The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today commemorate The Baptism of the Lord at the end of the Christmas season to exhort us to live with the gifts of the Spirit in service to others.
The reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah foresees the Servant, a Light to the Nations.
* [42:1–4] Servant: three other passages have been popularly called “servant of the Lord” poems: 49:1–7; 50:4–11; 52:13–53:12. Whether the servant is an individual or a collectivity is not clear (e.g., contrast 49:3 with 49:5). More important is the description of the mission of the servant. In the early Church and throughout Christian tradition, these poems have been applied to Christ; cf. Mt 12:18–21.
* [42:3] Bruised reed…: images to express the gentle manner of the servant’s mission. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 42, n.d.)
In the alternate reading from Acts, Gentiles Hear the Good News.
* [10:34–43] Peter’s speech to the household of Cornelius typifies early Christian preaching to Gentiles.
* [10:34–35] The revelation of God’s choice of Israel to be the people of God did not mean he withheld the divine favor from other people. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)
Psalm 29 praises the Voice of God in a Great Storm.
* [Psalm 29] The hymn invites the members of the heavenly court to acknowledge God’s supremacy by ascribing glory and might to God alone (Ps 29:1–2a, 9b). Divine glory and might are dramatically visible in the storm (Ps 29:3–9a). The storm apparently comes from the Mediterranean onto the coast of Syria-Palestine and then moves inland. In Ps 29:10 the divine beings acclaim God’s eternal kingship. The Psalm concludes with a prayer that God will impart the power just displayed to the Israelite king and through the king to Israel. (Psalms, PSALM 29, n.d.)
The Gospel of Mark, proclaims the Baptism of Jesus.
* [1:8–9] Through the life-giving baptism with the holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), Jesus will create a new people of God. But first he identifies himself with the people of Israel in submitting to John’s baptism of repentance and in bearing on their behalf the burden of God’s decisive judgment (Mk 1:9; cf. Mk 1:4). As in the desert of Sinai, so here in the wilderness of Judea, Israel’s sonship with God is to be renewed.
* [1:10–11] He saw the heavens…and the Spirit…upon him: indicating divine intervention in fulfillment of promise. Here the descent of the Spirit on Jesus is meant, anointing him for his ministry; cf. Is 11:2; 42:1; 61:1; 63:9. A voice…with you I am well pleased: God’s acknowledgment of Jesus as his unique Son, the object of his love. His approval of Jesus is the assurance that Jesus will fulfill his messianic mission of salvation. (Mark, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
Ed Morse comments that today’s readings commemorate the Baptism of Our Lord, which ends the Christmas Season. He reflects on this homily from Pope Benedict XVI given in the Sistine Chapel on January 8, 2006, before baptismal sacraments.
True enough, we will err from time to time. But our relationship continues through commitment. Do not give up! God’s abundant mercy is there to restore us when we fail, and His grace is able to bring forth love and fidelity, even in the midst of difficulties, including silence that surrounds our own growth in faith and devotion.
Let us embrace the gift of life with joyful yeses and hearty noes as we return to living in ordinary time, accompanied and consoled by the Church as we journey ahead. Thanks be to God. (Morse, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “”The divine - human reconciliation”, attributed to Hippolytus, 170-236 A.D.
"Do you see, beloved, how many and how great blessings we would have lost if the Lord had yielded to the exhortation of John and declined baptism? For the heavens had been shut before this. The region above was inaccessible. We might descend to the lower parts, but not ascend to the upper. So it happened not only that the Lord was being baptized - he also was making new the old creation. He was bringing the alienated under the scepter of adoption (Romans 8:15). For straightway 'the heavens were opened to him.' A reconciliation took place between the visible and the invisible. The celestial orders were filled with joy, the diseases of earth were healed, secret things made known, those at enmity restored to amity. For you have heard the word of the Evangelist, saying, 'The heavens were opened to him,' on account of three wonders [appearance of the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together at the baptism]. At the baptism of Christ the Bridegroom, it was fitting that the heavenly chamber should open its glorious gates. So when the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the Father's voice spread everywhere, it was fitting that 'the gates of heaven should be lifted up.'" (excerpt from THE DISCOURSE ON THE HOLY THEOPHANY 6) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 1:7-11 comments that Baptism is just the beginning of our journey with the Lord. In order to follow Jesus, we all need to be immersed in the Spirit again and again. That’s because, as he himself told us, “It is the spirit that gives life” (John 6:63).
How does the Spirit give us life? He fills us with joy and animates our prayer and worship. He helps us see our sin and repent. He gives us the strength and grace to be a disciple. And he gives us the gifts we need to share the good news.
Jesus said that God “does not ration his gift of the Spirit” (John 3:34). God always has more for us. There’s no limit to how many times you can ask to be immersed into the life of the Spirit. Today, on this feast celebrating the Baptism of the Lord, ask the Holy Spirit to once again plunge you more deeply into his life. Pray expectantly, and believe that the One who gives all good gifts—especially the gift of the Spirit—will give you what you ask for!
“Holy Spirit, fill me with more of your life today.” (Meditation on Mark 1:7-11, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the alternate readings for today including the first of the Songs of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 42 and the Baptism of Cornelius in Acts. The dove symbolizes the Love between the Father and Son, the Holy Spirit, in the Gospel of Mark. Friar Jude reminds us that in Baptism we enter into the Life of the Trinity as brothers and sisters of Jesus.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explains the importance of engaging with the world’s needs as a way of holding action and contemplation together. Though “Love” is not in our Center’s name, he hopes that it is the driving force behind all we do, just as it was for Jesus who knew God’s love intimately and fully, and for the early church who proclaimed that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Amidst this time of planetary change and disruption, the CAC envisions a movement of transformed people working together for a transformed world.
The only way out and through any dualism, including that between action and contemplation, is a kind of universal forgiveness of reality for being what it is. This becomes the bonding glue of grace which heals all separations that law, religion, or logic can never finally or fully restore.
We are all on this journey together and we are all in need of liberation (which might be a better word than salvation). God’s intention is never to shame the individual (which actually disempowers), but solidarity with and universal responsibility for the whole (which creates healthy people). That is an act of radical solidarity that few Christians seem to enjoy but which the CAC is committed to fostering. [2] (Rohr, 2024)
We complete the liturgical season of Christmas today with the reminder of our relationship with Christ and our Baptismal anointing that brings us fullness of life.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/10?34
Isaiah, CHAPTER 42. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/42?1
Mark, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?7
Meditation on Mark 1:7-11. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/08/872256/
Morse, E. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/010724-Baptism.html
Psalms, PSALM 29. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/29?1
Rohr, R. (2024, January 8). Contemplation, Love, and Action. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/contemplation-love-and-action/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Spirit Descends upon the Father's Beloved Son. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan8
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