Sunday, January 11, 2015

Homily: Baptism of the Lord 2015 - Eternal Life



For Catholics, the Christmas Season is marked by three great Feasts.  The Feast of the Lord’s Nativity, the Feast of Epiphany, and today’s feast of the Lord’s Baptism.  These three feasts teach us some very important things about the Lord Jesus, and hopefully should help us encounter his love for us in a more profound manner. 

On Christmas, we journeyed with the humble shepherds to the manger in Bethlehem.  The poor shepherds give testimony that this child associates with the poor and the lowly.  The Most High God doesn’t simply love us from a distance, he comes into the grime and the muck of humanity—into poverty, and filth, and obscurity, and suffering to be among us, to save us from our sins, and to show us the way to true peace and freedom

At Epiphany, we journeyed with wise men from the east bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The gold testified that he was a king, the frankincense testified that he would reconcile us to God, and the myrrh testified that he would die for us.  Jesus was born to save us from our sins, and desires to sit on the thrones of our hearts. 

On this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we heard St. Mark’s version of Jesus’ Baptism.  This is one of the rare stories found in all four Gospels.  Where the other Gospel writers tell us how John the Baptist protested when Jesus asked to be Baptized, Mark, in his usual style, is pretty sparse with the details.  All Mark really tells us is that John the Baptist was preparing people for the coming of the kingdom.  But he also includes, as do the other Gospel writers, what happens WHEN Jesus is baptized. 

Something amazing happens, right?  The Holy Spirit descends like a Dove and the voice from heaven speaks.  So, at Christmas, we had shepherds testifying to Jesus’ identify, on Epiphany we had the wise men testifying who Jesus is, now at his Baptism, not only is John the Baptist testifying to Jesus’ Identity, but God the Father and God the Holy Spirit show up as well, to testify that Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus is not just a wise philosopher like Socrates, he’s not just a moral teacher or spiritual guru .  He’s not a peace activist.  He is God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. His teachings are not just opinions; they are not an amalgamation of human wisdom.  They are the Word of God.
And therefore his Church is not just a social group, like the Rotary Club.  We can join or leave the Rotary Club without consequence to our immortal soul.  That cannot be said for the Church.  What Jesus teaches we believe firmly and without reserve because he is God; where Jesus goes, we follow, for his and his alone is the path that leads to eternal life.

I began Mass this morning asking our catechumens two questions.  What do you ask of God’s Church?  They answered: Faith.  For what does Faith offer you, I asked?  Eternal Life. 

What a wonderful amazing thing, that these five people from diverse backgrounds, jobs, families, have come here, like so many of you, to receive eternal life.   They have come here today to commit to walking the way of Christ which leads to eternal life.  Our very first session of RCIA I asked them, why are you here?  How did the path of your life lead here?  Some said, I want to know more about the Catholic faith.  I want to be Catholic.  I want to share the faith of my family.  I have come to recognize that the Catholic Faith is true.

For many of us: we were baptized as infant and received our religious instruction as children.  But, I think each of us realizes that being Catholic is not just a choice that was made for us, when we were baptized as infants.  It is a choice we make daily.  A choice to believe and profess all the Church teaches. A commitment of our lives daily to God’s care.  A choice to avoid the things that are harmful to our souls, which may compromise our faith. 

Tori, Kenitha, Jennifer, Michael, and Stephen choose freely to be here today.  But also because God has been working in their lives to bring them here.  God has worked through the members of this parish, through the testimony of our faithful parishioners to enkindle in them the fire of faith.  They are here in answer to your prayers.  And I ask you to continue to pray for them as they continue their journey towards full initiation in the Church at Easter.  When you see them at Mass, greet them, let them know that you are praying for them.    


In a few moments we will each personally recite the Profession of Faith.  This is the faith of the Church, this is the faith of the Baptized.  We are proud to profess it.  We look forward to the day that our catechumens will profess it with us as full members of the Church.  Through this faith, may each of us come to the joys of eternal life with Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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