Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (B)

 

January 10, 2021

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 55: 1-11 (or Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7

Psalm 12 (or Ps 29) “You will draw water joyfully from the spring of salvation.” or

“The Lord will bless his people with peace.”

Second Reading: 1 John 5: 1-9, (or Acts 10: 34-38)

Gospel reading according to Mark 1: 7-11

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Homily:

Before Jesus was baptized, in Jerusalem and even the whole of Israel, was in darkness, in the shadow of death and in the valley of tears, chaotic, there was no peace and order, because of their leaders in the palace of the king and in the temple in Jerusalem, as well as the Roman subjugators.  King Herod was a tyrant king, he even killed his sons and others when he felt that his throne was threatened to lose in his possession; while the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees, even the Sanhedrin were corrupt.  Instead of looking after their people′s (sheep) welfare, spiritual and moral life, they were busy doing business (moneymaking, wealth seekers) in the temple selling cows, sheep, goats, doves and turtle doves, and changing money. While the Romans imposed taxes for their soldiers. 

Last year 2020, when we were also in darkness, in the valley of tears and in the shadow of death due to calamities after calamities that came in our country, lots of people suffered and died.   Nevertheless, during Christmas, there were lots of hopes, faiths and thanksgiving despite of what had happened to our country, beginning from the eruption of Taal Volcano up to typhoons Ulysses and Rolly aside from covid-19 that killed thousands of lives accompanied with lockdown and quarantine.  As if we underwent baptism – immersion to the deep water (death) and raised up out (to life) with lots of confidence (new life; new normal) and ready to start again.

Mark, in his gospel, showed John the Baptist introducing to his listeners about the coming of Jesus, the Son of God, whom they did not know or recognize.  He also explained to them about his baptism of water (cleansing from sin) and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (giving strength).   “This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: One mightier than I is coming after me.  I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1: 7-8).  John the Baptist described the One who is coming into the world to bring good news as an example to many.  He humbled himself as lower than a slave, who even to stoop and loosen the thongs of the sandals he was not worthy  The One who is to come will baptize with the power of the Holy Spirit to complete the baptism of John which is cleansing of sins and the stain of sins.

When the time comes to fulfill the will of his Father, Jesus left Nazareth and his mother Mary, and went to Jordan to be baptized by John, not because he has sin to be washed away by the cleansing water but as part of the mission that he will do. “It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John” (Mark 1: 9).  The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist is the beginning of his mission, to bring light to many, glad tidings to the poor and the oppressed, the sick, physically and mentally disabled, possessed by evil spirits (devils and demons), etc., and of proclaiming the Reign-Kingdom of God and of Heaven, which reigns love, hope, and faith, aside from justice, peace, reconciliation, mercy and compassion, and integrity of creation, these Jesus will teach, preach and do in his forthcoming public ministry.

After Jesus immersing from the river and raised out up in the water, he saw the heavens were forcefully burse and torn open, and the Holy Spirit descended on him.  “On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him” (Mark 1: 10).  The Holy Spirit (Ruach), if we understand the idea of God, especially the Holy Spirit, being like a breath or wind, we can grasp the meaning of the Hebrew word “Ruach.” This word refers to God as a breath, a wind, or a life force that sustains all living things, human beings included) (https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/ruach), that hovered the sea in the beginning of the creation (Genesis 1: 1-2) is the same Holy Spirit that descended from heaven and hovered around the River Jordan where Jesus was baptized, and breathe the power of God, His Father.  Also, the Holy Spirit is likened to a dove descended to Jesus after his baptism can be connected or compared in the Old Testament (Genesis 8:11), a dove was released by Noah after the flood in order to find land; it came back carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doves_as_symbols), that brought peace between God and man after the deluge during the time of Noah, as the Psalmist sang, “The Lord will bless his people with peace” (v. 29), and in the New Testament, in the Acts of the Apostles, (Acts 2: 1-31) during the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended to the Apostles and disciples of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36, also refers to 2 Peter 1:16–18).

God, the Father, who is in heaven, talked to his Son in the clouds of heavens, Jesus Christ and guaranteed his constant companionship and accompaniment and trust in everything he does and says.  “And a voice came from the heavens, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Mark 1: 11).  The voice of God, the Father, was heard not by all people present in the River Jordan where John was baptizing, maybe they heard the sound of thunder, but only Jesus heard his Father’s voice, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  This will happen again when Jesus will be transfigured in Mount Tabor and the voice of God will be heard, when God said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17: 5).  The same with us when we were baptized, the heavens were burse and torn open, the Holy Spirit descended and the voice of God the Father was heard, “This is my beloved child in whom I am well pleased.”