HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD YEAR C.

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Psalm 104:1-4. 24-25. 27-30; Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22.

“YOU ARE MY BELOVED; IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·      Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This celebration naturally leads us to the consideration of our own baptism. To most Catholics, Baptism is just one ‘religious’ ceremony. But the fact is, it effects a fundamental change in our whole being.

·      Baptism has the power to change us from being just the son or daughter of our parents, to becoming son or daughter of God. As God’s children, we are expected to exhibit the characteristics of God. In fact, Jesus revealed to us what is expected of us: “Be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). We are to be holy, and to live and act according to our Christian dignity. Our whole being should be infused with the Christian spirit and values. We should think, behave, move and live as citizens of heaven.

·      As St. Paul puts it, we are in this world but not of this world. We must conform ourselves, not with the standards of this world, but to the standard of God.

·      Jesus was baptised at the beginning of his public ministry. To begin his ministry of repentance and restoration, he needed to identify and look for those he has come to save; hence, the need to identify with sinners through baptism.

·      Was the baptism of Jesus necessary? It was, because his mission was to salvage sinners and to identify with their lowliness. He went into the water of baptism to purify and sanctify it for our sake. The baptism of Jesus was necessary for the following reasons: 

+ To demonstrate the importance of baptism for Christians. Baptism is a gateway to a life of grace and holiness. This he demonstrated by being baptised himself.

+ To sanctify the water of baptism: Furthermore, when our Lord stepped into the Jordan, he who was sinless sanctified the water of baptism for us sinners. There was need for the sinless to make holy what has been infected by sin.

·      Through baptism, we make a public declaration to stand for Christ and to defend the cause of Christ and there is always a confirmatory voice acknowledging our declaration. The question we must ask ourselves now is:  By our lifestyle, can that confirmatory voice be re-echoed in what we do and what we are? Is God still well pleased with us?

·      Baptism is the gateway into Christian life to empower us to face challenges. Jesus knew the challenge of his mission and submitted to baptism even when he never needed it. We too must brace up for the challenges of life by letting the grace of our own baptism fortify us and bear fruits in our lives.

·      The first reading today, from the Prophet Isaiah, explains what it means to be a beloved Son:  Here is your God!  Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by a strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him.  Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care. Jesus begins to fulfil this prophecy and begins his ministry with love, compassion, strength and by gathering the lambs with care. 

·      Our warfare cannot end, our iniquity cannot be pardoned, and we cannot receive double from the Lord’s hands in place of our sins until we experience the healing touch of baptism and continue to live in it through authentic Christian life. Through the cleansing power of baptism.

·      The second reading, from the Letter of St. Paul to Titus, explains even further:  When the kindness and generous love of God our saviour appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our saviour. And we are told that through baptism we are trained to “…to renounce irreligion, worldly passions, and to live sober, upright and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own and who are zealous for good deeds”.

·      In this New Year we are presented another opportunity to evaluate the effects of our baptism and ask if it is bearing the expected fruit in our lives. This Sunday, we are invited to examine ourselves. This is quite appropriate because we are still in the first days of the New Year. Let us look at ourselves and see what behaviours and activities we have that do not conform to our Christian faith. There are many Catholics who go to Mass on Sundays and even receive Holy Communion regularly, yet they are engaged in drugs, gambling, prostitution and other immoral activities, or living together without the benefit of the sacrament of Matrimony, or engaged in adulterous relationship; or are ardent believers in superstition, horoscopes, palm reading or various occult practices. And there are some Catholics who are proud, arrogant, chronic liars and are active slanderers and gossips, destroying the reputation of others.

·      As we call to mind the Baptism of Jesus Christ today, we are reminded of our own baptism. There should be an ongoing renewal of our baptism especially going by our promise of renouncing sin and the devil with his promises. Our baptism should always remind us of the renewal we had from the old nature that was formerly in us. (2 Cor.5:17).  The baptism of the Lord further encourages us to show good examples to others. Jesus Christ our Lord showed us the way to baptism and went there himself. We should ask ourselves where we are leading people today. To the water of life or to the water of damnation?

·      In the Gospel, we see Jesus going down the waters of the Jordan to be baptized by John. He did not need to undergo this baptism of repentance for He is sinless and holy. Yet He did this for our sake. St. Gregory of Nazianzen tells us why: “He comes to bury sinful humanity in the waters. He comes to sanctify the Jordan for our sake.” Jesus made holy the waters of the earth so that we can use it in our baptism to cleanse and sanctify us.

·       Let the feast this Sunday remind us of our sublime dignity which we received in Baptism as God’s children. And let us strive to live according to this dignity, so that we may eventually hear the words of the Heavenly Father, as his son or daughter: “You are my beloved children; with you I am well-pleased.”

·      Lord, thank you for making us your sons and daughters through baptism. Help us to live lives of the baptized – Amen. 

·      Happy Sunday!!!