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| “Baptism of Christ” by Guido Reni, c. 1623 |
Saint André Bessette (United States)
Alternate Readings for the memorial may be taken from the Common of Holy Men and Women
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 1 John 5:5-13
Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three that testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 5:5-13
St. John’s first letter fully prepares us for the Baptism of the Lord which approaches. 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.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or
R. Alleluia.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or
R. Alleluia.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or
R. Alleluia.
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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.
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Gospel:
First Option: Mark 1:7-11
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
"One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water,
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."
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Commentary on Mk 1:7-11
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OR Second Option
Long Form
When Jesus began his ministry he was about thirty years of age.
He was the son, as was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,
the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi,
the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias,
the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,
the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias,
the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,
the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel,
the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi,
the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam,
the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,
the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,
the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea,
the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan,
the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed,
the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,
the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ami,
the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah
the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham,
the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug,
the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,
the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad,
the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared,
the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
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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.”[4]
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OR Short Form
When Jesus began his ministry he was about thirty years of age.
He was the son, as was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,
the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha,
the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse,
the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala,
the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin,
the son of Ami, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez,
the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac,
the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem,
the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Enos,
the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
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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 touch points in Hebrew history linking Jesus with David through Jesse, Abraham with Jacob and Isaac, and Noah. Like the Longer form, the list concludes with Adam.
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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. That Sts. Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple to fulfill their Hebrew obligations is also recorded. We were told about Simeon and Ann’s predictions when Jesus was presented. We also know that, when they had 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 His 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 care-taker role. Their free will could have caused mistakes. Yet here is Jesus, ready to take away the sins of the world as the prefect 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 lead 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
[2] The picture is “Baptism of Christ” by Guido Reni, c. 1623
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] See NAB footnote on Luke 3:23-38
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