Lay Homily: Jan 13

Last week I began a little project to write example homilies for the readings each week.  Today I'll continue that series:

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Today is the feast of the Baptism of Jesus.  Luke gives a shortened account of this event.  In Matthew we read a longer version, complete with John’s very understandable question:  “Why is the Son of God submitting to a baptism of repentance for sinners?”  And admittedly, Jesus’ reply that it was necessary to "fulfill all righteousness" doesn’t exactly clear things up.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church answers the question this way: “The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners.”

Let’s stop for a moment and think on that.  Think about the vast difference between an all-good, all-holy God and the sinfulness of humanity.  God was willing to cross that chasm, to condescend to be among us so that we could be brought back into friendship with Him.  And when I say “we” and “us”, don’t think of that in an impersonal way.  Think of yourself.  Think of yourself at your absolute worst.  God was willing to come be in fellowship with you even at that moment.

Another thing I’d like to call your attention to; specifically you who are fathers with sons.  The Father says to Jesus: “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” 

I think there are three core psychological hungers which young boys need their fathers to fulfill.  They need to know their father recognizes them, loves them, and is proud of them.  Boys want to hear, “You are my son.  I love you.  I’m proud of you.”  Well, what does the Father say to Jesus here?  “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” 

Fathers, if you’ve not said something like that to your sons lately, perhaps you should consider imitating God the Father in speaking those words to your boys.

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Now let’s talk about the second reading from Paul’s letter to Titus.   Here Paul gives us an important reminder. He says God saved us “not because any deeds done by us in righteousness”.  As I mentioned earlier, it was God who condescended to us, not human beings who worked their way into God’s good graces.  (As if such a thing were even possible)  

No, salvation is a free gift merited by Jesus on the cross.  But how does the work which Jesus did on the cross get applied to us as individuals?  Paul says this occurs through the “washing of regeneration”, namely baptism.

Some Christians believe baptism is an outward sign only.  It is an overt signal to others that one intends to become a Christian, but it conveys no power.  This erroneous belief is based more on ideology than Scripture.  It is an ideology which rejects the idea that God would use physical matter – or worse yet, a ritual – to convey grace. 

But belief in the sacramental power of baptism has been the Christian belief from the beginning.  One early Christian writer, known as Justin Martyr, wrote the following in the year 150 about new converts:

“They are led by us to a place where there is water, and they are reborn in the same kind of rebirth in which we ourselves were reborn: ‘In the name of God, the Lord and Father of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit,’ they receive the washing of water. For Christ said, ‘Unless you be reborn, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven’" 

So readings for today invite us to contemplate how the Son condescends to solidarity with the fallen human race so the He may die as a sacrifice for us.  Then He elevates us to fellowship with God through Baptism.  It is because of this gift that God can look at us and say, “This is my beloved son, this is my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased.”