CHOSEN FOR A MISSION

BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

Isaiah 42: 1-4, 6-7; Acts 10: 34-38; Matthew 3: 13-17

Thirteen year old Anne Frank and her Jewish family evaded the Nazis for two years before being caught during World War II. She kept a diary of her ordeal. After the war Anne’s diary was found and published. One day she wrote these words that were filled with faith and hope: “I still believe that people are really good at heart. If I look into the heavens I think that it will all come out right and that peace and tranquillity will return again”. Anne died in a concentration camp.

The baptism of Jesus gives us sufficient reasons to share our faith and hope with Anne Frank. For Jesus in his baptism was anointed by the Holy Spirit for the specific mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God and for establishing peace and justice in our world. Jesus, at his baptism, inaugurated a new world order and he initiated a process of transforming the world.

The question that we usually ask is: Why was Jesus baptized in the first place? We can present three acceptable reasons for the baptism of Jesus.

First, the Jews did not believe in being baptized. Baptism was for the non-Jews, for the gentiles who desired to belong to the Jewish faith community. The Jews always believed that they were the chosen people of God and they cannot be shut off from God’s grace and salvation. However, at the time of John the Baptist the Jews realized their own sinfulness and there was a growing awareness of the need for God. More than ever before the people as a nation desired to be reconciled with God. This was the special moment that Jesus had been waiting for. Therefore, he walked into the waters of Jordon to be baptized by John.

Second, Jesus at his baptism identified himself with sinful human persons. Jesus himself was not a sinner and therefore, not in need of forgiveness. However, he expressed his solidarity with sinful human family that was in need of God’s forgiveness.

Third, Jesus at his baptism received the confirmation from God that he had been anointed by the Spirit for a specific mission. Jesus was the chosen servant of God.

The baptism of Jesus at the river Jordon is presented through three specific events. First, the heavens were opened; second, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus; third, a voice was heard from heaven. The opening of the heavens signifies that God has heard the cry of his people. God was breaking the barrier of the skies to reach out to his people. That’s why the psalmist would pray: “Lord tear open the heavens and come . . . reach out your hand from on high” (Psalm 144:5-7). The presence of Jesus among the people was a prayer answered and a dream fulfilled. The descent of the Spirit always signified the inauguration of a new creation. The Spirit of God rested over the waters and the world was created. The Spirit of God rested on Mary and Jesus was born. The Spirit of God came over the disciples and the Church came into existence. Now the Spirit of God descended over Jesus and a new creation, a new world order was inaugurated. The voice from heaven said: “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased”. The message of the voice reflects the insights of prophet Isaiah who speaks of the suffering servant of God. The baptism of Jesus was conclusive evidence that God had chosen Jesus for a specific mission.

The mission of the servant of God is beautifully presented by prophet Isaiah. “Here is my servant, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations” (Isaiah 42:1). The prophet also points to the concrete expressions of justice. The servant of God shall be “a light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness (Isaiah 43: 6-7).

Jesus was true to his calling to establish justice and peace on earth. Jesus had a hunger and thirst for justice. In fact, his commitment to justice and the concrete expressions of this commitment was a thorn in the flesh of the leaders of the political and religious establishments. Jesus had a life style that mirrored the layers of injustice in society. Jesus had his own way of going about establishing justice.

· It is a matter of justice to treat everyone with human dignity and Jesus befriended the sinners and the outcastes.

· It is a matter of justice to speak in favour of the oppressed and Jesus uplifted the poor and the marginalized of the society.

· It is a matter of justice to uphold the glory of the temple of God and Jesus drove out all those who commercialised the temple of God.

· It is a matter of justice to speak the truth and Jesus always dared to speak the truth.

· It is a matter of justice to relax, to be silent and to pray and Jesus spent quiet moments with God.

· It is a matter of justice to be grateful for all that has been graciously given and Jesus offered himself as a thanksgiving sacrifice to God.

It is a matter of justice to share your life and the gifts of the Spirit with others and Jesus stretched out his arms on the cross for our salvation.

All the three events that took place at the baptism of Jesus also happen at the baptism of every child and every person. First the birth of a child is a prayer answered; second at baptism every child is filled with the Spirit of God; third, every child comes into this world to fulfil a special mission, which no other person can fulfil. Therefore, today the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our own baptism and our commitment to our family, to our society, to our church and to the world. If we realize that God has graciously poured the Holy Spirit into our hearts and that the Spirit of God gives us sufficient strength to fulfil our specific mission than we will certainly continue the mission of the master. Surprisingly, the master needs us to accomplish what he inaugurated at the waters of Jordon. Let us conclude our reflection with a prayer.

Prayer

Lead us from death to life; from falsehood to truth. Lead us from despair to hope; from fear to trust. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, and our universe. Let us dream together, pray together, work together, to build one world of peace and justice for all.

Amen!

CHRISTMAS SEASON

LIGHT TO THE NATIONS

Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12

A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants all physically challenged or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting land for a hundred meter dash. At the shot of the gun they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with the desire to run the race to the finish and to win. One little boy stumbled along the way for a couple of times and he began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and paused attentively. They all turned around and went back; every one of them. One girl with Down’s syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, “This will make it better”. Then all nine of them linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and their cheering went on for ten minutes. This story may not be true to its final details. Nevertheless, this story which narrates a win-win situation invites us to take a look at life and put it into perspective.

The first reading taken from the book of Isaiah also narrates a win-win dream for the people of Israel. This dream was narrated in a context of exile. The people were taken as captives to Babylon. Their land was plundered, their temple destroyed and they experienced powerlessness. It was in this hopeless and desperate situation the prophet encouraged the people with the dream of a New Jerusalem where the glory of the Lord will shine upon all peoples of the earth.

This dream of the prophet was quite a different dream. Once upon a time the people of Israel nourished the consciousness of being an exclusive race, a chosen people and a nation that has been set apart. They looked upon their neighbours and all those who did not belong to their race with contempt. They labelled them as gentiles, outcastes and untouchables. The people in exile had come to realise that they cannot claim monopoly over God or religion. They realised that they cannot contain God within the confines of their own race. They were in a way compelled to search for alternatives. Hence, the prophet presented to the people a different perspective to life and religion. He visualised a situation when all the peoples of the earth, her leaders and every human person will gather in Jerusalem to offer praises to the Lord. This will be a wonderful moment when people of different nationalities will link their arms together and worship God in spirit and truth.

In the book of Revelation we have a similar passage. The text reads: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away . . . . I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev 21:1-2). In the consciousness of the people of Israel the Temple of Jerusalem symbolised God’s presence. The New Jerusalem also symbolises God’s presence, but, with a difference. God’s presence cannot be limited to the physical structure of the Jerusalem Temple, but, now the whole world will be the Temple of God. The world and every human person will be filled with the presence of God. Hence, the New Jerusalem designates our inner destiny. It signifies a new presence of God in the hearts and minds and lives of all peoples. The New Jerusalem, therefore, sustains the hope that God will transform and re-create the world.

God had begun his work of transforming and re-creating the world in the birth of Jesus. The Glory of God was once again manifested in the manger at Bethlehem. The manifestation of the Glory of God is known as the Epiphany. It is surprising that not all recognised the manifestation of God. Herod was gripped with fear when he heard about the birth of the Messiah because he was addicted to power. The bible says that the whole of Jerusalem was troubled together with Herod. The people knew that Herod as a politician will destroy, murder and eliminate anyone to sustain his aggressive desire for power. The chief priests and the scribes pointed out to Herod that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. They were able to discern this because they knew for certain that the Messiah would come. Yet, they were indifferent. They were so close and so blind.

The Magi, who were recognised as wise men, came from the East to worship the Messiah. This story of the Magi bears elements of truth for two reasons: first, astrology was part and parcel of the belief of the people in the ancient East; second, during the birth of Jesus there was a hopeful longing among the people that a king would be born. This king would liberate the people from all forms of oppression and exploitation. The longing and expectation of the people were fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, because Jesus, in his person, gathered together all peoples. Therefore, St. Paul had the courage to say: “Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise of Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3:6). St. Paul would also go a step further and say: “As many of you as were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:27-28).

As we reflect on the fascinating mystery of the Epiphany, we need to understand that Epiphany or the manifestation of the Glory of God can happen at significant moments when we take efforts to be inclusive and allow space for others to participate in our life. Our world today is filled with darkness and thick clouds cover the people because we have learnt to become arrogant as well as exclusive: politically, socially, culturally and religiously. The consequences of such an exclusive approach were graphically described by Blessed John Paul II in his speech delivered on the World Day of Peace in 2000. He declared: “In the century we are leaving behind, humanity has been sorely tried by an endless and horrifying sequence of wars, conflicts, genocides and ‘ethnic cleansings’ which have caused unspeakable suffering: millions and millions of victims, families and countries destroyed, an ocean of refugees, misery, hunger, disease, underdevelopment and the loss of immense resources. At the root of so much suffering there lies a logic of supremacy fuelled by the desire to dominate and exploit others, by ideologies of power or totalitarian utopias, by crazed nationalisms or ancient tribal hatreds.” As Christians we are challenged to break the logic of supremacy and exclusivism. May the Spirit of God enlighten us and give us a new perspective to life. Let us conclude our reflection with the Prayer for Peace by Blessed John Paul II:

Lord Jesus Christ, who is called the Prince of Peace, and who is our peace and reconciliation, who so often said, “Peace to you,” grant us peace. Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the great gift of peace. May all peoples on the earth live as brothers and sisters. May the longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all.

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