Baptism of our Lord - 13 Jan 2013

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Titus 2:11-14; 3:2-7; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful garden. Of all the denizens of the garden, the most beautiful and most beloved was gracious and noble bamboo. Year after year, bamboo grew yet more noble and gracious, conscious of his Master’s love and watchful delight, but modest and gentle withal. And often when the wind came Bamboo would dance and play right merrily, tossing and swaying and leaping and bowing in joyous abandon, leading the Great Dance of the garden, which delighted the Master’s heart.

But one day the Master said "Bamboo, Bamboo, I would use you." Bamboo was happy that the day in which he would find his completion and his destiny had come and said "Master, I’m ready. Use me as Thou wilt."

“But I would have to take you and cut you down!" said the Master. A trembling of great horror shook Bamboo…"Cut …me… down ? Me.. Ah, not that. Not that. Use me for the joy, use me for the glory, oh master, but cut me not down!" Beloved Bamboo,"-The Master’s voice grew graver still-"If I don’t cut you down, I cannot use you." Bamboo sadly whispered: "Master, if thou cannot use me other than to cut me down.. then do thy will and cut".

"Bamboo, Bamboo, I would yet… split you in two and cut out your heart, for if I cut not so, I cannot use you." Then Bamboo bowed to the ground: "Master, Master… then cut and split." So the Master of the garden took the Bamboo… and cut him down… and hacked off his branches… and stripped off his leaves… and split him in two… and cut out his heart.

And lifting him gently, carried him to where there was a spring of fresh sparkling water in the midst of his dry fields. Then putting one end of the broken Bamboo in the spring and the other end into the water channel in His field, the Master laid down gently his beloved Bamboo…, and the clear sparkling waters raced joyously down the channel of bamboo’s torn body into the waiting fields. Then the rice was planted, and the days went by, and the shoots grew and the harvest came.

In that day Bamboo, once so glorious in his stately beauty, was yet more glorious in his brokenness and humility. For in his beauty he was life abundant, but in his brokenness he became a channel of abundant life to his Master’s world.

Jesus Christ the Son of God came to the world to fulfil the will of His Father. He could have remained in the garden of beauty. But that was not the will of the Father. He was to be the channel of grace, channel of life and love of the Father. Therefore led by the spirit he empties himself and shares the life of the sinful humanity. Even though he did not need to be baptised, Jesus identifies himself with the sinful human race and receives cleansing through Baptism.

John the Baptist baptizes him while he stands in solidarity with the publicans and outcastes. This was the event that marked the official beginning of the Lord’s ministry on earth in the presence of the Trinity.. St Paul in the second reading tells us that the Lord has come to give us salvation and he gives us through the sign of Baptism. The Baptism of Jesus is the third of three great manifestations or revelations which characterise the Christmas season, the others being Christmas and the Epiphany.

Special significance is to be seen in the fact that Jesus submitted to the baptism of John, which was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John has called a sinful and self righteous people to turn quickly before an impending judgment descends. “Already the axe is laid to the root of the tree.” Matthew’s narrative focuses of the issue, for in it the Baptist attempts to protest the inappropriateness of Jesus coming to be baptized. The baptism of Jesus marks his solidarity as the messianic servant with his people. He takes upon himself by this cultic act their condition and their predicament. He becomes their representative. Coming to them and speaking to them he takes his place with them. Incarnation is not only coming to earth but also assuming the burden of life in the flesh. He not only speaks to them but also speaks for them. The Father’s Son becomes the intercessor to the Father. The significance of the baptism of Jesus is explained by Paul: “He who knew no sin became sin for us in order that in him we might become the righteousness of God”

The First Reading taken from the Book of Isaiah tells us that the promised Messiah would be God’s chosen Servant in Whom the Divine Soul would delight. The Messiah would have the Spirit of God upon Him, bringing forth justice to all the nations, not just God’s chosen people. This servant is filled with the Spirit of God and he goes about the mission in a way that distinguishes the servant from other prophets. As the Servant of God, the Messiah would not cry or lift up His voice or make it heard in the street. His mission would be modest and gentle in nature. He operates by his example and work and not just by his word. The promised Messiah would not force the people to conform to His teaching. The transformation that would take place within those who heard the Word of God would be an inner one, a change of heart. He brings new life in them through his kindness and mercy. The Messiah would come to save the sinners, not those who are already saved. A dimly burning wick He would not quench. There is always hope for souls when grace of God is at work. In the end, the promised Messiah would faithfully bring forth justice, not a worldly justice but a spiritual one. God assures the servant of the victory. He will give sight to the blind, free the captives and free those who are bound. His mission is summed up with the word justice and he will restore all nations to the right relationship with God.

St Paul in the second reading tells us that the Lord has come to give us salvation and he gives us through the sign of Baptism. His emphasis is grace indicated by the words like kindness, generosity, love, mercy and all these justified by grace. He gives completeness or wholeness to all and to help us leave behind all “worldly passions”, all those appetites and longings which are ultimately destructive and harmful to our proper destiny. Paul makes it clear that our baptism is linked with that of Jesus: “For when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” The Word became flesh so that we could be liberated from the sinful inclinations of the flesh. His baptism provides the basis of our own baptism.

We may ask why Jesus needed to be baptised. Most of those coming to John the Baptist were repentant sinners. It should be noted that Jesus did not get baptized because He needed to repent of His sins. Being God, He was without sin! He was baptized because from the moment of His birth to the moment when He began His ministry on earth, Jesus completely submitted Himself in obedience to the customs of His people. By submitting Himself to the Baptism of John the Baptist, He placed His seal of approval that we all need to repent of our sins. But there was more to it then could be perceived at that time. Jesus’ example of being baptized was to tell us that the Sacrament of Baptism is the Way to the new life, to being born again of water and spirit.

Despite his dignity and rank as Son of God, as Messiah, Jesus never did require any external signs of privilege. When he got up in the synagogue of his home town and began to amaze people with his insight, his neighbours could not understand it. They had lived for years with him and had no idea of the divinity hidden in his person. Secondly, Luke says significantly that Jesus was at prayer when his baptism took place. They also hear the voice from heaven, clearly that of the Father, says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.” For Jesus it is a special moment when his mission becomes clear to him. It was the moment of discernment. In this special experience he knows what he has to do and what awaits him in the fulfilment of his call. So, through his baptism, Jesus is being officially commissioned to begin his public work of teaching, healing and liberating enslaved souls up to the climactic moment of his passion, death and resurrection. This feast of Baptism is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on our own baptism. It is not something which happened a long time and which “made” us Catholics. It is essentially a community experience; it is not just a private or a family event although in the way it was “celebrated” it may have looked like that. Each one of us is called to be a living witness to the Gospel: to be the salt of the earth and light to the world.