Homily, 1-8-24; Feast of the Baptism of the Lord:
Merry Christmas! This is the last time I will be able to say this for awhile. Many have already taken down their Christmas trees and decorations. Some held off putting away their nativity sets until a few days ago, on January 6th, the traditional day for celebrating the arrival of the Magi, the Three Kings. But today, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, is the official end to the Christmas Season in the Church’s liturgical year. It is the day we transition from celebrating the first manifestations of Jesus on earth, to reflecting on Christ’s years of earthly ministry.
Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany. The word epiphany means manifestation. We commemorated the visit by the Magi as a manifestation of Christ to the Gentile world. But in Church history there are three different events that are commemorated as part of the Epiphany of the Lord. On the Feast of the Epiphany, the antiphon for evening prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours is: “Three mysteries mark this holy day: today the star leads the Magi to the infant Christ; today water is changed into wine for the wedding feast; today Christ wills to be baptized by John in the river Jordan to bring us salvation.”
In all three of these events Christ made His divinity known to the world; when the star appeared to the magi, when Jesus turned water into wine, and when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus when He was baptized. Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, but in a way it is a continuation of the feast of the Epiphany. Jesus reveals Himself as the awaited Messiah, but again the Jewish religious leaders refuse to recognize Him. We heard Isaiah’s prophecy in our first reading that God will send His servant as “a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeons those who live in darkness.” And what did God say about that servant in our reading from Isaiah? He said: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am well pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit.”
Sound familiar? Sounds a lot like what God said when Jesus came out of the water after being baptized in the Jordan. We heard: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” And Mark tells us that the Spirit, like a dove, descended upon Him. But those who studied scriptures, who studied prophesies looking for the coming of the Messiah still did not recognize Him.
So today we have much to consider. We reflect on the Epiphany, Christ’s manifestation to the world. We transition into Ordinary time and reflect on Jesus’ mission and on His call to conversion. We reflect on how we live out the gospel message and how we to help make Christ’s presence in the world known to others. We reflect on whether we will recognize Him and be prepared for when He comes again. But this feast of the Baptism of the Lord is also a good reason once each year to reflect on our own baptisms.
Baptism is a wonderful gift from Christ, but it also comes with responsibilities that we need to remember. Through our incorporation into the Body of Christ we share in His mission which is a priestly, kingly, and prophetic mission. Through this mission we are called to serve God and be witnesses to his divine Kingdom; to make it present here on earth. We are to be instruments to manifest Christ to the world.
As you leave the church today, dip your fingers into the holy water and make the Sign of the Cross in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And as you do, remember who you are; what you became through your baptism. And give glory and thanks to God who manifested Himself and made Himself present for our salvation.