Reflection for Sunday January 9, Feast of the Baptism of the Lord: Luke 3: 15-16, 21-22

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

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  

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.”

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Reflection:

A newly ordained priest was so proud of his vocation that he invited everyone in their place to announce to them that he is now a priest. He was not content with that kind of publicity so he told those who were gathered that he became a priest because he wanted it for so long. And according to him, no one influenced him to become a priest but himself.  

What separates John from this priest? John is humble and this priest is not, John pointed to Jesus as the greater power in his ministry while the priest pointed to himself as the power behind his priesthood.

We celebrate today the feast of the baptism of the Lord. What message does it convey to us?  It reminds us of our own baptismal date and baptismal mission; it reminds us that we have a responsibility to do as baptized Christians. Our baptismal mission is to share and live our faith and in sharing and living our faith we also have a responsibility to do: None other than to share our faith with humility. And to let the virtue of humility become an integral part of our lives so that we can bring our fellowmen closer to the Lord. What if we do not have the virtue of humility? We will not become effective bearers and sharers of the teachings of Jesus. We will not also become successful in our mission to bring others to Jesus. 

We can only convince others to follow Christ if we would always be humble and simple. We can only develop the curiosity of our fellowmen to be interested in our faith if we live it with humility and simplicity. As Jesus and John were humble evangelizers of the faith during their time, so must we.

Because it is only through the way of humility and simplicity that we can effectively live our baptismal mission. There is no other way but the way of humility and simplicity. – Marino J. Dasmarinas