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly<\/strong> is acceptable to him.<\/em>\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What else did\nwe see in the Baptism of Jesus?  \u201cThe Spirit of God descending like a dove and\ncoming upon him.<\/em>\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the\nprophet Isaiah, we hear the significance of the one who receives God\u2019s spirit\nto \u201cbring forth justice<\/em>\u201d but without\nshouting or \u201cmaking his voice heard<\/em>.\u201d  Jesus does not force faith upon anyone.  Each person is to choose to accept the gift\nof faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In our\nBaptism, like Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit and are sealed with the Spirit\nin Confirmation.  In Baptism, we are\nchosen.  We are called by the one who\nformed us.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After baptism\nwith water, one is anointed with the Sacred Chrism to be a priest, prophet, and\nking like Jesus.  We are called to make\nsacrifices, share God\u2019s Word, and serve others following the example of Jesus.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I said it is\nour choice to accept the gift of faith. \nWith faith comes responsibility, a responsibility to follow Jesus and\nhelp others do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We don\u2019t\nalways feel adequate for this.  That\u2019s\nwhy God gives us the Spirit.  Alone we\nare limited but with the Holy Spirit we can accomplish what God calls us to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of us\nwere baptized as babies.  That means our\nparents made the choice to be baptized for us. \nThus, one who doesn\u2019t want to do what Jesus calls to, might think I\ndidn\u2019t accept my baptismal promises.  I\nhope no one thinks that way but I fear one might.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when\nwe are confirmed, part of this Sacrament is the renewal of baptismal promises\nwhere we say yes for ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are also\nreminded of our baptism every time we enter church and bless ourselves with\nholy water and the Sign of the Cross.  We\nare saying, \u201cYes God\u201d I believe and I want to follow you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Easter we\nall renew our baptismal promises, we renew our \u201cyes\u201d to God.  We receive Baptism and Confirmation each only\nonce in our lifetime.  We are forever\nmarked by Baptism and Confirmation.  We\ncall this an indelible mark that imparts a sacramental character upon us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We say \u201cyes\u201d\nat our Baptism.  We say \u201cyes\u201d at our\nConfirmation but really we need to say yes to God everyday of our lives.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Baptism of the LordIsaiah 42:1-4, 6-7Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 (11b)Acts 10:34-38Matthew 3:13-17January 12, 2020 Christmas day was 18 days ago.  We began our Christmas season with the story of the birth of our savior \u201cwho is Christ and Lord.\u201d  Then, we celebrated Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as the Holy Family and heard of their …<\/p>\n

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