Sunday, January 11, 2015
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
First Reading:
Is 42:1-4, 6-7
Second Reading:
Acts 10:34-38
Gospel Reading: Mt 3:3-17
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The baptism of Jesus was different from our baptism. Ours is for “Cleansing” from original and personal sin to become “Adopted” children of God thereby “Receiving” grace to embrace the virtues of faith, hope and charity. The words in quotation marks are so arranged to form the acronym “car” in order to remind us that Christian life is a journey. At our baptism we received a “car” for our spiritual journey. Is your car still in “running condition”?
Jesus’ baptism had a purpose different from ours. It was to “sanctify” the waters of baptism, to “inaugurate” a new life in the Spirit, and to “manifest” the nature of his mission. The words in quotation marks are intentionally arranged to come up with the acronym “SIM”. Jesus maintains a SIM so we can text him every day. Is Jesus’ cell phone number registered in your sim card?
Seriously now, let us reflect on why Jesus underwent baptism. When the water of the Jordan River touched Jesus’ body water acquired the power not just to clean the body but the soul as well as it washes away original sin. With original sin washed out the hindrance to grace is also washed out and the person who is baptized stands ready to receive the other sacraments.
Secondly, Jesus’ baptism was meant to inaugurate a new life in the Spirit. Immediately after he was baptized, a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” The same voice will assure us at baptism that God is well pleased in adopting us as his children after our rebirth through the waters of baptism.
Finally, Jesus’ baptism was a manifestation of his mission to save sinners from damnation. Our baptism made us sharers of this mission because baptism commits us to reject Satan and fight all forces of evil.
We have been reborn in the waters of baptism made holy by the baptism of the Lord. Let us arise and be committed to our baptismal promises.—Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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