Sunday:       Baptism of the Lord
Date:         January 13, 2013
Year:         C
The readings: [Is. 40:1-5, 9-11 Or Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Lk. 3:15-6, 21-22]
The message:  Prepare the way of the Lord.
Prepared by:  Catholic Doors Ministsry
Total words:  1255

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My brothers and sisters in Christ, today's First Reading from the Book of Isaiah consisted of a prophecy related to the coming of the promised Messiah. The Reading from the Gospel of Luke announced that when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, this was the event that marked the official beginning of the Lord's ministry on earth as Christ the Redeemer.

The First Reading consisted of God speaking to His people through the prophet Isaiah. In those days, God's chosen people were coming out of captivity. Jerusalem was in shambles. [Is. 49:17, 51:17] The Jewish people had endured great suffering.

The Lord God told Isaiah to comfort His people, to speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and to cry out to her that she had served her term, that her penalty was paid, that she had received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

The repetition of the word "comfort" echoes a tone of mercy. God was about to show mercy towards His people. To speak tenderly meant to speak to the heart. This was a delicate expression of Divine love that God was manifesting towards His people. During the past centuries, the people had turned away from God. As such, they had been punished. They paid double for their sins. While some may view such a punishment as being very severe, it should not be perceived as Divine anger but as a time of purification. God sanctified a people unto Himself. Now, a new era was on the horizon, a time of joy and peace, the glorious moment when God's people would be redeemed.

Then the Lord said, "A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" A voice crying out echoes a new exodus. The Lord Himself was about to lead the new exodus. He was about to take His people out of Babylon, through the desert, and back to Palestine.

The words, "in the wilderness prepare the way" introduces one of the richest terms found in the Holy Bible. The "Way" is a manner of life, for men and for God. There can be two ways, either good or evil. [Mt. 7:13-4] John the Baptist cried out in the wilderness to prepare "the way of the Lord." [Mk. 1:3] Jesus declared that He Himself was that Way. [Jn. 14:6, Heb. 10:20] Christianity itself is called "the Way." [Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23]

Through this prophecy, Jerusalem was highly glorified. It was hailed as the home of God on earth and the center of world redemption. The pre-exilic days of sensuousness and hypocrisy were finally coming to an end.

Jerusalem, synonym of Zion, was called the herald of glad tidings. It was proclaimed, "Here is your God!" In these prophetic words, Isaiah was not suggesting a human king of the lineage of king David but rather a Divine King, Yahweh Himself.

Among those words, there was a sudden change, from "king" to "shepherd." In other parts of the Old Testament, we find that the words "king" and "shepherd" are synonymous of each other. [2 Sam. 5:2; Jer. 3:15] Now, the prophet Isaiah reveals God as a shepherd- king who draws His people unto Himself and who even carries them. [Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11-6; Ps. 23]

The Reading from today's Gospel of Luke presented John the Baptist's Messianic preaching. In the psychological setting, we can perceive that the people were expecting the arrival of the promised Messiah at any time. In their hearts, they wondered, "Is He the one that we are waiting for?"

Knowing their hearts, John the Baptist answered, "But one who is more powerful than I is coming." The words "one who is more powerful" echoed Jesus the great liberator in the war against Satan. The words "more powerful" or "mighty" was frequently used in the Holy Scriptures to describe the leader of the final struggle against evil. [Mk. 3:27; Lk. 11:20-2; Rev. 18:8]

In this particular passage, a great importance was given to the Holy Spirit. Throughout the Holy Bible, many amazing manifestations were credited to the presence of the Spirit, as the life and power of God. Such is seen in the creation [Gen. 1:2] and the warriors. [Judges 3:10, 11:29, 1 Sam. 11:6] But now, the Holy Spirit is identified as a separate Divine Presence in the Blessed Trinity. While the voice of the Heavenly Father was heard from Heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in bodily form like a dove.

When John the Baptist stated that the believers would be baptized with fire, such is associated with sanctification and salvation. Fire represents a sanctifying action. At the same time, in Scripture, fire is very often associated with the presence of the Saviour-God. God will sanctify His people as through refining fire so they may be made righteous in His eyes to inherit the eternal salvation of the children of God.

When we hear that "all the people were baptized," we perceive a new episode, a whole community advancing towards the new and most joyful promised land, the spiritual Kingdom of God on earth. So great was the Divine Presence of God in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that all the people were touched, repented of their sins and were baptized. There was no space left for doubters.

The voice of God from Heaven echoes the Heavenly Father's desire and determination to save His people. Through the Words, "You are my Son." the Heavenly Father confesses the Divinity of Jesus. Jesus is God incarnated in human form.

It should be noted that Jesus did not get baptized because He needed to repent of His sins. Being God, He was without sin! Why then was He baptized? Because from the moment of His birth to the moment when He began His ministry on earth, Jesus completely submitted Himself in obedience to the customs of His people. By submitting Himself to the Baptism of John the Baptist, He placed His seal of approval that we all need to repent of our sins.

But there was more to it then could be perceived at that time. Jesus' example of being baptized was to tell us that the Sacrament of Baptism is the Way to the new life, to being born again of water and spirit. As Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." [Jn. 3:5]

My brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus is the Way, and the truth and the life. [Jn. 14:6] As John the Baptist was commissioned to prepare the Way of the Lord, we as baptized and confirmed Christians have been called by God and sent by our Bishop to preach the Good News to all those with who we come in contact during our life. For the glory of God, our commission obligates us to show the Way to those who have yet to find the Lord Jesus in their lives. For the glory of God, our commission obligates us to show the Way of the Lord to those who have shipwrecked in their faith.

This week, let us reflect upon our actions. Have we prepared the Way of the Lord so all humanity may share in the blessed hope of the eternal joy and peace that awaits the righteous children of God who have lived their faith in Christ?

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!'

See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep." [Is. 40:1-5, 9-11]

OR..

"Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

For when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." [Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7]

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Gospel Reading...

"As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, 'I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful that I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.'" [Lk. 3:15-6, 21-22]

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