Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – Cycle C

Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.

Introduction

The feast of the Baptism of The Lord begins a period of time in the liturgical calendar which is called Ordinary Time. During the period of Ordinary Time we are guided through the gospel readings in a chronological manner from the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry through His entry into Jerusalem for His passion, death, and resurrection; an event for which we interrupt the cycle of Ordinary time to celebrate during the Easter season. During Cycle B our gospel readings concentrate on the Gospel of Mark (augmented with selections from the Gospel of John because Mark is so short). Cycle A concentrates on the Gospel of Matthew and Cycle C concentrates on Luke.   
 
Cycle A readings may also be used.

1st Reading - Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

Our first reading this time is the first suffering servant song of Isaiah. The suffering servant represents the finest qualities of Israel and her great leaders. In this first song, he is a “chosen one” like Moses (Psalm 106:23), David (Psalm 89:4), and all Israel (1 Chronicles 16:13; Isaiah 41:8); as the Servant, he fulfills the role of Davidic king (2 Samuel 3:18), Messianic king (Ezekiel 34:23-24), and prophet (Amos 3:3). His kingly prerogative is especially emphasized here. Not only is he set in contrast to the military tactics of Cyrus (29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A), but he is commissioned to “bring forth justice”, a legal decision ratifying and executing the divine will. The Bible, except in rare cases (Judges 4:5; 1 Samuel 7:6; 3:20) reserved that power to kings, priests, and local magistrates. The servant however has another quality: he imparts teaching (Torah), a task never done by kings but only by prophets (Isaiah 8:16; Zechariah 7:12) and priests (Jeremiah 2:8; Ezekiel 7:26).  
 
Thus says the LORD:1 Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations,  
 
God is speaking, perhaps to the heavenly court. His words include not only the nation of Israel, but all nations. Notice that God had said of his servant “with whom I am pleased” – this harkens to Jesus’ baptism which we celebrate with this feast, and the transfiguration. God created the whole world and desires to save all of it.
 
2 Not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
 
The servant accomplishes his mission modestly and quietly, not whipping people into conformity but transforming them interiorly. He has a gentle respect for others. It is interesting that the New American Bible omits the last part of verse 3 and the first part of verse 4 “he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed.”
 
4 Until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
 
The apostate Israelites spread throughout the Babylonian empire, to the far edges of the known world, and thus lost in the crowd are being called to conversion.
 
6 I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
 
“Victory of justice” is one word in Hebrew. This single word might be better translated
“conformable to my plan of salvation.”
 
I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you,  
 
This evokes images of the creation of the first man (Genesis 2:7). The term is also used for a potter who is carefully molding his clay (Isaiah 45:9; 64:8; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:21).
 
and set you as a covenant of the people,
 
If they have a covenant relationship with God, they are part of God’s family. Israel is the firstborn of the nations and as the eldest brother it is to set the example and guide the others.
 
a light for the nations,
 
Lead them from darkness.
 
7 To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
 
People must recognize their blindness and imprisonment before they can be cured and freed.

1st Reading - Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 (alternate reading)

The prophet Isaiah spoke words of encouragement to his people who would be in exile years after Isaiah prophesied. He wrote “Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.” Isaiah lived and wrote around 750 B.C., Israel (the Northern Kingdom) was deported in 722 B.C. and Judah (the Southern Kingdom) was deported in 605-586 B.C.) Cyrus of Persia began defeating the Babylonian armies in 538 B.C. The prophet points out the hope (which was later realized) that under Persian rule the Jewish people may be returned to their homeland (Isaiah 44-45). They will build “a highway for our God.” In this highway builder” role they will be preparing the way for their Lord. In the gospel reading we will study today, Mark quotes this passage from Isaiah in introducing John the Baptist.
 
As Christians we are also called to be highway builders preparing the way for Christ to enter more fully into our lives. We are proclaimers of “glad tidings.”
 
During the time of Isaiah, conquered peoples were often put to work building roads for the victors. In the process of road building they would be filling in the valleys and cutting down the high places to make the road smoother. Sometimes roads would be built especially for the victorious ruler to ride in triumph. This would become the “king’s way.” The Jews in Babylon dreamed of the day when they would build their own “king’s way” back to their homeland. It would be Yahweh, their king, who would ride triumphantly at the head of their pilgrimage home. It is of this dream that Isaiah writes today in the beginning of the part of his book which is known as the “Book of Comfort” (Isaiah 40-55).
 
40:1 Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God.
 
This is an expression of the covenant bond between them.
 
2 Speak tenderly
 
Literally, “speak to the heart.” In Hebrew anthropology the heart was considered to be the organ of reasoning. God is attempting to convince Israel of His concern.
 
to Jerusalem,
 
This is not a place, but a people, the chosen people.
 
and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.
 
This is not an excess of divine anger, it proclaims a completion of the purification process of sorrow. A new era is dawning, inaugurated by God’s Word. A word is formed deep within the mind and heart of God and achieves its effects only when received just as personally within man.
 
3 A voice cries out:
 
Someone speaks up from the celestial assembly. This voice says that the Lord Himself is about to lead a new exodus through the desert.
 
In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
 
A manner of life for men and for God – there can be two ways, the ways of good and of evil. John the Baptist is to announce “the way of the Lord” (Mark 1:3, our gospel reading for today) and Jesus Himself declares that He is the Way (John 14:6). Christianity, therefore, is called simply “the way.”
 
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! 4 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; The rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. 5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
 
God’s redeeming presence. In the Old Testament times this was a reference to the Temple.
 
and all mankind shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
 
This new theophany is not restricted to the Temple, but is worldwide. In Hebrew, “all mankind” is literally “all flesh.”
 
9 Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news!
 
The glorious Jerusalem is no longer emasculated with sensuousness and hypocrisy, but is hailed as the home of God on earth and the center of redemption.
 
Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! 10 Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm;
 
The sacred author overlooks the Davidic pretenders to the throne and sees only one king, Yahweh.
 
Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. 11 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.
 
Note the easy transition from king to shepherd. Yahweh is a shepherd-king, who attracts and even carries His people.

2nd Reading - Acts 10:34-38

Our second reading takes place at the home of Cornelius, the Roman centurion. Cornelius was a proselyte of the type who, attracted by Judaism’s monotheistic beliefs and strict code of ethics, attended synagogue services and observed the 10 commandments but did not become full members of the Jewish community by circumcision and observance of the dietary restrictions. Cornelius was visited by an angel while he was at prayer and directed to summon Peter from Joppa. When Peter arrived and heard of the vision of Cornelius he instructed him in the story of the life, death, and messiahship of Jesus. At the end of the instruction the Holy Spirit fell upon Cornelius and all his household and conferred upon them the gift of tongues. Peter found this sufficient justification to baptize them, although they were Gentiles – the first Gentile converts. Today we hear some of Peter’s instruction to them prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit.
 
34    Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
 
Literally, “God is not one showing favors” this is an allusion to Deuteronomy 10:17. God has no favorites and doesn’t accept bribes. Salvation is available to all.
 
35    Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.
 
What is translated as “uprightly” is literally, “practices righteousness.” This can be done even if one is not a Jew.
 
36    You know the word  
 
Refers to Jesus the Christ who is Lord of all (John 1:1).
 
(that) he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
 
The proclamation (that Jesus is Lord of all) was first made to the Jews (the sons of Israel) will be made to the Gentiles (see Psalm 107:20). The “proclaimed peace” could be an allusion to Isaiah 52:7 (Christmas During the Day) which describes the function of the herald of the good news that was to be made to Jerusalem.
 
37 what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached,
 
The baptism of John was a baptism of repentance – being reunited to God through acknowledgment of and sorrow for sins.
 
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
 
Jesus was a Nazarene and this was a play on Isaiah 11:1 “a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit.” Nazareth means “branch-town”. The mention of anointing is an allusion to Isaiah 61:1 (3rd Sunday of Advent Cycle B). It also recalls Jesus’ investiture with the “power” of the Spirit at His baptism (Luke 3:22; 4:14,18).  This does not mean that Jesus became the messiah at his baptism – this was a sign to the others. Jesus is the spirit-filled agent of God’s saving activity.
 
with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

2nd Reading - Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 (alternate reading)

Titus was the bishop ordained by Saint Paul on the island of Crete.  This letter, believed to have been written around the year 65 while Saint Paul was in Macedonia, expresses worry about the damage being done by false teachers; teachers who have “a
 
morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes” (1 Timothy 6:4). It is generally believed that these false teachers were Judaizing Christians who were using verses of the Old Testament (the only Scriptures possessed by the early Church) out of context to lead people astray. In response to this, Saint Paul reminds Titus of the need for “sound doctrine” and for the necessity of guarding the deposit of faith, the “truth which has been entrusted to you” (the oral Tradition of the New Testament, none of which has been canonized as yet).  
 
2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, saving all
 
The incarnation and redemptive work of Christ is for all mankind.
 
12 and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, 1  as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ,  
 
This phrase might be better translated as “great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” It is an eloquent expression of Saint Paul’s belief in the divinity of Christ. It is not intended to refer to God (the Father) and Jesus separately.
 
“And Paul said: ‘from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all things, God blessed forever, Amen” (Romans 9:5). And again: ‘No fornicator or covetous one has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God’ (Ephesians 5:5). And still again: ‘through the appearance of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.’ And John calls him by the same name of God when he says: ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word was God’ (John 1:1).” [Saint John Chrysostom (A.D. 386), Homilies Against the Anomoians and on The Incomprehensible Nature of God 5,2]
 
14 who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good.  
 
This is a direct reference to Jesus’ sacrifice on the altar of the cross; the sacrifice which instituted the New Covenant in which we are made children of God with a heavenly inheritance.
 
 
“Strange, isn’t it, how we were so drowned in wickedness that we could not be purified? We needed a new birth! For this is implied by ‘regeneration.’ For as when a house is in a ruinous state no one places props under it nor makes any addition to the old building, but pulls it down to its foundations and rebuilds it anew. So in our case, God has not repaired us but made us anew.” [Saint John Chrysostom (ca. A.D. 385), Homilies on Titus 5]

Gospel - Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

Saint Luke devotes only two verses to Jesus’ baptism; and in doing so presents it as an accomplished fact. He spends more time describing the baptism which John the Baptist performed and who is baptized. John is featured as the last of the Old Testament prophets, the one who is to announce the coming of the messiah. Throughout his account, Saint Luke depicts John the Baptist as denying that he is the awaited messiah and as turning the attention of the people from himself to Jesus.
 
15    Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.  
 
The expectation was that the time had arrived for the messiah to come and redeem Israel. This event was awaited expectantly.
 
16    John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming.  
 
The expected messiah is the great liberator in the war against Satan. The word “mighty” is often used in Scripture for the leader of the final struggle with evil (Mark 2:15; Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34).
 
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.  
 
The work of a slave
 
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  
 
John announces Christian baptism, proclaiming that he is not the Messiah; he, who is on his way, will come with the authority of supreme Judge that belongs to God, and with the dignity of the Messiah, who has no human equal. In Scripture, fire often indicates the presence of the Savior-God. Fire has a prominent place in liturgical services where man meets his savior (Leviticus 1:7ff; 6:2,6). Great theophanies surround God with fire (Genesis 15:17; Exodus 3:1ff; Numbers 14:14; Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1:4ff; Joel 3:3). God comes “in fire” to judge, that is, to fulfill his promises to the elect and remove evil from their midst. With this rich Biblical background it is difficult to decide whether the Baptist’s statement about Jesus identifies fire with the Spirit’s purifying and sanctifying action or, or instead, adds a new dimension of eschatological judgment. I suspect the latter.
 
21 After all the people had been baptized  
 
This concludes the Baptist’s apostolate by showing the fulfillment of the mission confided to John before his birth “to prepare a perfect people for the Lord (Luke 1:17). Men have been led to their final moment of world salvation through the baptism administered by John; they are ready to become the messianic, eschatological people of God (Acts 15:14).
 
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened  
 
The imagery of heavens opening frequently implies a vision of heavenly secrets in apocalyptic writing (Ezekiel 1:1). This intensifies the eschatological tone of the baptism, our first reading begs God, one last time, to repeat the great redemptive acts toward His people, especially the Exodus out of bondage. Jesus baptism, therefore, answers that prayer and envisages a whole community advancing to the new and most joyful promised land. Jesus’ baptism, however, remains more of a promise to be fulfilled at Pentecost when the heavens will open again and the Spirit will descend upon the community (Acts 2).
 
22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
 
The Messianic gift to be bestowed on the Church at Pentecost
 
in bodily form  
 
The Holy Spirit was visible to all. These words are found only in Luke.
 
like a dove.  
 
The oldest interpretation is that the dove represents the new people of Israel, the eschatological community. Hosea 11:11 and Psalm 68:14 depict Israel as a dove. What we have again is the eschatological aspect of the community and a prefigurement of Pentecost. In the flood narrative, the dove brought back the olive branch which symbolized new life. In the baptism of Jesus, the dove also symbolizes the bringing of a new life in Christ. The representation of the Holy Spirit as a dove is a later symbolism. Because the dove is in visible form, Jesus can almost reach out and touch the new community taking shape around Him. Pentecost will achieve the promise of Jesus’ baptism. More recent interpretation is that in Christ’s baptism we can find a reflection of the way the sacrament of Baptism affects a person. Christ’s baptism was the exemplar of our own. In it the mystery of the Blessed Trinity was revealed, and the faithful, on receiving Baptism, are consecrated by the invocation of and by the power of the Blessed Trinity. The opening of heaven signifies that the power, the effectiveness, of this sacrament comes from above, from God, and that the baptized have the road to heaven opened up for them, a road which original sin had closed.
 
And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  
 
The time has come for Him to teach, to work miracles and to draw men to Himself. It is only fitting for His Godhead to be attested to from on high by the Father’s testimony, so that His teaching might be more credible: “The father who sent me has Himself borne witness to me” (John 5:37).

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org