Homily from the Parish Priest for the Baptism of the Lord
Readings for Year B: Isaiah 42:1-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mark 1:7-11
You will notice that our crib – much smaller this year because of the COVID restrictions – is still here in front of the altar. And indeed it will remain so until February 2nd, the traditional date for the end of the extended Christmas Season, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. In fact the Jesuit Community here at Farm Street have decided we want to keep our Christmas decorations too in our quarters on the top floor of the building in keeping with the encouragement of many at this time who have decided not to take decorations down so as to try to bring some cheer to what is obviously a very dark time – Lockdown 3 at the darkest, most miserable time of the year.
I think it’s a good idea but then I think it’s a good idea to leave at least our cribs up until February 2nd every year. When I used to live in Rome January, although often a cold dark month, was a wonderful time to wander into the city’s many churches to visit the cribs there as well as those outside on the street. There would often be families taking time in front of these cribs too to pray there and to gaze at the various figures. And I think that, aside from continuing some Christmas cheer well into January, is a good and perhaps for me the real reason why having this extended display of the crib is so helpful.
And I would want to stretch that out a bit too. Well, actually quite a long way. Because in keeping the time of preparation for Christmas and the feasts following Christmas we bring the great feast of Our Lord’s birth into clearer focus for us as Christians. We are invited to go more deeply into the mystery of God made human in our time, to get to know this Jesus better, and to embrace his mission, the point of his coming in time and the reason he founded a Church to further this mission. Advent represents our desire for this God to come to us and stay with us in our world. The Feast of the Epiphany marks the giving of the gift of Christ to the world. And today’s feast marks the beginning of his ministry and mission in the world.
Jesus Christ, of course, did not need to be baptised – he is sinless and is one with the Father in substance – fully God yet fully man – he does not need to be cleansed of our tendency as humans to turn away from our calling as Christian people, another way of saying he does not have what in our faith is called the original sin we inherit. But sin and sinlessness is not the point here. Rather he stooped to be one like us. He is fully human and is filled with the Holy Spirit, with whom and with God the Father he is one. He is filled with the Holy Spirit and hears his heavenly father say he is his beloved son.
So in our own baptism we are called to share in his life, his ministry, his mission. As adopted sons and daughters of the Father, promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. And that invites us to rejoice at our own baptism and to see in it a great privilege and a great challenge to be Christ to the world. We are called to get to know Him better – through prayer, through the life of the sacraments he gives us and especially the Holy Eucharist, through listening to his Word in the scriptures. We are called to find him in the world around us. We are assured we are beloved of God and are called to be like him in our own families, in our places of work, making His presence known. And how much more that is needed today as this dreadful pandemic is leaving so many alone, depressed, anxious, grieving.
Who in our own world wants to hear this week Jesus’ message of compassion and love? To whom will we minister? Where is our mission as baptised Christians? Where is Christ needed? May this Feast of the Baptism of the Lord not signal an end to our rejoicing at the gift of Christmas but may it awaken our faith to bring the gift which is him to our world.
Fr Dominic Robinson SJ