(When Epiphany is celebrated on January 6th: The Epiphany of the Lord[1])
Optional Memorial for Saint André Bessette (United States)
Alternate Readings for the memorial may be taken from the Common of Holy Men and Women
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“Baptism of Christ” by Guido Reni, c. 1623
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Commentary:
Reading 1: 1 John 5:5-13
Commentary on 1 Jn 5:5-13
St. John’s first letter provides a unique understanding of Jesus' baptism and baptismal theology in general. His reference to “water” is a reference to the Lord’s Baptism. The “Spirit” is a reference to the Holy Spirit descending upon the Lord as he came out of his baptismal bath. Finally he refers to Blood which is a symbol of the Cross. In that event also was God’s own testimony about the identity of his Only Son (Matthew 3:16-17). St. John’s logic in this passage teaches that if one does not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, they call God a liar because he testified to the identity of His Son.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or
R. Alleluia.
Commentary on Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise. In these strophes the singer celebrates God’s gifts to his people: the gift of faith to the patriarch Jacob, and the gift of His presence in the holy city Jerusalem. These strophes are from the third section (each section offering praise for a different gift from God to his special people). This section focuses on the gift of the Promised Land with Jerusalem as its spiritual center. We see the call to praise Jerusalem, the Holy City, because in it was revealed the Word of God and a call to holiness. The Lord is praised for sending food that sustains the people. The final strophe also rejoices that the Law was handed on to them through Jacob.
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Gospel:
First Option: Mark 1:7-11
Commentary on Mk 1:7-11
The passage begins with St. John the Baptist announcing the coming of the Messiah who will transform the people, not simply through repentance, but by placing a new spirit within them (cf. Ezekiel 36:24-28).
St. Mark goes on to briefly describe the baptism event: “He saw the heavens . . . and the Spirit . . . upon him," indicating divine intervention in fulfillment of promise. Here the descent of the Spirit on Jesus is meant as an anointing for his ministry; cf Isaiah 11:2; 42:1; 61:1; 63:9. A voice . . . with you I am well pleased: God's acknowledgment of Jesus as his unique Son, the object of his love. His approval of Jesus is the assurance that Jesus will fulfill his messianic mission of salvation.” [5]
CCC: Mk 1:11 151, 422
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OR Second Option
Long Form
Commentary on Lk 3:23-38
The genealogy of Jesus in St. Luke’s Gospel differs from the account in St. Matthew significantly. “Whereas Matthew 1:2 begins the genealogy of Jesus with Abraham to emphasize Jesus' bonds with the people of Israel, Luke's universalism leads him to trace the descent of Jesus beyond Israel to Adam and beyond that to God (Luke 3:38) to stress again Jesus' divine sonship.”[6]
CCC: Lk 3:23 535
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OR Short Form
Commentary on Lk 3:23, 31-34, 36, 38
In the shorter form of the genealogy of Jesus a number of generations are omitted. Included are the significant touchpoints in Hebrew history linking Jesus with Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, and Noah. Like the longer form, the list concludes with Adam.
CCC: Lk 3:23 535
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Reflection:
As we still bask in the glow of our Christmas celebration, sacred scripture gives us a fast-forward through the early years of the Savior only days ago found in a manger. St. Mark’s Gospel relates the story of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. In a sense it is like many families today; we are in such a hurry to prepare for the future, we jump right past the innocence of childhood, rushing to change the world.
In the grand scheme of God’s plan, the Lord’s early childhood was fairly obscure. We know the Holy Family was forced to flee to Egypt for a time. We have also heard that Sts. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to fulfill their Hebrew obligations. We were told about Simeon and Anna’s predictions when Jesus was presented. We know that, when the Holy Family returned from their exile, they made at least one pilgrimage to the Temple when Jesus was still a young man. We heard how he was left behind and caused his parents great anguish until they found him in “My Father’s House.”
The time before Jesus’ baptism, for the most part, is a blank parchment which many people, even some very holy people, have speculated about. In the end, we find Jesus at the Jordan with St. John the Baptist, his kinsman. We find him ready, prepared mentally and physically, to take up his mission. We may only infer from this that Mother Mary and her husband, St. Joseph, had done their job as good parents. The Lord’s brief walk in public life attests to this.
We are told he is True God and True Man. This would indicate that St. Mary and St. Joseph had parental influence over the Lord. His divine nature would certainly have molded his character; however, his parents, one biological and the other foster, must have had more than a caretaker role. Their free will could have caused mistakes. Yet here is Jesus, ready to take away the sins of the world as the perfect sacrifice his Heavenly Father had intended. St. John knows he is washing a clean vessel. There is nothing but symbolism in the Lord’s bath in the Jordan. It is the Father’s way of revealing His Only Begotten Son for the second time (the first was in that manger in Bethlehem).
As we recall all of the events that have led up to this moment, we must look at our own preparation. Are we ready to do what God asks of us? Can we accept the challenge, the challenge accepted by St. Mary, St. Joseph, and even Jesus himself? Can we walk into the world as his adopted children, proclaiming the Lord’s Kingdom with our words and deeds? Are we ready to be the Epiphany? We are now given a chance to make one last resolution in this new year, may we be what God calls us to be.
Pax
[1] Note the Homily at this location is from last year. I will prepare a new one between today and Epiphany.
[2] The picture is “Baptism of Christ” by Guido Reni, c. 1623
[5] See NAB footnote on Mark 1:10-11
[6] See NAB footnote on Luke 3:23-38
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