Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

Don't tell me it's not worth trying for; can't tell me it's not worth dying for; you know it's true, everything I do I do it for you.  Now these are typical syrupy lyrics from a balladeer named Bryan Adams and yet I like the concept.

All of us here have dedicated some part, perhaps even a good part of our lives doing everything for another.  Husbands and wives are called to live for the other, parents spend many years doing everything for their children.  Volunteers and certain professionals do things for the good of another.  But can any us truly say everything I do, everything, I do it for you?

As people of faith we know that everything Jesus does; everything Jesus did, he did it for us!  He does it for you, and me!!

We have finally arrived at the end of the Christmas season.  Today's Feast Day of the Baptism of the Lord closes out our liturgical celebration of Christmas.  Tomorrow when you come to church, certainly next Sunday, you will see the green as we return to Ordinary Time.  Now the Christmas season ends with the proclamation of the Gospel from St. Luke of the Baptism of the Lord.  Immediately this begs two questions for me: does Jesus need to be baptized and why was He baptized?  I think we can answer this question this way: no, Jesus did not need to be baptized and He did not do it for Himself; He did it for you and me.  We know that Jesus was, is and forever will be sinless.  Baptism, the Church teaches us, forgives original sin, and in the case of older children and adults, any other sin previously committed.  Jesus had no sin yet he went into those waters of the Jordan and was baptized by John.  Jesus insisted that John baptize Him because He knew that He did not need Baptism, but you and I do.  He gave us the example of what all of us must do; said another way; He did first what we must do!  And there is another profound reason that Jesus was baptized; it is part of the manifestation to the entire world of who Jesus is.  Remember, the manifestations of Jesus include the Epiphany, last week, His Baptism, today and the miracle at the wedding in Cana, next week.  We just heard at the moment of Baptism, the Heaven opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the voice of the Father was heard: this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Jesus, at His Baptism, is revealed as the Son of the Father!

All of us who have been baptized, when we, as parents, bring our children to this Baptismal Font, we know that we are baptized with water; Jesus was baptized with water.  We may recall that we are also sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, the same Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, and finally, at the holy anointing with the Chrism oil, the newly baptized is anointed Priest, Prophet and King.  Jesus indeed is Priest, Prophet and King.  What Jesus did first for us; we must do!

Recall that the Priest or Deacon probably explained that the water is used to wash away sin.  In the case of Jesus and His Baptism, Jesus did not enter the water to have sins forgiven, no he entered the water to cleanse it with His holy presence.  He also entered the same water where sinners had been and would continue to go, a prefiguring of Jesus taking on all the sins of the world when he hung upon the Cross.

As we celebrate this glorious Feast, as we celebrate this ending of the Christmas season, as we recall our own Baptism, can we this week pray with and renew our own Baptismal promises?  Not sure what they are?  Let's renew them right now.  Please stand and answer the following questions with me:

Do you reject sin so as to live in the freedom of God’s children?
Do you refuse the glamor of evil, and refuse to be mastered by sin?
Do you reject Satan, father of sin and prince of darkness?

Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?

Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting?

This is our faith.  This is the faith of the Church.  We are proud to profess it, in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Amen; can we just reflect all week on rejecting sin and Satan and believing and following God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and His Holy Catholic Church?

 

And let's remember in the week ahead; that everything Jesus did; he did it for you(and me) and everything Jesus does, he does for you(and me).