The Baptism of the Lord
“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 9th Lk. 3: 15-16, 21-22 “After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’”
Our new life in Christ through water and the spirit begins with our Baptism!!! Saint Paul to the Ephesians 4:1-6:
“I beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
Let us begin by thanking God for all those who brought us to the day of our Baptism, and all those who brought us back to living our Baptismal Promises if we strayed!
CALLING TO MIND THE GRACES OF OUR BAPTISM by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
The Christmas season ends with the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Jordan River in his 30th year, given by Saint John the Baptist. The clouds were rent asunder, the dove alighted upon Jesus and the voice of the heavenly Father could be heard clearly: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” (Mt. 3:13-17)
The Baptism of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ summons all of us who have received the great gift and grace of the Sacrament of Baptism to renew our own baptismal promises. Listen and meditate on the profound but simple words taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Sacrament of Baptism:
“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door that gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and the word.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1213)
Spiritually and supernaturally, it all started at the moment of our baptism when the minister poured water on our forehead and pronounced the words: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
The graces were a deluge, to say the least. Listen to all that happened on the day and moment of our Baptism! Transformed into a son or daughter of God, brother or sister to Jesus Christ, intimate friend of the Holy Spirit, temple and icon of the Blessed Trinity—all of these personal graces we received in relationship to the Blessed Trinity when we were baptized.
However, more graces and gifts descended upon us in an invisible but very real way. The following are the many virtues that our soul was imbued with in the moment of Baptism, beginning with the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity. The moral or cardinal virtues also—justice, temperance, prudence, and fortitude. And at the same time, we received the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.
If that were not enough, in the moment of our Baptism, we became members of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, exorcised of the presence of the malignant enemy. Yes, the Rite of Baptism includes a minor exorcism! With Baptism, we also received the right and privilege to the many heavenly inspirations that come from the Holy Spirit. And if we continue to live out our baptismal promises, one day eternal life will be ours! How generous is our Good God!
Given that it all starts spiritually with the Sacrament of Baptism, we are called to live out our Baptism by renouncing the devil and his seductions, renouncing the world and its allurements, and finally, renouncing the base promptings of our lower nature that we call the flesh. In a word, from Baptism we are all called to pursue a life of holiness, calling to mind the words of Jesus who said: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt 5:48)
What then might be some concrete ways that we can call to mind our Baptism, as well as the Baptism of our family members, and live out with greater energy and intention the responsibilities that flow from the great Sacrament of Baptism? We will offer five means for our meditation, reflection, and practical application in our daily walk with the Lord Jesus, who was baptized in the Jordan leaving an example for us!
1. Baptism of Jesus. Every year we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, and the priest, in the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, blesses the people with holy water. At this time, we should renew our own baptismal promises with faith and fervor, and with a commitment to renounce sin and follow Jesus with a determined determination. This is especially important for those who were baptized as babies or children with little understanding of the great privileges and responsibilities of this Sacrament of Initiation. We should strive anew to leave the dead leaven of sin behind and live in the holiness of the light of Christ, who indeed is the Light of the world.
2. Parents and the Baptism of their Children. It could be a very powerful teaching and catechetical moment—especially for the younger ones—for parents to celebrate the baptismal date of each child in the same way they celebrate their natural birthday. Indeed, Baptism is our second birth. Why not buy a cake and light the candles— according to the number of years, and celebrate the spiritual birth of each child. However, this should all be done in the context of faith and catechesis. Parents can use this moment to explain what Baptism is, what it does to our soul, and the responsibilities that flow from the Sacrament of Baptism!
3. The Sign of the Cross. Making the sign of the cross with both faith and reverence can be an efficacious means by which awareness of our own Sacrament of Baptism can be enhanced. The basic charism of the great Carmelite mystic, Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity, was a keen and acute awareness of the most Blessed Trinity living in her soul through grace. Therefore, every time we make the sign of the cross and say: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” we can call to mind our dignity from Baptism, the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity, and that we are a son or daughter of God the Father, a brother or sister to Jesus Christ, and a close and intimate friend of the Holy Spirit. Indeed how many sins would we avoid committing with our bodies—temples of the Blessed Trinity—if only we were aware of our dignity and destiny! Not only are we living icons of the Trinity starting at Baptism, but our eternal destiny is to live in the bosom of the Blessed Trinity for all eternity!
4. Holy Water. Every Catholic–Christian family should have holy water in their homes. Better yet would be to have holy water in a little holy water font in all the bedrooms. Thereby, upon coming or leaving from their rooms, each member of the family could bless themself with holy water for protection against the evil spirits, and for the grace to live according to the dignity that flows from our Baptism. Holy water is a “holy” reminder of God in our lives!
5. Parents and Godparents: Recall and Live Out Your Responsibilities. Godparents of a baptized child or adult represent a more extensive family—reminding us that we belong to the Church, which is the Family of God. Among the many roles of Godparents, let us highlight two primary roles: 1) Prayer—Godparents should pray for their Godchildren, hopefully every day at least a Hail Mary, better yet a Rosary; 2) Give good example! Godparents are called to live out the symbolism of the lighted candle—that is to say, they are called to radiate the Light of Good Example in all they say and do. Our good example has a powerful influence on others! Think of the example of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, as well as Pope Saint John Paul II—what burning torches they were, and still are, in a world immersed in the darkness of sin!
That being said, parents have a more extensive and serious role and responsibility than even the Godparents. True, parents must pray and give good example to their children, but they must go way beyond these two roles. Parents are also called to educate their children and in all aspects: their character, their human formation, and the formation of their mind, heart, will and soul. In a word, parents should form their children to be excellent citizens of this world and future citizens of the kingdom of heaven!
In conclusion let us call to mind our great dignity and our great destiny; and it all starts at the moment we received the Sacrament of Baptism. Dignity? We are temples of the most Blessed Trinity once baptized. Destiny? Our end goal in life is to be united with the Blessed Trinity forever in heaven. May Our Lady, who is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, attain for us the grace to live out to the fullest extent the Sacrament of Baptism in our lives, and help our children to do so as well!
