Our Baptismal Mission

Our Baptismal Mission January 10, 2016    Baptism of the Lord - C
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi

Well, here we are.  Another Christmas season has come and gone, and we’ve begun a new calendar year.  Just think, according to the Internet, my “Santa Ticker” shows that we have only 349 days until the next Christmas season begins!  Are you ready?  I didn’t think so.

Seriously, within the Church, the Christmas Season ends today with the Baptism of the Lord.  We celebrated the birth of Jesus two weeks ago and now, with the celebration of his baptism, Jesus’ childhood is at an end.
Beginning tomorrow, we enter into the Ordinary Time of the Church calendar – the period where we learn and reflect on the mission and the ministry of Jesus.  Between now and Lent, and then again after Easter, we will listen to Jesus as he reveals to us how we should relate to each other – and to God our Father.  Jesus will teach us about love and relationships, about compassion and forgiveness, about justice and Mercy.

Today we focus on a pivotal moment in Jesus’ life – his Baptism. It is in this moment that we are introduced into the ministry of Jesus.  All four Gospels speak of Jesus’ encounter with John the Baptist, and although the Gospels of both Matthew and Luke provide us with what are known as the “infancy narratives” – the recollections of the life of Jesus prior to his adult ministry and the various stories about his birth that we heard during the last few weeks – from this point on in all Gospels we will see Jesus through the actions that will ultimately lead him to Calvary – and to our salvation. 

But each Gospel presents this particular moment from a different perspective, and so I encourage you to take a little time and read about the encounter between Jesus and John the Baptist in all four Gospels this week, and compare the stories.  It will only take you about 15 minutes to read all four.

For example, in the three synoptic Gospels – that’s the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke – we see John the Baptist physically baptizing Jesus.  In the Gospel of John, we don’t see Jesus being baptized explicitly, but John’s Gospel, like the other three, has John the Baptist revealing Jesus as the fulfillment of the passages from the prophet Isaiah like we heard in our first reading.  Different perspectives – same event.

(It kind of reminds me of the different things I heard last week from people who saw the latest Star Wars movie. It seemed that everyone saw something different.  No wonder people keep going back to see it again – and again!  After listening to them, I know I missed some things the first time I saw it.)

Today’s Gospel, like that of Mark, sort of rushes over Jesus’ meeting with John. Read Matthew’s version – he recalls the conversation where John protests and says that he should be baptized by Jesus, and Jesus replies that John needs to allow it for all righteousness.  And in Matthew we also hear the voice of God addresses the crowd and tell all those present that “This is my beloved Son”, while the Gospels of Mark and Luke has God talking directly to Jesus – “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

But there is a common point that is emphasized in all 4 Gospels – John the Baptist isn’t the Messiah; Jesus is.  And, John baptizes with water; Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 
OK, you might ask, so what has that got to do with me? 

Well, just as with Jesus, our baptisms are pivotal moments for us. Do you remember yours?  I ask that question every time I have baptisms or teach a baptism class and the results are almost always the same – out of everyone present, I’ll only have one or two who actually remember it.  The rest, invariably, are converts to the faith.

But whether we remember it or not - whether we were baptized as an infant or as an adult, it is through our baptisms that we begin our personal encounter with Christ. Through the waters of our baptism we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which calls us to mission.  We may not recognize it yet, but we are ALL called to action through our baptism.  We are given a mission.  We are part of Jesus’ ministry.

Not sure what to do?  It’s easy. During this Jubilee Year, this Year of Mercy, we will hear all about Mercy and what it is and what we are called to do.  We are all called to minister the Corporal Works of Mercy: Feed the Hungry; Give Drink to the Thirsty; Clothe the Naked; Shelter the Homeless; Care for the Sick; Visit the Imprisoned; and Bury the Dead.  Here at St. Francis we have ministries that address every one of these.

Just as important, if not more so, are the Spiritual Works of Mercy, and they may be even harder to perform: Admonish Sinners (in a loving way of course); Instruct the Ignorant (which includes teaching ourselves); Counsel the Doubtful; Bear Wrongs Patiently (this can be pretty tough), Forgive All Injuries (even harder to do); and to Pray for the Living and the Dead.  Our baptismal call is to a mission of Mercy and these are the ministries that fulfill that mission.

You are ready for this.  You’ve been baptized.  You have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  You have been blessed with the graces to perform every one of these works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual. And everything you do in your life, whether at work, at play, or in the world at large, touches one or more of these works of mercy EVERY DAY.  Every day you will be called to fulfill one or more of these works of Mercy.  It may be to a family member; it may be at work; or it may be to a complete stranger.  You are called to show mercy. And, You Are Ready.

It’s time for us to go to work.