Paul's Reflections Baptism of Our Lord - A. 9th January, 2011

9th January, 2011      Baptism of Our Lord - A

 

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The Baptism of the Lord is about the revelation of Jesus as God’s only Son, with whom the Heavenly Father is well pleased. And then we are instructed to ‘listen to him.’ …. To learn from him……  to get to know him….. and watch his life… his actions….  His values….

 

By seeing Jesus, we SEE the Father….  And come to know God’s life and values.

 

As it mentions in the newsletter:

Here are some of these family resemblances as revealed in this week's readings?

The Father and the Son are both:

· Loving as well as beloved

· The source of generosity, justice, and peace

· Actively doing good for those in need

· Healers of the oppressed

· Animated by the Holy Spirit

· Committed to the well-being of the people

· A source of light for those in darkness

· Liberators of prisoners

· Obedient to love

· Righteous     

· Willing to pour themselves out for others

· Yearning for our salvation

If we want to know how God treats sinners, we only have to see how Jesus dealt with sinners, the way he related to them.

 

If we want to know how God feels about those who are being treated unjustly, people who are being left out….   And the poor, the sick and the widows and orphans……  then we see Jesus … in the midst of the people…. WITH THEM……  healing, forgiving, …  feeding…   speaking out against injustice….  And getting his hands dirty…. 

Living….  Dying….   Giving….  Among the people, as one of the people…..  and never sidestepping any human suffering.

 

The baptism of Our Lord is also about Vocation. Jesus mission to reveal the fullness of God’s love and to fulfil God’s plan of establishing the Kingdom… is revealed at Jesus’ own baptism.  This is the start and the commissioning of his earthly ministry….. his public ministry.

 

For us, whether we were baptised as a Baby… or later as an adult………(whether we were baptised in the Catholic Church, or the Anglican Church or the Lutheran church… and so on…..)…. There is only one baptism… and we all share in it… IT is the baptism INTO Christ…. Where we too are declared beloved Sons and daughters of God (forever!)….   And where we are commissioned to live our vocation (whatever field that may be in) as disciples of Jesus… as daughters and sons of God….  And to show God’s love and values and priorities by our own lives, actions, words and choices….  And to be instruments of God’s work to establish the Kingdom of God in its fullness…

 

We do this by staying very close to Jesus and constantly reflecting, praying and learning from the life and actions of Jesus…  God’s beloved son..

 

 

(p.s please consider prayerfully, contributing to the SVdP flood relief appeal we do at the gifts time….)

 

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REFERENCES:

 

·       FR. PAUL W. KELLY