Mass Readings for the Baptism of The Lord:
Isaiah 42.1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29.1-4, 9 Acts 10.34-38 Luke 3.15-16, 21-22
The Baptism of Our Lord is an amazing event. It marks the beginning of Jesus’ public career, it initiates a whirlwind three-year ministry that changed the world; but consider how in this moment we have an epiphany that exceeds even the feast day that bears that name; and we are likely to miss it. Miss it because as Christians we have so long been catechized into the truths of the gospel that this momentous event loses some of its impact.
But then, for the first Christians, the first hearers of the gospel; they only “half heard/half saw” what I’m talking about.
God speaks to the attentive, and Christ’s message is only heard by those who listen – and not all who listen receive what he has to say with joy. For some the good news is fearsome stuff, threatening to their power, to their illusions about themselves, and threatening to the demons that have power over them; but for most of humanity, his words are freedom and peace, and carry a power that exceeds all worldly power. In Jesus’ words and actions are truths that shake the foundations of nations and empires. The powerful watch and worry over the gospel, then and today. The weak and dispossessed, and those materially comfortable yet spiritually empty, these are held in the thrall of the powerful until they too start to look, to watch, listen and hear the words of true freedom and of a peace beyond human comprehension.
As ministers of the gospel, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we are to emulate our Saviour in the ministry to which we are called. We must be fearless in proclaiming the good news, yet exceedingly clever in how we do it; subtle but not to the point of obscureness, quiet but not to the point where we are no longer heard; persistent but not obnoxious; enduring not for our own sake, but continuing in our efforts for the sake of others.
How many on that day on Jordan’s bank saw what was made plain in their sight? In the baptism is revealed the very nature of God as trinity. And for all its theatricality, it is so subtle – Jesus kneels in the Jordan, John pours water over him, and our Lord prays, then in quick succession the following happens: the heavens open (and we can only imagine what that means, but I would think of parting clouds and bright rays of sunshine beaming down upon the place) and then the Holy Spirit comes, descending, manifest in the form of a dove – that is, this is one of the few instances where the Spirit is made visible (the flames of Pentecost being the obvious other instance); and then a voice from heaven sounds, and depending on the gospel account it is either heard as thunder, or as in today’s account from Luke, the words are heard: “You are my son.”
There it all is, the Trinity, and it seems obvious to us, but it took centuries to work out the mystery of the trinity and affirm this as the essential nature of God. We human beings can be rather thick at times, and well, not just “at times” but for centuries at a time.
And that is why the living word, having gone forth two thousand years ago continues to sound and resound among us doing its work of transformation, reconciliation and redemption. And it is not done by forcing upon people this new life, but continually offering it through the words and example of Christ that we can read about, and hear preached on; and also, in our own lives as disciples as we offer the gospel to the world by what we say and what we do.
It is long and hard work. And we can contrast this with the wildfire spread of human ideologies that offer the shortcut to paradise. And we know how these human ideas of bringing about the kingdom of heaven on earth so soon turn to dividing us, demonizing some, flattering the majority, advocating punishment and persecution, justifying violence and celebrating destruction as necessary to realizing goals that are forever just beyond being attained, forever retreating over the horizon.
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his public career, the astounding ministry of Christ to the world. Astounding for its brevity, astounding for its frankly subtle, quiet manner; astounding for what it has resulted in: a faith community that encompasses the world; a faith community who live in hope of that kingdom of heaven and earth wed eternally, but enjoy already the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Now, the briefness of Jesus’ ministry we know: three years give or take some weeks.
To call his ministry “quiet” or subtle in manner I admit it is debatable. However, I would say “quiet” in relative terms, and in keeping with the words of Isaiah, it is an exaggeration meant to make a point.
The ancient prophet in speaking of the coming of our Lord said,
“He will not cry or lift up his voice in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.”
And when we think about what Jesus says and does in the years that follow this inauguration of his ministry through baptism, we see him teaching and healing for the most part. In this we have the modus operandi of the Church; we emulate our Lord in this being our principal work: teach and heal, preach and be of loving service to others. All this done without fanfare, without any great public demonstrations; but done with kindness, commitment, and through meaningful personal encounters.
Jesus meets with a lot people, individually (Nicodemus, Simon the Pharisee, little Zacchaeus, and so on) and in groups: the scandalous dining out with tax collectors and sinners. While we note that he often had harsh words for the Pharisees, the Temple authorities, for priests, scribes, lawyers, and so on, we don’t see the kind of confrontation with power that was seen with John the Baptist and his haranguing of Herod Antipas, the ruler of the Galilee. In many respects, he “flies beneath the radar” of the civil authorities, the Herodian princes and the Romans, who do hear reports of him, but nothing that disturbs them enough to go after him. He troubles them a bit, but they always have bigger things to worry about.
The one outstanding exception to my assertion is, of course, Jesus’s attack upon the money-changers in the Temple, an action that really sets off the final confrontation between himself and the authorities in that final week in Jerusalem – and it would seem that this was a calculated move meant to prompt that clash of wills.
But up to that point, we don’t find ourselves witnessing to a public ministry marked by confrontation, provocation, riotous followers or violent behaviour.
Rather, we have an example of subtlety in public discourse, true service to humanity, and a basic kindness that allowed Jesus to recruit an inner circle of men and women whose deep commitment was cemented in the time after the Resurrection.
The coming year will be one that renews the challenge to be faithful in our vocation of Christian ministry. We will revisit again our Saviour’s ministry, and seek to take lessons from him so as to apply them our circumstances; to renew our own baptism from week to week in the Mass and in our lives of service; to watch carefully, listen attentively, and in silence hope to hear our heavenly Father say to us, “… with you I am well pleased.”
Amen.