SUBSTITUTION SUNDAY: ARE YOU A GOOD SUBSTITUTE?
Isaiah 42:1–4, 6–7 · Acts 10:34–38 · Matthew 3:13–17
In many sports played around the world, there are substitutes — players who are ready to replace others on the pitch or arena. This practice reflects the wisdom of not putting all one’s eggs in a single basket. Coaches have learned from experience that things do go wrong: injuries occur, accidents happen, red cards are shown, players get tired, and timeouts become necessary. At such moments, substitutes step in. Quite often, these substitute players go on to make a decisive difference — scoring the winning goal, making the home run, or securing the final touchdown. Substitutes, therefore, are not secondary actors; they are essential. The same logic applies to life itself. We speak of substitute teachers, substitute technicians, adoptive parents, and adoptive children — all reminding us that substitution is not about absence, but about responsibility. It is about stepping in so that life may continue and victory may be achieved.
Today’s Gospel places us at the banks of the Jordan River, where an extraordinary reversal takes place — a substitution dialogue. We witness a striking dialogue between Jesus and John the Baptist at the River Jordan. John resists baptizing Jesus because he knows that Jesus is superior to him and has no sin to repent of. Yet Jesus insists: “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Here, Jesus accepts baptism not because he needs it, but because we need him to stand where we stand. Substitution, therefore, is not simply taking the place of another person; it is playing on the same team, participating in the same mission, working toward the same goal — the victory of God’s will. In this light, our readings today may be understood as Jesus’ invitation to every baptized person to become a ready-made substitute for him in the world. The substitution relay baton moves from all the past prophets to John the Baptist, from John to Jesus, and from Jesus to every baptized child of God.
John baptizes Jesus not in competition with him, but in cooperation with God’s plan. Even while God is physically present in Jesus Christ, God allows a human being — John — to act for God and with God. This moment confirms that human beings, through obedience, can truly participate in God’s saving work. Christians, too, are called to substitute for Christ in this sense — by carrying out the will of God for God’s sake in the world.
Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, heaven opens. The Father testifies on behalf of the Son: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” The pleasure of God rests in the relationship of love — in filiation. But this testimony is not spoken until the Spirit descends. The Holy Spirit makes the Father’s voice audible. God’s testimony is possible because heaven opens, because God becomes accessible, and because God chooses to reveal himself. It is significant that, in this same moment, God confirms both Jesus and John. John’s baptism is validated by God’s revelation of Jesus’ identity. Human action and divine approval meet. Testimony, therefore, becomes the confirmation of the harmony between God’s plan and human obedience.
This logic continues in our own lives. Whether we realize it or not, human beings often carry out God’s plans for themselves and for the world through acts of dedication and altruistic service. It is the goodness inherent in what people do that becomes God’s testimony in the world: “I was hungry and you gave me food; thirsty and you gave me drink; a stranger and you welcomed me.” Goodness itself becomes evidence of God’s presence and approval.
The second reading from Acts of the Apostles tells us what followed Jesus’ baptism: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” This is the signature of Jesus’ life — and it must be the signature of every Christian life: going about doing good. The Holy Spirit in us produces goodness in many forms, not limited to spectacular miracles. Isaiah helps us understand this goodness by presenting two complementary forms of action.
The first is quiet, silent, yet powerful action: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench.” Much of Christian witness happens this way — unnoticed and uncelebrated. Think of medical professionals caring for the sick, teachers shaping future leaders, monks and nuns praying in silence, social workers serving without financial reward. These lives rarely make headlines, yet they reveal the power of God in the most authentic way.
The second form of action is more visible: “I have made you a light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to free prisoners from confinement.” Here we find the prophets, the advocates for justice, the visionaries, and those whose extraordinary gifts attract public attention. Both forms of action are necessary. Both flow from the same baptismal anointing.
This solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord also marks the beginning of Ordinary Time. The celebrations of Christmas and New Year have ended. It is time to return to work — to daily life, to ordinary responsibilities, to consistent faithfulness. Isaiah reminds us that ordinary work, when done with honesty and love, becomes extraordinary witness. The eloquence of our lives will often be heard only in the quiet testimonies of those we touch outside the reach of cameras and public applause.
No matter how simple or humbling our job may be, let us perform it faithfully. In doing so, our baptism will shine like a light in the darkness of unbelief, oppression, and despair. And if God has entrusted us with visible gifts of leadership, vision, or healing, let us exercise them humbly, as a servant who knows he acts for God and with God. Let us remember that at the Jordan, Jesus took our place. At our baptism, he gave us his. From that moment on, God’s work in the world continues through those willing to stand where love is costly and service is required.
Assignment for the Week:
Find the date of your baptism, and give yourself a treat. Celebrate because you are a child of God.