Baptism-of-the-Lord or Substitution Sunday
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17
In many sports that are played around the globe, there are many substitutes, other players with whom to replace the players on the pitch or arena. It is the contrary of putting all the eggs in one basket. Coaches have realized that things do go wrong, injuries, accidents, red cards, time out, infractions, and there comes the need for a substitute, replacement player. It so happens that substitute players go on to make a significant difference in a game — make the home-run, score the winning goal or the touch-down. You know what, substitutes are important in games and life-situations – adopted parents, adopted children and substitutes teachers or technicians.
Well, we may compare our readings today to Jesus’ invitation to us to be ready-made substitutes for him on earth. The dialogue among Jesus, His Father, and John-the-Baptist bring out three dimensions in the lives of every baptized Christian: 1) substitution, 2) testimony and 3) action. On “substitution,” Jesus accepts baptism from John at the river Jordan. John disputes his adequacy to baptize Jesus, he admits Jesus’ superiority to himself: “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness,” Jesus says to John. There and then, Jesus accepts the substitution of an inferior person, John, as someone who does the will of God, even for God, while God was physically present in Jesus-Christ. The role of John, in baptizing Jesus Christ, doesn’t mean that “substitution” is taking the place of somebody else; it means playing on the same team, it means participating in the realization of the objectives of a team — victory! This drama confirms the roles of Christians in substituting for Christ through what they do, especially when they carry out the will of God for God’s sake.
On “testimony,” God-the-Father testifies on behalf of his Son, revealing the identity of his Son: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” The “pleasure” of God in his Son comes across in the filiation or the love God shares with his Son. The Holy Spirit makes the voice of the Father, testifying for his Son, to be heard. The descent of the Holy Spirit precedes the audibility of the Father’s voice. The opening of the heavens and the visibility of God or accessibility to God make testimony possible, not human testimony, but God’s: “he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him”. It is as if Jesus confirms the role and importance of John as his baptizer, and God confirms the baptism conferred by John by revealing the true identity of Jesus-Christ. In the same episode of our gospel, human and divine roles—John’s and Jesus’—are confirmed. “Testimony” becomes the confirmation of the conformity between God’s plans and human actions. Human beings, whether they realize it or not, carry out God’s plans for themselves and the world through the dedicated and altruistic services they render to humanity. It is the goodness inherent in what human beings do that reveals the testimony of God’s presence and approval of human actions in the world—“I was hungry . . Thirsty . . A stranger” and you were there for me (Matthew 25:35-46).
“Action,” the third component of our gospel drama, is the action of God through his Son, John-the-Baptist and what God awaits to approve and give approbation or testimony to in your life and my life. Our second reading relates what God achieved in Jesus, after Jesus’ baptism: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him”. The signature mark of Jesus, and it must be that of every Christian, is the responsibility of, like the testimony of the second reading, going “about doing good”. The Holy Spirit in us oozes out goodness in all its forms, not limited to the performances of miracles.
There are two kinds of actions or “goodness” God expects of Christians: the quiet and silent, but powerful action in the midst of the world: “Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching” (Isaiah 42:1-4). In this first part of evangelization and revelation of God through Christian lives and jobs are very silent and non-shouting activities; one notices the roles of medical doctors and their associates in different hospitals and health centers of the world providing healthcare; the contributions of rural, urban and domestic teachers preparing future leaders; the hermits, monks and nuns in different monasteries around the world soaked-deep in prayers and fasting; all kinds of social workers whose work is unrewarding financially, etc. All these reveal the power of Christianity in a silent, yet powerful way.
The second kind of action recorded in our first reading, and which our media outlets celebrate today, is not left out: “I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness” (Isaiah 42:6-7). All the authentic crusaders for justice of all sorts, the miracle workers and visionaries of our days, they too reveal the power inherent in our baptismal callings as sons and daughters of God. These extra-ordinary manifestations of God’s power resonate with the media and the populace awaiting God’s special interventions in their lives. Indeed, Christians too are invited to manifest in silence and public the power of God, according to their gifts and vocations.
This Sunday, Baptism-of-the-Lord, is also the first Sunday of Ordinary Time. The period of celebrations of Christmas and New Year are over with; it is time to go back to work, to the manifestation of God in our ordinary and everyday actions and activities. Our first reading shows us how to be ordinary Christians through our jobs, silently but eloquently. The eloquence of our action will be the personal testimonies of the lives of those we touch outside the purview of journalistic cameras and media stardom. It is within these two kinds of actions, prescribed by our first reading, that we need to locate our vocations and to practice it. The Baptism-of-the-Lord and the First Sunday of Ordinary Time, indicate that no matter how simple and humbling your job may be, do it with honesty and love, and your baptismal testimony will come through like a light in the darkness of unbelief, oppression and darkness. And, if God has given you the gifts of vision and miracles, go about it as a faithful servant, who is called to do just what he does!
Assignment for the Week:
Find out the date of your baptism and give yourself a treat because you are a child of God.
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