HOMILY OF THE FEAST OF OUR LORD — YEAR A

HOMILY OF THE FEAST OF OUR LORD — YEAR A

HOMILY THEME: THE POWER OF BAPTISM

BY: Fr. Felix Yayi CSSp

Isaiah 40:1-5,9-11/ Titus 2:11-17; 3:4-7/Luke 3:15-16,21-22

The celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus marks the end of Christmas celebration. It inaugurates the public ministry of Jesus. For some weeks now we have celebrated Jesus as an infant, now we celebrate him as an adult. This is the beginning of a journey that will take him to His death and resurrection and we are to follow him.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that Baptism as a Sacrament cleanses us from original sin. The baptism of John the Baptist is a Baptism of repentance, this Baptism was to direct the people toward Jesus who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

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In our Gospel text today, the people were expecting a messiah, one who would save them. They questioned in their Hearts if John was the one they were expecting, but John in his humility will only say “He who is mightier than I is coming.”

Whenever we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, certain questions come to mind: Jesus is the Son of God; co-substantial with the Father and without sin, but what has baptism of repentance got to do with him? John objected to baptise Jesus, because he knew that Jesus was without sin, he knew that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God.

Jesus replied instead: “Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.” In other words, Jesus wishes, by virtue of His own baptism, to express solidarity with us sinners.

He would identify himself with the poor and sinners, and He will walk away from prominent positions. Jesus would walk down into the waters of the river Jordan with all the weeping people and those who were asking and praying to God for the forgiveness of their sins (It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick, Lk 5:31).

In fact, in Gaudete et Exsultate (On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World), Pope Francis reminds us that our union with Christ “entails reproducing in our own lives various aspects of Jesus’ earthly life: his life in community, his closeness to the outcast, his poverty and other ways in which he showed his self-sacrificing love.” May we reflect our oneness with Jesus by showing our goodwill towards everyone.

The mysterious voice which came from heaven and was the voice of God the Father confirms the Divine identity of Jesus “This is my Son, the beloved; my favour rests on him”. Baptism does not only cleanse us from original sin, it also makes us children or sons of God as taught by the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Baptism of Jesus reveals the Divine Trinity. God the Father spoke from Heaven to confirm the identity of God the Son who was anointed for His Mission by God the Holy Spirit, who descended in the form of a dove. Baptism commissions us for the mission as Christians and Children of God while the Holy Spirit anoints us for the same mission.

What we need to know about the Feast we celebrate today is that with our Baptism, whether as adults or infants, we become active members of the Mystical body of Christ, the Church. Dear friends, today is the beginning of something new. Today is the beginning of New Hope as the Prophet says in the first reading “Comfort, Comfort my people says your God.”

Today, let us share Love by giving ourselves to God and He gives himself to us. Today, prepare a way of the Lord, let every Valley be lifted up and every mountain be made low and the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you humbled yourself to receive baptism from the hands of John, please grant me the grace to be humble as thou art.

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