And Ours…: Mission Accepted
Today, on the feast of the Lord’s baptism, Jesus, though he was without sin, made himself one with sinners, with outcasts, with the poor in any way, to bring them God’s forgiveness and life. He accepted that difficult mission. At our baptism we have become one with him. Do we too, like him, accept our mission to be good servants of God and people, even when this is a difficult task? After all, we are Jesus’ disciples.
Is 42:1-4,6-7
“Take a good look at my servant.
I’m backing him to the hilt.
He’s the one I chose,
and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
I’ve bathed him with my Spirit, my life.
He’ll set everything right among the nations.
He won’t call attention to what he does
with loud speeches or gaudy parades.
He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt
and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant,
but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right.
He won’t tire out and quit. He won’t be stopped
until he’s finished his work—to set things right on earth.
Far-flung ocean islands
wait expectantly for his teaching.”
God’s Message,
the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies,
laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people,
makes them alive with his own life:
“I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me,
and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:
opening blind eyes,
releasing prisoners from dungeons,
emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That’s my name.
I don’t franchise my glory,
don’t endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled.
I’m announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene,
I’m telling you all about it.”
Acts 10:34-38
Peter fairly exploded with his good news: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Message he sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone. “You know the story of what happened in Judea. It began in Galilee after John preached a total life-change. Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.
Mt 3:13-17
Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. John objected, “I’m the one who needs to be baptized, not you!” But Jesus insisted. “Do it. God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.” So John did it. The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God’s Spirit—it looked like a dove—descending and landing on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life.”
Prayer
God our Father,
with Jesus you call us to be
your beloved sons and daughters
and with him you give us the mission
to become humble and dedicated servants.
Grant that we may not break
those crushed by sin and sorrow.
Help us to serve always the cause of right,
to be eyes to the blind
and a voice for the downtrodden.
May we please you in all we do.
Reflection:
Baptism of the Lord
Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7
A vocation to be God’s chosen servants
Today, the feast of the Lord’s baptism ends our Christmas celebrations. We see the third and last of the three great manifestations – the Epiphany – by which the coming of the Lord to his people was made known to us.
Jesus, though he was without sin, made himself one with sinners, with outcasts, with the poor in any way, to bring them God’s forgiveness and life. He accepted that difficult mission.
In the second part of the book of Isaiah, a mysterious character enters the scene. The author calls him: the “servant of the Lord.” The opening words of the prophet about this Servant of the Lord echo Matthew’s description of the baptism scene of Jesus: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight.” The mission of Jesus is then spelt out in some beautiful phrases – “I have put my Spirit upon him, and he will bring justice to the nations….”
In this “Servant of the Lord,” the first Christians immediately recognized the image of Jesus (Acts 8:30-35). It all started on the day when Jesus was executed. The grief-stricken disciples could not understand why the life of a good and just man had concluded in failure. They looked for an explanation in the scriptures.
In the book of Isaiah, they found the story of this Servant who, after an unfair trial, was executed. They understood that God’s ways are not of domination and humiliation of enemies. Through accepting defeat, he brings the gift of life. When God entrusts someone to perform a task, he also gives him or her the ability to fulfil it. To his “servant,” God communicates his Spirit, his irresistible force, as support.
The mission entrusted to this “chosen servant” is to bring justice to the nations – the “justice of God”, which consists of his benevolence, his salvation. The Servant shall not impose himself by force, legal pressure or threats against those who oppose him. He will not shout nor raise his voice like those in authority. He will bring back one who did wrong instead of destroying him. For him, there will be no lost cases or irrecoverable situations.
In Jesus was fulfilled all that was written in the book of Isaiah about the faithful servant of God. On the solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, the Church reminds us of our own baptism and our vocation to become God’s chosen servants.
Video available on Youtube: A vocation to be God’s chosen servants