What kind of a disciple/witness are we in our daily life? Recall Jesus' words:: "They will know that you are my disciples by the love you have for one another."  This call to do all things in love is to be our rule of life. But it can only be done in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Words and actions not said or done in love are, in the words of St. Paul, " clanging bell or a crashing cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1). A lot of nothing. But where love is, there is God, bringing his desired effect to words and actions. As a disciple/witness we are called by God to be attentive to his various, divine appointments, when and where, led by the Holy Spirit, we are to express his love to another. Watch for that divine appointment today.

"Come, follow me. I will make you fishers of men." The first part of this invitation of Jesus is a call to intimacy with him as a disciple. The second part is an invitation to ministry or mission.  But the ministry hinges on the measure of their life as a disciple. The invitation to be a disciple includes the invitation of ministry. Our call to be a disciple occurred around the waters of baptism; our invitation and commission to ministry came in the Sacrament of Confirmation.

What is our basic ministry? We are called to be a witness of Jesus to others. What is the  core of our witness? It is the same as what Jesus witnessed to the first disciples, Andrew and John, after his baptism in the Jordan. He shared with them his experience of the Father's affirmative love as the beloved Son and his call to share the Good News of God's love in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Son of God took on our flesh to be one like and with us in all things but sin. In this way he was a manifestation of God's love. But this love reached its apex, when Jesus gave his life for our life on the cross of salvation. We are sent by Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit to share the same message of God's personal love for us and to lay d own our life as a reflection of that love. As St. Therese said: "Love is our vocation." And our ministry.

Homily Fourth Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: During the early part of their sojourn in the desert, the Israelites were afraid of God. They saw his signs and wonders. They were overwhelmed and fearful. They asked Moses to act as a mediator between them and God. God promised that he would, after Moses, speak to the people, not directly, but through another prophet. What is the role of a prophet? A prophet is a spokesperson for God, saying the message of God, not in his own name as prophet, but in the name of the Lord.

 

Though there were many prophets over the following centuries, some authentic, some false, there was an expectation on the part of the people that God would sent the prophet to them. Recall the question asked of John the Baptist by the religious leaders of the day. “Are you the Christ, Elijah, or the prophet?” Recall the response of the apostles to Jesus’ question: “Who do people say that I am?” Their response: “John the Baptist, Elijah or the prophet.”

 

What were the signs of the prophet? He would be a prophet like Moses, who was in intimate relationship with God; who spoke the words of God to the people; one chosen by God from among the people; one who must be listened to. At the same time, Moses indicated that there will be false prophets as well; ones who presume to speak in God’s name a word not commanded or from God; or one who speaks in the name of other gods.

 

Prophecy is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus preached and taught he did prophetically. For it was the message from God.

 

Gospel: Last Sunday, the Gospel of Mark told us that Jesus began his public ministry by proclaiming a theme statement. “The time of fulfillment is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” Then Mark told us he invited his first disciples to follow him. 

 

Today, the focus of Jesus ministry is on his role as teacher and his power over unclean spirits. But something else is clearly different.  He teaches with authority and not in the name of some rabbi. He was not formed by another rabbi, but by his Father, God.

 

Secondly, in his humanity, because of the anointing power of the Holy Spirit, he has power over evil spirits. He has come to break the power of Satan over humanity, to crush its head. This is the first instance of the battle between Jesus and Satan, found in Mark’s Gospel. The evil spirit recognizes that Jesus is the Holy One of God and is compelled to acknowledge this, not in faith, but as a fact. The evil spirit didn’t know that Jesus was truly God and truly Man, but only as one sent by God.

 

What does this passage teach us?  The work of Jesus continues today. His teaching are the truths that God wants us to hear and act upon.  We must not be like some of the people of his day. They heard the message and saw the confirmation in the signs and wonders he performed. But they still did not act only his word and become a disciple.

 

Another message is that the stronghold that Satan still has over us can only be broken by Jesus. Jesus desires to break these strongholds, but only when we ask him to. The evil one cannot hide from Jesus, but must manifest itself and come under the authority of Jesus.

 

Reading 2: Paul begins by saying we should be free of anxieties.  But if you are anxious be anxious about the ultimate things in life. What is that? Those are the things pertaining to our relationship with God: our life now and our life in eternity. How conscious were we this past week of our relationship with God? How conscious did we make decisions with this relationship as the measuring stick? Even the things dealing with our vocational or career, we need to see them from God’s perspective.

 

For the married person to be solely anxious about pleasing the spouse without reference to God is good but not great. But when the reason I am doing what I am dong for the other is will this be pleasing to God, then I am doing something that is great and good.

 

The Lordship of Jesus Christ as a conscious reality in one’s life was the ultimate reason for Paul’s ministry. There are so many things that we have to do or choose to do because of the circumstances of life. But if God is not the reason, what benefit has that been? To do something without reference to God and to something in reference to God is the difference between a saint and just a human being. To see the God moment or just to see the moment is to savor the joy of life rather than be overwhelmed by the burdens of life. In Paul’s words: “Whatever you do, whether in word or action, do it in the name of Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Jesus formed the disciples who sought greater intimacy with him. those who were revolving-door disciples, he allowed to come and go, like those who couldn't accept some of his teaching and expectations. It was too hard for them. Peter also admitted that following Jesus was costly. But he came to the conviction: "To whom shall we go. You have the words of everlasting life. You are the Holy One of God."

Have there been times we wanted to bail out, because of the cost of being a disciple? Like climbing a steep mountain. Initially it is easy, but the closer we come to the summit, the more it takes out of us. Being a disciple of Jesus is not running a hundred yard sprint on one lap of a relay. It is a marathon endeavor. We don't have to set a record. Just finish the course. As we read, reflect and implement the formative teachings of Jesus, the more we will be living true discipleship. We will finish the race, receiving, not a wreath but a crown of glory. The words of welcome from Jesus will give great comfort. "Welcome, beloved disciple. You have fought the good fight. You have finished the race." Remain on course.

Fourth Sunday Gospel B

Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. 

· The synagogue was the local meeting place that the Jews would gather in to hear the Scriptures read, to receive instruction, and to pray for various needs. It was mainly a rectangular room. From excavations it seems that the people when seated faced Jerusalem.

The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 

· “…he taught as one having authority” means that he did not repeat what other rabbis said, but taught on his own in the tradition of the prophets of old.

In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" 

· The spirit knows and fears the power of Jesus to destroy his influence. This is one of the reasons the Word became flesh: to defeat and overcome the power of the Evil One over God’s people. This was the work of the Messiah prophesied in the Scriptures.

· The spirit in fear and reaction, not in love and faith, confesses who Jesus is and attempts to block his mission. Notice how the spirit acknowledges Jesus publicly even for the wrong reason, but the scribes were not able.

· It is interesting that the unclean spirit openly acknowledges who Jesus is and many of us are afraid to share our faith in Jesus with others. Is there something wrong with this picture?

· When was the last time you openly shared about Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior with someone else?

Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

· In Mark’s Gospel the true identity of Jesus is not revealed until after his death and resurrection. Jesus was not ready for the crowds to know that he was the Messiah. Thus he silences the evil spirit from speaking any further.

· This public amazement will be one of the initial reasons for the latter hostility toward him by the leaders. They are disturbed at the growing popularity of Jesus and want to silence him.

· Jesus not only teaches with authority but acts with authority.

· Where have I experienced the power of Jesus over evil in my own life? Where are the strongholds of the Evil One in my life? Am I ready to submit them to the saving and healing power of Jesus?

· Take some time this week to identify those areas and to bring them to the Lord with total trust.

· Mark doesn’t tell us what Jesus taught but shows us the effect of his teaching. How attentive am I to the teachings of Jesus and to what effects have the teachings of Jesus had in my life.

· What is Jesus asking of us this week as a result of our reflections?

The call to be a disciple of Jesus is the call to become holy as our Heavenly Father is holy. What is holiness but entering more fully into the intimacy of his divine love. Is it a wonder that after three years of personal relationship with Jesus, that the Risen Savior gave Peter his final test before entrusting him with his mission as a fisher of men? The test was simple: "Peter, do you remember the times I have shown you love? Do you love me as I have loved you?" Peter responded that he loved Jesus but his love was not perfected yet. Jesus accepts this response, for Peter's formation as a disciple will not be complete until the disciple's final act of love, to totally surrender his life for Jesus.

Are we growing in love as a disciple? The same question Jesus asked Peter is the same test he gives us at different times of our journey as his disciple. And it will be the first and final question when we meet Jesus in judgment. He is not going to "what kind of a disciple were we?", but is your love perfected. Our intimacy in eternity will be the same level of our intimacy on earth. Now is the time, not to slack in our efforts to respond, but to become more intentional in our desire to grow in intimacy with God.

The theme of this past Sunday's Gospel was expressed by Jesus' words to his first followers. "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men." It is the call to discipleship and the call to mission. Effective mission cannot occur unless one has been first properly discipled. Even though the disciples were sent into experiential ministry on occasion, they spent the majority of their three years of formation learning how to be intimate disciples.

Reflect on our call to be a disciple. It began at the moment we were baptized. We were called to follow Jesus, to be formed by Jesus. From that moment on until now, we hopefully have been developing as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ with the assistance of the grace of the Holy Spirit and the love of the Father. Jesus discipled them and us as he was discipled by the Father and the Spirit in his humanity. As he grew in wisdom, age and grace, so hopefully have we. At the heart of Jesus' human formation was growing in intimacy with the Father. This is to be the heart and foundation of our formation as disciples. Without this we would only be functionaries, not sons and daughter, but hired hands. What is the level of our discipleship at the present moment?

"There is hostility in the villages along the lake, where Jesus had performed so many prodigious signs(See Mt 11:20-24). Now, precisely in this disappointing moment, Matthew relates a truly surprising fact: Jesus does not lift up a lament to the Father, but rather He raises a hymn of jubilation: 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth', says Jesus, 'that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babies' (Mt 11:25) So, in the midst of a crisis, amid the darkness of the soul of so many people,...Jesus blesses the Father; Jesus praise the Father." (Pope Francis) 

Jesus praises the Father for who he is and for what he does. He is the Lord of heaven and earth. Isn't this the pattern Jesus taught us how to pray? "Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be your name." We praise God for who he is because of who we are in relation to him. He  is our Father, because we are, by the grace of adoption, his beloved sons and daughters. We also praise God for what he does daily in our lives. He sustains us, forgives us, protects us and delivers us from evil. Let your prayer today rise up to God from a grateful, praising heart. 

" A text of the Eucharistic liturgy invites us to pray to God in this way. It says this: 'Although you have no need of our praise, yet our thanksgiving is itself your gift, since our praises add nothing to your greatness, but profit us for salvation'(Roman Missal, Common Preface IV). By giving praise, we are saved. The prayer of praise serves us. The Catechism defines it this way--the prayer of praise 'shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before seeing Him in glory' (#2639)." (Pope Francis)

The prayer of praise opens up our hearts to God in a way that we can receive his love more. The sun is beaming brilliantly above me, but if I am locked up in a windowless room, I do not receive its light or warmth. The same is true if we are more focus on ourselves in prayer, our needs, rather than on the person of God. But if instead I focus on praising God, trusting in his mercy and love, then my arms and heart are open wide before the Lord. He knows my needs and loves me. Spend some time praising God for his goodness and mercy. 

Homily Third Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: God had commissioned Jonah as a prophet sent to the pagan people of the city of Nineveh. He was to preach a message of repentance and conversion. If they did not repent for their sins, destruction would be their lot. Jonah did not want to do this, so he fled from the Lord, boarded a ship to go far away from God. You know the story. God got Jonah’s attention through a storm and through the crew of the ship throwing him overboard. Then a whale swallowed him up and then spewed him near a shore. Once more God called Jonah to obey his command.

 

Does that sound like us some times? We know what God wants us to do, but we try to run away from the Lord. We forget that he is God and we can’t hide from him.

 

We pick up the story in today’s reading. Jonah goes and preaches to the people of Nineveh a message of repentance and call to conversion. But he does it almost under protest. He really doesn’t want them to repent. But as we heard, after preaching one day, the whole city from the king tot the least responded. God spared them.

 

But this is not the whole story. When Jonah saw that the people responded to the call of God and God did not destroyed them, Jonah was angry with God because he said I knew you were going to forgive them. Why should I have wasted my time.  Jonah forgot the words of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah: “My ways are not your ways; my thoughts are not your thoughts. Jonah was asked to be obedient, but he did only grudgingly. His heart was not in it. Sound familiar?

 

Gospel: Our Gospel is divided into two parts. Jesus was obedient to the plan of the Father for him. Unlike Jonah, he didn’t run away but embraced the will of God freely and totally. He too was to preach to the Israelites a message of repentance in preparation for the salvation that he would bring to them and the whole world.

 

Where Jonah was called to preach, Jesus was called to preach and save. Where Jonah was initially disobedient and only reluctantly acted on the word of God, Jesus was obedient even to the death on the cross.

 

How obedient are we and with what attitude do we have in accomplishing the will of God? Paul tells us to have the same attitude that was in Christ Jesus.

 

In the second part, also reflecting the obedience of Jesus to the Father, Jesus invites others to be disciple by him and to share in his ministry of preaching a message of repentance. These disciples, unlike Jonah, respond immediately. They heard the call: “Come, follow me” and left all to follow Jesus as disciples.

 

To be discipled by Christ for us doesn’t mean we have to leave everything, but that we don’t let our station in life prevent us from hearing and acting on God’s word to us. It is not that husbands and wives must leave each other and go off to a monastery. But it means that God is first in their lives.

 

To follow Jesus is to seek what is good, pleasing and perfect in the will of God in each situation. The world may say one thing, but what does Jesus say. Whom will we listen to and follow? Come follow me is a daily call that requires a daily response. Whom will I truly follow: the world, myself, or God?

 

Reading 2: The words of the first reading were not meant to frighten us, nor are those of the second reading. Paul gives us a practical reason for responding to the call of Jesus to follow him as a disciple. The world in its present for is passing away. There is something greater that God is offering us. While living in the world we are to remember we are not of the world. We are pilgrims here. We are citizens of an eternal Kingdom, which Jesus spoke about in the Gospel: the kingdom of God. Our focus needs to be eternity rather than what is passing. 

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Gospel Reflections B

After John had been arrested Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." 

· The arrest of John is a foreshadowing of Jesus’ same experience in the future.

· “The Gospel of God”: the plan of salvation that God will fulfill.

· Notice that Jesus’ ministry begins with the end of John’s public ministry. John said: “I must decrease. He must increase.”

· “Time of fulfillment”: Jesus is the promised one whom God said he would send as Savior of the world. All the prophecies about him are about to be fulfilled.

· “Repent and believe”: continues the prophetic themes of the OT. But now it is believe and commit yourself to the message Jesus preaches.

· Jesus proclaims that when a person gives oneself to Jesus and to his gospel way of life, God will bring about his kingdom in him/her. How have you experienced this already in your life?

· What is Jesus asking of you now?

· What do we need to repent of at this point in our spiritual journey?

· What aspect of the “gospel” do we need to make more realistic in our life?

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. 

· According to John’s Gospel account, this was not the first encounter Simon, Andrew and John had with Jesus. Recall last Sunday’s Gospel.

· Mk’s account of the event is shorter and quicker. Mt and Lk tell us that they experienced the miracle of the marvelous catch of fish.

· Jesus invited them to follow him. Normally, disciples asked a Rabbi if they could follow and learn from him. Jesus shows that in relation to him, he gives the initial invitation of grace. Ours is a response.

· These were the first four to be called. Peter, James and John eventually became Jesus’ intimate inner circle.

· What do you think attracted these men to Jesus?  What attracts you most to Jesus?

· How quickly have we followed the call of Jesus in our life?

· In Mk’s Gospel one is to repent of sin, believe in the Good News of God’s love and follow Jesus. To what extent is this true in your life?

· How is God asking you to respond now to this new invitation?

We continue our reflection on the prayer of praise. There are a number of examples of people in the Old Testament praising God in the midst of personal, life-threatening difficulties. Read and reflect on Habakkuk 3:17-19. Or the case of Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego who refused to violate their covenant with God by worshipping a golden statue. They were bound and thrown into a white, hot furnace. Their response was to praise God. "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, and your name is praiseworthy and glorious for all ages" (Daniel 3:26).

In the New Testament we have the witness of Paul and Silas. In jail in Philippi for preaching about Jesus, the two men began singing and praising God. An earthquake happened and their chains were broken. Read Acts 16:25-26. If we become a person of praise, what will happen to our relationship with God? The change will not take place on God's part, but ours. Our prayer life will become richer and our focus will be other.

As we continue our journey into this New Year 2021, we may find ourselves somewhat overwhelmed by what is happening in the world around us. We have the medical uncertainty of the spreading effects of the COVID 19 pandemic. Many people have died. We find ourselves as a nation living in a political nightmare of destruction and disunity. Many people have lost their source of income and are struggling to survive. There is a faith crisis among many as they question the relevance of organized religion.

Dark times and dire circumstances have been the lot of mankind from the beginning. And yet, there is a light that breaks through again and again. Strange as it may seem, this light is the prayer of praise. The Psalms became that light for the Chosen People, especially the hymns of praise. Instead of only petitioning God to deliver them from their oppressors, they turned to the Lord with words of praise and thanksgiving. For a start, today, pray one of the following psalms: psalm 148, 149, or 150 as part of your prayer time with God.

"Baptism is God's most beautiful and magnificent Gift...We call it gift, grace, anointing, enlightenment, garment of immortality, bath of rebirth, seal, an most precious gift. It is call gift because it is conferred on those who bring nothing of their own; grace since it is given even to the guilty; Baptism because sin is buried in the water; anointing for it is priestly and royal as are those who are anointed; enlightenment because it radiates light; clothing since it veils our shame; bath because it washes; and seal as it is our guard and the sign of God's Lordship." (St. Gregory of Nazianzus)

Pope Francis said: "Baptism is the best gift we have received. Through it, we belong to God and we possess the joy of salvation." It is one of those gifts that keeps giving. For the sacramental graces, which we receive at the moment of baptism, are still  in effect right now, years later, if we are in union with God. How do we activate this grace? "We are called to live our baptism every day, as new creatures, clothed in Christ." (Pope Francis) Do we? Each time that we choose to do something for another in love we are activating the grace of baptism. Each time we do the will of God in the present moment, we are allowing the grace of baptism to enrich us. Each time we reject sin and live in union with God, we are tapping into the grace of baptism.

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit at his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary, his Mother. From that moment in his humanity, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as an individual. After his Baptism in the Jordan as his public acceptance of the Father's mission for him, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, anointing him in his humanity for his ministry. "And the Holy Spirit, in a corporal appearance like a dove, descended upon him." (Luke 3:22) In this the Spirit publicly testified that Jesus was the Christ. Pope Benedict XVI said: "He was not anointed with oil as were Israel's kings and high priests, but rather with the Holy Spirit."

When we were baptized, we were signed and sealed with the anointing of the Oil of Chrism, as a sign and power of the Holy Spirit. We received the sanctifying gifts of the Spirit for holiness. At Confirmation, we were again anointed by the Holy Spirit in our role as a witness for Jesus. How conscious are we of these anointings? How responsive are we in growing in holiness and being a public witness in the power of the Spirit? 

Homily: Second Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: The prophet Samuel was a gift from God to his parents, who were without children for many years. After praying with great intensity, his mother was told she would conceive. Once the child was born and of age, around 12, is parents brought him to the Temple in Shiloh to serve the Lord. This is where we pick up our story.

 

God had special plans for Samuel. He was to be a prophet of the Lord.  At first, Samuel did not know how to hear or respond to the Lord. It was Eli, who discerned that God was calling Samuel. So he said for Samuel to respond the next time: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” When the young boy did, then God was able to prepare him for the prophetic role ahead. Samuel will anoint first Saul as king of Israel and then David.

 

The call from God is the same for each of us. God encounters us. He loves us first. So many things distract us, not allowing us to distinguish the inner voice of God calling us. But God waits for us to respond the same way as Samuel: I am your servant ready to do your will.  Like Samuel we must be willing to listen to the still voice of the Lord, to discern it as the voice of the Lord and to act on the world of the Lord. If so, maybe the same effect in Samuel’s life will occur in ours: “The Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect.”

 

Gospel: The call of Samuel is reflected in the call of Andrew, John and Peter as well as in our own lives. It involves a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. The voice of God may be first heard through others like John the Baptist to Andrew and John. “Behold the Lamb of God.”

 

In the case of Peter, it was the invitation of his brother Andrew that led Simon to Jesus. Jesus intervene and invited them to get in touch with the grace of God stirring in their hearts.  What did Jesus share with them we do not know.  I speculate he shared his own story and what happened to him after his baptism. He shared how much the Father loved him and he loved the Father. He shared his awareness of his mission to bring the Good News of God’s love to others.

 

Andrew was so touched that he went to find his brother, Simon. He invited him to encounter this person, Jesus, who may be the Messiah. Jesus, in turn, encountered Simon by initiating a change in Simon’s life by giving him a new name. This was the first of many personal encounters with Jesus that made Simon, now Peter, to be transformed from being an unknown fisherman to the great Apostle and foundation of the Church.

 

God is calling each of us, encountering each of us. Like Peter we may initially resent or drag our feet in the process of transformation. We may fall short many times, but it is a journey of surrendering to the will of God. We belong to the Lord as his servant, who is called to do his will. In this relationship I don’t lose but gain true joy and fulfillment.

 

We just witnessed the simple process of what we call evangelization. Jesus invited Andrew and John to “Come and see”. They had an encounter with Jesus that changed their lives. Andrew sought his brother Simon and said, “Come and see.” He led him to an encounter with Jesus, who touched Peter’s heart.  It begins with a divine appointment, moments in our lives planned and set in motion by God for us to witness and bring others to Jesus.

 

Reading 2: What is that God wants us surrender? Our will, which can either choose to love God or to turn away from God and sin. When we sin we think we are expressing our independence and self-identity. But in reality, when we sin, we show ourselves slaves of our desires and tendencies and ultimately, slaves of Satan.

 

We forget that by virtue of creation we belong to God, who has given us life and the freedom to know what is good and right.  When we sin, we forget that it was Jesus who died on the cross and gave up his life to save us from eternal death, namely, alienation from God. We fail to remember that in baptism we became sons and daughters of God and a temple of the Holy Spirit.

 

As Paul reminds us, our bodies are not for immorality and self-indulgence, but to be holy and pleasing to God in thanksgiving for all God has done for us: creation, redemption and adoption. 

As Jesus, out of love f the Father,  embraced totally his call as our Messiah. He experienced in a fresh and  unique way the Father's love for him in his humanity. "And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my beloved Son. In you, I am well pleased.'" (Luke 3:22)  Some of the Fathers of the Church called this the kiss of the Father. This myth-experience sustained Jesus throughout his public ministry. It was probably the memory Jesus evoked on the Cross as he prayer Psalm 22. In spite of his sufferings he never lost sight of the Father's love for him.

We are the beloved sons and daughters of the Father. When we were baptized he adopte4d  us and spoke the same message: You are my beloved son/daughter in whom I am well pleased. Are we conscious of this kiss even today? Does the truth of who we really are--his beloved--sustain us in this present moment?

When Jesus is immersed in the waters of the Jordan, he was anticipating his future baptism, his passion and death on the cross. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "In his Passover Christ opened to all men the fountain of Baptism. He had already spoken of his Passion, which he was about to suffer in Jerusalem, as a 'Baptism' with which he  had to be baptized." (Luke 12:50) (CCC 1225)

When he was born, he was given the name Jesus, for he was the Savior of the world. After his baptism, John the prophet-baptizer declares, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." The Fathers of the Church said in his baptism Jesus takes on the sins of humanity. What happened at our baptism? Was it not the effects of Jesus' baptism and passion? How grateful are we of this gift? Is not our baptism to be a reflection of our life in Christ? Are we not to be plunged, immersed into the life of Christ until the final victory, our death in and with Christ?

This past Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus freely chose to be baptized, though sinless, as a public attestation of his yes to his Father's invitation to the role of Messiah. It was the inauguration of his public embracing of the will of the Father. Jesus came in silence as a  child born of a Virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was acknowledged by poor shepherds and Simeon and Anna, humble prophets, all of whom represented the Chosen People. He was sought after and found by Wise Men from the East, who represented the Gentile nations. Yet, for thirty years his life was hidden from public awareness, as he grew in wisdom, grace and knowledge before God and man. How does his baptism affect us today? His yes to do the will of the Father is a model for our yes to do the will of God today and every day.

"We must learn to live each day, each hour, yes, each minute as a new beginning, as a unique opportunity to make everything new. Imagine that we could live each moment as a moment pregnant with new life. Imagine that we could live each day as a day full of promises. Imagine that we could walk through the new year always listening to a voice saying to us: "I have a gift for you and can't wait for you to see it!" Imagine! (Henri Nouwen) 

Is this too far fetch to imagine? If we can imagine the worst so easily, why can't we imagine the best as well? It begins with how we perceive life, each day, each hour, each minute. God has a gift, a grace to give us if we are open to receive it. However, because of our negativity, our interpretation of past experiences, we do not believe that God has something good for us. Our hands are closed, like our heart, and thus there is no openness to the surprises of God. We may not perceive God's grace every minute, but if we remain open rather than closed, when he gives us the gift of grace, we will be able to receive it. Life can be a new beginning or it can be the same old drudgery of the past. The difference is me. 

"When one day I resolved to practice a certain virtue, I lapsed into the vice opposed to that virtue ten times more frequently than on other days. In the evening, I was reflecting on why, today, I had lapsed so extraordinarily, and I heart the words: 'You were counting too much on yourself and too little one me.' And I understood the cause of my lapse." (St. Faustina)

How true! It is the old human experience of wanting to do it alone without any help. And yet, God tells us that he . is with us for a purpose. He shows us that with, in and for him we can do all things, but without him or him on the sidelines is the path to failure. We can't overcome sin on our own. We need his grace which keeps us focus on him and not ourselves. We can't grow in virtue and holiness on our own, no matter how hard we try. It is in growing in and remaining consciously in his love that we can improve. Only in surrendering ourselves into his hands can we, in time, see the fruits of union with him. So let's begin now, today and each moment to say and live our "yes" to God.

Homily: Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

 

Reading 1: This is what I known as the Suffering Servant Song in the prophecies of Isaiah. There are four sections. We heard the initial statement: “Here is my servant, my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” This connects us to the Gospel event of Jesus’ baptism. Likewise, the next statement: “Upon whom I have put my spirit.”

 

Then we heard that this Servant will bring forth justice which is salvation. But he will do this not through doing violence.  He will be a light for the nations, which means that his salvation is not just for the Chosen People but for Gentiles as well.

He will manifest a variety of signs and wonders as a confirmation of who he is and what he will accomplish.

 

Is it possible that this is one of the passages which Jesus read or heard in the synagogue which convicted and confirmed for him in his humanity of his call from God?

 

Gospel:  Mark is very succinct and concise even though the event of Jesus’ baptism is rich in meaning.  Jesus, prior to this moment, came to a clear conviction in his humanity of the Father’s love for him and a clear conviction of his own call by God to be the long-awaited Messiah. He was sinless and therefor didn’t need the baptism of John for the purpose of manifesting any forgiveness and repentance.

 

For Jesus his baptism by John was a public way of saying yes to the Father’s love and call to publicly begin his ministry. Jesus is baptized because he has taken upon himself the sins of the world. He is not a sinner, but he is solidarity with sinful humanity. His baptism is an anticipation of his baptism of suffering on the cross.

 

As Jesus comes out of the water, the Spirit comes down from heaven. This is a foreshadowing of the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. Jesus in his humanity is filled with the Spirit. He is anointed and empowered for ministry. The Father’s voice is a confirmation of his love for Jesus. It is the kiss of the Father. It is a divine moment in the human life of Jesus, which would sustain him at different times, especially on the cross.

 

 

For everyone else, John’s baptism was an outward sign of one’s repentance of sin and a sign of expectation or preparation for the Messiah, who had already come, but was not yet manifested. It was a public sign not a private one. But the baptism that Jesus’ offers is greater for he is mightier in person than John. He existed before John, as the Son of God before time began. He will baptize in water and the Holy Spirit.  The sins of those baptized will be forgiven and removed and the person will share the very life of God.  The Spirit of God will come and dwell within the person baptized.

 

Reading 2: Background. Cornelius is a Roman Centurion in Caesarea. He was a God-fearing man. He has a vision and in that vision an angel told him to invite a man name Peter to his house for he had a word from God for him. Likewise, Peter had a vision in which he was told that nothing was unclean for him to eat.  Afterwards the servants sent by Cornelius arrive inquiring for Peter. Realizing that this is a sign from God, Peter goes with them to Cornelius’ house.

 

It was forbidden for a Jew to enter into the home of a Gentile. But because of his vision Peter felt compelled to do so. Cornelius shared his vision. Peter then began to share the Gospel proclamation that Jesus is Lord and Savior. Upon hearing the message, the Spirit came upon Cornelius and his whole household. As a result, they spoke in tongues and prophesied, like the Apostles had experienced on Pentecost. Peter took this as a confirming sign from God and baptized them      

 

What was the message Peter proclaimed? What we just heard! The key part of his proclamation, the Kerygma: Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.  Do we not only believe this but surrender to the Lordship of Jesus over us? And if we do, will our life this week reflect this reality in a public way as our witness of our own baptism and life in Christ? 

"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering  your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them--every day begin the task anew." (St. Francis de Sales)

Sometimes we are too demanding on ourselves, because we expect to be perfect now. We forget, like growth, getting better is a process, a journey that takes time and patience. When we fall short, as we will, we can get discouraged and even give up. What we need is the grace of perseverance and the resolve to keep going. We are in a marathon, not a dash. Like a tree that is planted today, we will not see any noticeable growth. But look at the tree a year later, we will see some growth. The same is true, if we persevere in our own journey. Only by looking back over a period of time may allow us to see growth.

""During this new year I resolve to begin a new life. I do not know what will happen to me during this year. But I abandon myself entirely to you, my God.  And my aspirations and all my affections will be for you. I feel so weak, dear Jesus, but with your help I hope and resolve to live a different life, that is, a life closer to  you." (St Gemma Galgani)

Wanting to live a life closer to God is not an unattainable goal. This is exactly the desire of God for us. What keeps us from taking the necessary steps is the fear of failure or the lie of our past unworthiness. What we forget is that this desire to live a life closer to God is supported by the grace of God. As Jesus told us: "With me you can do all things; without me you can do nothing." So the first step is our surrender to God, so that we can take the second and succeeding steps.  And if we fall short, get up and start anew at that point.

"Let everything whatsoever that you do, whether in word or in deed, be done all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

This is one of my favorite resolutions from the Word of God. It encompasses the admonition of Jesus to love one another as he has loved us. Think about it. If I can't do or say something in the name of Jesus, then I will not be loving. But when Jesus is the measure of my words and deeds, then I am acting in union with the will of God, which is love. God has a way of simplifying our lives after the fall of Adam and Eve. When we don't follow Paul's admonition, then our complicated lives become overwhelming and unmanageable.