Reflection on Mass readings for Jan. 12 (Baptism of the Lord)
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
Acts 10:34-38
Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
We are all gifted people. Throughout my educational career, I heard that term used most often for students who excelled in sports, music, academics, or in the technical field. We would say that such a student was gifted.
We can also use the term “gifted” to mean something has been given to us. Used in this way, we can all say we are gifted. We have all been gifted with the precious gift of God’s Spirit.
In the Gospel reading, we have the account of the baptism of Jesus Christ by St. John the Baptist. This was the beginning of his public ministry. To put it in terms of today’s society, it was his IPO, his initial public offering of grace that came to him through the Spirit, when he was proclaimed by the Father as the Beloved Son. This same Spirit that rested upon Jesus at his baptism rested upon us at our baptism.
In the initial outpouring of grace on us at our baptism, God called us by name. At the very beginning of the rite, we were named and claimed for God by the Sign of the Cross. During the anointing with chrism in the baptism rite, the priest or deacon proclaimed: “Almighty God … has given you new birth by water and the Holy Spirit.” In the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer during the baptism rite, it was proclaimed, “This child is now called a child of God, for so indeed he (she) is.”
The readings for this weekend tell us how the Holy Spirit calls us to the two great aspects of the Church’s social teachings, peace and justice. The reading from Isaiah tells us that since we have been baptized, we have the responsibility for justice in the world.
God tells us the ones to whom God has given his Spirit shall bring forth justice; they shall establish justice on Earth, and have been called to bring about a victory of justice. This victory of justice brings sight to the blind, freedom to those in confinement and light to those in darkness.
In the reading from Acts, Peter tells those gathered how God proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ. He says, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38) and by virtue of this anointing, “God proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:36).
Jesus worked for justice in his care of the people. It was the basis of all his miracles. Whether it was restoring the use of a hand to one man or raising to life the son of a widow or feeding 5,000 people, there is always an element of justice present.
In his proclamation, “If You Want Peace, Work for Justice” on the Day of Peace Jan. 1, 1972, Pope St. Paul VI said that for peace to be true peace, it must result in true respect for man and “this sincere feeling for man” is called justice. He also said, “The invitation we give to celebrate peace resounds as an invitation to practice justice.”
We come to the end of the Christmas season with this feast of the Lord’s baptism, where we celebrate the Spirit of God that rests on Jesus. Do we let that Spirit guide us as it did Jesus and lead us into a world that reaches out for justice – justice for all people, and justice that leads us to peace?
Deacon Christopher Colville serves at Church of the Redeemer, Mechanicsville.