JANUARY 12, 2014 :FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Lectionary: 21

Reading 1IS 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:
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.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
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.

Responsorial Psalm PS 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

R/ (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic. 
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Reading 2 ACTS 10:34-38

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying: 
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites 
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, 
what has happened all over Judea, 
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached, 
how 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.”

Gospel MT 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan
to be baptized by him.
John tried to prevent him, saying, 
“I need to be baptized by you,
and yet you are coming to me?”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us
to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed him.
After Jesus was baptized,
he came up from the water and behold,
the heavens were opened for him, 
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
and coming upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

www.usccb.org

Scripture Study

January 12, 2014 - Baptism of the Lord

FIRST READING: Isaiah 42: 1-4; 6-7. Thus says the Lord; Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not fail or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

"I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness."

EXPLANATION. In second-Isaiah (40-55) there are a series of oracles which describe a "servant of Yahweh" who is to come. He will have the qualities of a king, priest and prophet but to a greater degree. He will suffer for his people and be put to death because he carries out the will of (Yahweh) God to the letter. But God will again raise him up and give him numerous spiritual offspring. The New Testament and Christian tradition have always seen these oracles as messianic prophecies. They were fulfilled in Jesus Christ and in him only.
whom I uphold: God is his support and strength for it is God who has "chosen" him and in him God is "pleased." St. Matthew and St. Mark and St. Luke say these words were repeated from heaven when Christ was baptized by John in the Jordan: "Thou art my beloved (chosen) servant (son, in Greek, can be translated son or servant, like boy in English) in whom I am well pleased." (Lk. 3: 22; Mk. 1: 11; Mt. 3: 17).
I have put my Spirit: In the Old Testament the spirit of God was bestowed on kings, priests and prophets. It is given to the servant because
he will...justice to the nations: He shall proclaim the will, the law of God, not only to the Jews but to all nations---his jurisdiction will be universal.
not cry...or lift...voice: Unlike oriental despots, he will accomplish his missions quietly and kindly.
bruised reed...burning wick: Nothing is more useless than a broken reed, nothing more loathsome than a smoking wick as used in the lamps of those days. Yet this servant can and will make something of them---his mercy and power can reach to the very dregs of humanity. Our Lord speaking of "mercy" applies these verses of Isaiah to himself (Mt. 12: 15-21).
Justice in the earth: To establish the justice, that is, the will of God on earth, is his mission---he will persevere, come what may, until he has done this.
the coastlands: The nations will anxiously wait until he comes to bring them his teaching, i.e. the law of God. The Jews have some knowledge of it already.
I...Lord have called you: His mission is from God; his power is from God, "I have grasped you by the hand," and
I...the hand: refers to Christ's human nature. The words used are those used in describing Adam's creation.
covenant...light: The Jews had already a covenant, a pact with God, but the servant will make a new one and the nations will share in it; they too will have his light.
Blind...prisoners...darkness: His work is to open the spiritual eyes of people, to free them from the captivity and the darkness of sin and ignorance of God.

APPLICATION: This prophecy of second-Isaiah was chosen for today, the feast which commemorates the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, because on that occasion the Father's voice from heaven proclaimed that Christ was "his beloved servant in which he was well pleased." Following the interpretation of the inspired Evangelists and of the ancient and constant tradition of the Church, we can have no hesitation in seeing in these words of second-Isaiah, written five centuries or so before Christ, a description of the Savior who came on earth to teach Jew and Gentile the new law of God, the law of love and mercy.

He who was the Son of God took our human nature in order to represent us, and as one of us to give our heavenly Father the perfect obedience and service which no mere man had done ever since the creation, and which no mere man could ever do. This perfect obedience or service of God which Christ, the perfect servant, gave the Father, went as far as the acceptance of the shameful and excruciating death on a cross. But all this he accepted gladly for us---it was in our name he did it---and because he did it, we are all raised to a new relationship with God. He has made us all, Jew and Gentile, the whole human race, adopted sons of his heavenly Father.

As members of his mystical body we can now, because he is our Head, give a service to God worthy of our new status, a service which God accepts from us because it is given to him and through "Christ our Lord."

Today, as we offer the Mass, the sacrifice of Christ renewed before our eyes, let us try to realize the privilege that is ours. We are able, through Christ, to offer a sacrifice which gives infinite honor to God. We are able in spite of all our weaknesses and all our faults to give a service that is pleasing to God and to make some return for all he has done for us. We have become "good and faithful servants" because Christ the Son of God became the perfect servant of God for our sakes.

SECOND READING: Acts 10: 34-38. Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I perceive that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the word which he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), the word which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him."

EXPLANATION: These verses of Acts are read for us today because they contain a reference to our Lord's baptism. This reference occurs in a very interesting event which took place soon after the Ascension and is described in Acts 10: 1; 11: 18. Cornelius, a pagan Roman officer stationed in Caesarea in Palestine, a devout man who admires the God of the Jews and the religion of the Jews, is told by an angel to send for Peter. Peter in the meantime has seen a vision from which he learns that the Gentile is as welcome into the fold as the Jew. He comes to Cornelius and baptizes him and his household---the first Gentile family to be accepted into the Christian Church and by none other than by the Prince of the Apostles, Peter himself. Having heard Cornelius's story, Peter has these words to say:
God shows no partiality: Because of the vision he saw and because of the words of Cornelius he has just heard, from which it is evident that Cornelius is dear to God, Peter understands that Christ's salvation is not only for Jews but for Gentiles too.
who fears him...to him: He who accepts and respects God does God's will.
the word to...Israel: Christ preached to the Jews only, but he gave the order to his Apostles to preach to all nations.
preach...by Jesus Christ: This is the essence of the gospel: peace with God and peace between all men brought about by Christ's sojourn on earth.
Galilee...John preached: Peter gives a brief summary of Christ's public life in Palestine.
God anointed Jesus: This refers to the descent of the spirit in visible form on Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan, and to the words of the Father proclaiming him his beloved servant-the Messiah. He was the Messiah from the moment of his conception but this was first made evident on the occasion of his baptism and proved apodictically at his resurrection. This was his anointing, i.e. the moment of his inauguration, as the kings and priests were anointed when they actually took on their office.
doing good...healing: A reference to the miracles of Jesus of which Cornelius must have heard.
oppressed...devil: Epilepsy, madness and most mental illnesses as well as many bodily defects, were attributed directly to the devil at that time. By healing the sufferers, Christ showed his power over the demons.
God was with him: He had the divine power which miracles demand, only God can alter the laws of nature, which he has made. Prophets and holy men in the Old Testament worked miracles by calling on God to give them this power; Christ was God; through his own power he worked his miracles.

APPLICATION: That day, nearly two thousand years ago, when Christ by his baptism in the Jordan, began his public preaching of salvation for all men, is a day---a feastday---no true Christian can ever forget. The baptism of John was for sinners---a sign of change of heart and a turning to God. Christ had no sin, he had never turned away from God, he was God---but he was the representative of sinful humanity. He represented us sinners that day and opened the door of salvation for us. In that ceremony Christ was proclaimed by the heavenly Father to be his son and faithful servant, and the power of the Holy Spirit came upon him.

But this was all for us; as God he already had all things in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But in his human nature---our weak human nature which he took on himself in order to be one of us, and our representative---he was on that day proclaimed God's true and faithful servant. At the same moment we human beings were accepted in him and through him (i.e. through his perfect obedience even unto the death on the cross) as God's adopted children. The mission of Christ was for us. The Incarnation took place because God's infinite love wanted man, the masterpiece of his whole creation, to have a share in the divine gifts of the Blessed Trinity. God united the divine with the human nature in Christ. We mortal men were raised above our human nature; we would become immortal, not that we would never die on this earth---Christ himself died in his human nature-but "he would raise us up on the last day" to share forever with the Father, the Holy Spirit and the Incarnate Son the eternal bliss of heaven.

How could a Christian, one who knows all this, ever refuse to do the little part he is called on to do---"to fear God, that is, to reverence and respect him and to do what is right"? Reverence and respect for God should come easily from anyone who realizes what God has done for him. But true respect for God is not proved by a few distracted prayers and a grudging attendance at Sunday Mass. It is proved by striving to keep the laws Christ gave us, i.e. doing what is right, every day of our lives. This is difficult at times but if we keep our eternity---the unending life---before our eyes, the few short years of hardship and training on earth, will seem very short indeed. There is no comparison between what God has prepared for us, and promises us, and the trifling conditions he asks us to fulfill in order to earn his promised reward.

GOSPEL: Matthew 3:13-17. Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

EXPLANATION: John's mission was to prepare his fellow-Jews for the inauguration of the messianic kingdom, expected and eagerly awaited, for centuries. His baptism, a washing of the people in the Jordan waters, was an outward sign of their inner repentance, and a turning of their hearts to God. Jesus had no sins of which to repent, and his heart was always with God. He was God in human nature, but he wished to be associated with all pious Jews, and so, like them, to be baptized by John. This was his way of inaugurating the messianic era. God's revelation to the Baptist and to the bystanders, which immediately followed the baptism, showed that it was the inaugural act of Christ's messianic mission.
Jesus . . . Galilee: Nazareth was a town of Galilee, and there Christ had lived as a humble carpenter for nearly thirty years. He had given no indication of what he truly was, except for his devout life of obedience to God's law and to his parents. A rabbi, or teacher of religion, had to have reached full manhood according to the Jewish custom before he was allowed to teach. Jesus obeyed this custom, even though he could have begun to teach as early as the age of twelve, as we know from the incident in the temple related by St. Luke (2: 41-48). He faithfully obeyed all the legitimate customs of his fellow-Jews of the time.
he saw . . . dove: The Baptist (and the bystanders also, as the visible form of a dove would imply) saw the Spirit of God alighting on him, to signify the beginning of his mission as Messiah. In the Old Testament the Spirit of God is always given for a specific task (see Jg. 3: 10; 6: 34; Num. 11:7 etc.). Christ's task, already indicated by the Baptist, may be deduced clearly from the words of the voice from heaven:
This is . . . pleased: It is generally admitted that these words are a declaration that Jesus is in truth the "servant," foretold by Isaiah (cf. Is. 42: 1-9; 49: 1-6; 50: 4-1 1; 52: 13-53:-12), but the substitution of "Son" for servant (the Greek word pals has both meanings), was a result of the firm conviction which the Apostles and the first Christians had, that Christ was indeed the Son of God. But it is his messianic role which is emphasized here, a role so clearly foretold in the texts of Isaiah, on the "suffering servant," quoted above.

APPLICATION: Christ, our beloved Savior, began his messianic mission, the mission of enabling the whole human race to be sons of God and heirs of heaven, with an act of self-humiliation. He insisted on going through John's baptismal rite, which was only for sinners, even though he had no sin to repent of. He did this, firstly, because he was the representative of all sinners, and had come "to take away the sin of the world," and secondly, in order to set sinners of all time an example of true humility and true repentance.

During the Christmastide just ended, the Sunday lessons from holy Scripture have reminded us, again and again, of the humiliations Christ endured on earth for our sakes. The greatest of these, of course, was the Incarnation, God taking the nature of man, the Creator becoming a creature, the master making himself a slave. Add to this, the reception he got when he came among us, his birth in a stable, his cradle a manger, his forced flight into Egypt, his life of poverty in the despised town of Nazareth, where he earned his meager livelihood by the sweat of his brow like the most ordinary of men.

All this was for me and for you! He suffered all of this, and much more, notwithstanding the fact that, as God, he foresaw the ingratitude he would receive in return, from the vast majority of those for whom he suffered. All of us here today, you and I, have shown him our share of this ingratitude. We have not only forgotten to thank him, but we have positively offended him by our sins. We have grumbled and complained, and perhaps openly rebelled, when he asked us to follow him on the path of humiliation and suffering, which he trod before us for our sakes.

What human benefactor, what fellow man, who had put himself to great inconvenience, and caused himself humiliation and personal suffering in order to help us, would not wash his hands of us, forever, if our return was forgetfulness, thanklessness, ingratitude and even insult, in return for all he had done for us? And could we blame him? But God is not a human benefactor. His love, his mercy, his understanding and sympathy, are not finite and limited like those of men. His love is for sinners, as well as for saints. It is reaching out to us every day and every hour of the day recalling us to a sense of duty, a sense of gratitude, and indeed a sense of self-interest in our eternal welfare.

Meditate for a few moments today on the lesson of this Gospel reading. Think of the magnitude of the humiliations and the sufferings that Christ, God's Son, endured in order that you could have eternal happiness. Your own earthly troubles, your worldly aches and pains, will then appear small in comparison. Instead of upbraiding God for letting them happen to you, you will welcome them as his means of making you more like his beloved Son, and so more worthy to be among the brothers of Christ who will share his heaven with him for all eternity.

www.st-raymond-dublin.org

Meditation: "My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased"

Why did Jesus, the Sinless One, submit himself to John’s baptism? John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 3:3).  In this humble submission we see a foreshadowing of the “baptism” of his bloody death upon the cross. Jesus’ baptism is the acceptance and the beginning of his mission as God’s suffering Servant. He allowed himself to be numbered among sinners. Jesus submitted himself entirely to his Father’s will. Out of love he consented to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. Do you know the joy of trust and submission to God?

The Father proclaimed his entire delight in his Son and spoke audibly for all to hear. The Holy Spirit, too, was present as he anointed Jesus for his ministry which began that day as he rose from the waters of the Jordan river. Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all who come to believe in him. At his baptism the heavens were opened and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, signifying the beginning of a new creation.

How can we enter into the mystery of Jesus’ humble self-abasement and baptism?  Gregory of Nazianzus, a seventh century Church father tells us: “Let us be buried with Christ by Baptism to rise with him; let us go down with him to be raised with him; and let us rise with him to be glorified with him." Do you want to see your life transformed in the love and power of Jesus Christ? And do you want to become a more effective instrument of the gospel? Examine Jesus’ humility and ask the Holy Spirit to forge this same attitude in your heart. As you do, heaven will open for you as well. The Lord Jesus is ever ready to renew us in his Spirit and to anoint us for mission. We are called to be “light” and “salt” to those around us. The Lord wants his love and truth to shine through us that others may see the goodness and truth of God’s message of salvation. Ask the Lord to fill you with his Holy Spirit that you may radiate the joy of the gospel to those around you.

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and inflame my heart with the joy of the gospel. May I find joy in seeking to please you just as you found joy in seeking to please your Father".

www.dailyscripture.net

Jesus’ Humility

The Baptism of the Lord

Father Paul Campbell, LC Matthew 3: 13-17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for this time to be with you. I believe in you. I believe that you are here with me and that you want to speak with me today. I wish to open my heart to hear your word and put it into practice out of love for you. Petition:Lord, help me to grow in the virtue of humility. 1. Jesus Lines up with Sinners: John was preaching a baptism of repentance, and large numbers of people were coming to John to repent of their sins. They wanted to change the direction of their lives and be reconciled with God. Jesus came along with the crowd. Even though he is the sinless one, he numbered himself among the others and proceeded to the Jordan as if he, too, were a sinner like them. To appreciate this gesture, we need only to recall how much we resent it when we are perceived as guilty for something we didn’t do. It’s even costly to have our real faults pointed out to others. Yet here, even when he is so far from the slightest stain of guilt, Jesus peacefully and humbly accepts being labeled a sinner like everyone else. He does this for our sake. Am I overly concerned about how I appear to others so that this negatively affects my good deeds?   2. A Humility that Bows to the Father’s Will: John did not want to baptize Jesus, because he knew that Jesus was not like the others. Yet Jesus made it clear that this was part of the Father’s plan, and this plan was the driving force in his life. Pride did not get in the way of Jesus’ obedience. Rather, his Father’s will was the food that fed and nourished his life. “My food is to do the will of the Father and to finish his work” (John 4:34). What does my own heart “feed on”? If it is not fed on the Father’s will, then could pride be subtly at work turning me into my own highest purpose? 3. A Father’s Blessing:Heaven responded to Christ’s obedience. This moment foreshadows the definitive opening of heaven to mankind’s salvation, accomplished through Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. The heart of sacrifice is obedience, and obedience is not possible without humility. Jesus humbled himself before John the Baptist. The Father saw his obedience and was pleased, praising him out loud: “This is my beloved Son.” To listen to him is to follow his example. Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank you for the gift of yourself. Teach me to be humble. It is hard for me to put others ahead of myself, to take second place, to let others win the praise and glory I crave for myself. Help me to be humble and to seek repentance from all sin in my life. I need your help to do your will. Strengthen and guide me in your service. Resolution: I will do a hidden act of charity for someone.

www.regnumchristi.com

FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, MATTHEW 3:13-17
(Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-38)

KEY VERSE: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (v 17).
READING: The baptism of Jesus is another "epiphany," or manifestation of the divine presence. During the time of Jesus the Jews practiced many kinds of water purifications such as washing before eating. Priests washed themselves before exercising any sacred function. People had to be purified with water after they touched blood, a corpse, or a tomb. John's baptism may have been related to the purifying washings of the Essenes at Qumran near the Dead Sea. John was preaching repentance for the coming of God's reign and the people who accepted that message came to him for baptism in anticipation for the arrival of Messiah. It was a baptism of repentance, and so it was Jewish baptism. Christian baptism is very different from those ritual washings or cleansings, which were self-administered and could be repeated many times. Christian baptism is administered to a person only once in a lifetime. At the heart of Christian baptism is the death and resurrection of Christ. The elect die to their old way of living, and then rise to a whole new way of life (Ro 6:3-5). Though Jesus was sinless and had no need to be baptized, he came to John to "fulfill all righteousness" (v 15). By submitting to baptism Jesus embraced our full humanity, entering the murky waters of human sinfulness and sanctifying it by his divine presence (2 Cor 5:21). God's favor rests on Jesus and on all God's beloved sons and daughters.
REFLECTING: Does my life give evidence of my being united with Christ and his Church?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, I reject Satan, and all his works and empty promises, so that I might live in the freedom of God's children (Renewal of Baptismal promises).

NOTE:

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord brings the Christmas season to a close. Baptism forgives all sin and incorporates one in the life of the Trinity. Believers are given a share in the divine nature. In addition, baptism makes one a member of the body of Christ and of the visible manifestation of that body, the Church, and provides for us a share in the mission of Jesus. The word baptism comes from a Greek word (baptisma) which means to plunge, or to become submerged in water. Water is the main symbolic element that conveys the sacrament of baptism, along with the words: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." That triple immersing in the water symbolizes dying to the old self. Coming up out of the water corresponds to being born as a new person in Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church p.1239-40). 

ORDINARY TIME
Ordinary Time is the period of the liturgical year that falls between Christmas and Lent, and between Easter and Advent. Thus, having just concluded the Christmas season with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we are now in Ordinary Time. Often, when we hear the word “ordinary” we think of something that is mundane or dull. But, we should not think of Ordinary Time this way. The word “ordinary” comes from the Latin word ordinarius, which means "customary, regular, orderly." This time is called ordinary because the Sundays that fall within it are numbered and succeed in an orderly fashion.

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

The Lord will bless his people with peace 

‘This is my Son, the Beloved: my favour rests on him.’
Awareness of mission can dawn slowly. Perhaps it was this way with Jesus, culminating in this moment, when the Father spoke. Many times later, as the forces of evil massed against him, Jesus may have reflected back on this occasion, gaining strength from a renewed immersion in the Father’s love. There are times when we pray when God seems close to us . It may be a deepening of peace or stillness, or a strong experience of being held safe by the Father, accompanied by Jesus or guided by the Spirit. A mentor reminded me that these experiences could be revisited, savoured. He advised that, in these moments, the grace acts again and deepens. Jesus, help me remember and return to experiences of God’s special presence, allowing them to deepen my faith and trust.

www.pray.com.au

January 12
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys
(1620-1700)

“God closes a door and then opens a window,” people sometimes say when dealing with their own disappointment or someone else’s. That was certainly true in Marguerite’s case. Children from European as well as Native American backgrounds in seventeenth-century Canada benefited from her great zeal and unshakable trust in God’s providence.

Born the sixth of 12 children in Troyes, France, Marguerite at the age of 20 believed that she was called to religious life. Her applications to the Carmelites and Poor Clares were unsuccessful. A priest friend suggested that perhaps God had other plans for her.

In 1654, the governor of the French settlement in Canada visited his sister, an Augustinian canoness in Troyes. Marguerite belonged to a sodality connected to that convent. The governor invited her to come to Canada and start a school in Ville-Marie (eventually the city of Montreal). When she arrived, the colony numbered 200 people with a hospital and a Jesuit mission chapel.

Soon after starting a school, she realized her need for coworkers. Returning to Troyes, she recruited a friend, Catherine Crolo, and two other young women. In 1667 they added classes at their school for Indian children. A second trip to France three years later resulted in six more young women and a letter from King Louis XIV, authorizing the school. The Congregation of Notre Dame was established in 1676 but its members did not make formal religious profession until 1698 when their Rule and constitutions were approved.

Marguerite established a school for Indian girls in Montreal. At the age of 69, she walked from Montreal to Quebec in response to the bishop’s request to establish a community of her sisters in that city. By the time she died, she was referred to as the “Mother of the Colony.” Marguerite was canonized in 1982.

Comment:

It’s easy to become discouraged when plans that we think that God must endorse are frustrated. Marguerite was called not to be a cloistered nun but to be a foundress and an educator. God had not ignored her after all.

Quote:

In his homily at her canonization, Pope John Paul II said, “...in particular, she [Marguerite] contributed to building up that new country [Canada], realizing the determining role of women, and she diligently strove toward their formation in a deeply Christian spirit.” He noted that she watched over her students with affection and confidence “in order to prepare them to become wives and worthy mothers, Christians, cultured, hardworking, radiant mothers.”

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO DIVINA: THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD (A)

Lectio: 

 Sunday, January 12, 2014  

The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
Matthew 3:13-17

1. Opening prayer

 “We praise you, invisible Father, giver of immortality: you are the source of life, the source of light, the source of every grace and truth, lover of humankind and lover of the poor, who reconciles all with you and draw all to you through the coming of your beloved Son. Make us living people, grant us your Spirit of light so that we may know you, the true One and the One whom you sent Jesus Christ.” (Serapion’s Anaphora)

2. Reading

a) Introduction:

This Gospel fragment (Mt 3:13-17) is part of a narrative section of Matthew the Evangelist, the section that introduces the public life of Jesus. After the flight into Egypt, Jesus lives in Nazareth. Now, as an adult, we find him on the banks of the river Jordan. The meeting of the two is part of the concluding section dedicated to John the Baptist. Anyone who wishes to go deeper into the personality of John and his message (Mt 3:1-12 has already been presented to us in the liturgy of the second Sunday of Advent) needs to keep in mind the whole of chapter 3 of Matthew. Our passage concentrates especially on the acknowledgement of the divinity of Christ at the time of his baptism. God the Father reveals the identity of Jesus.

b) A division of the text as an aid to its reading:

Matthew 3:13 : setting
Matthew 3:14-15 : dialogue John-Jesus
Matthew 3: 16-17 : epiphany/theophany

c) The text:

13 Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. 14 John tried to dissuade him, with the words, 'It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!' 15 But Jesus replied, 'Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.' Then John gave in to him. 16 And when Jesus had been baptised he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. 17 And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.'

3. A moment of silent prayer

so that the Word of God may penetrate our hearts and enlighten our lives.

4. Some questions

to help us in our meditation and prayer.

a) Why does Jesus “appear” after his hidden life in Nazareth?
b) How does awareness of his identity and mission grow?
c) Have I, at some time, taken on something new in my life?
d) Who or which experience has most revealed to me my identity, vocation and mission?
e) What does the memory of my baptism mean to me?

5. Meditation

a) A key to the reading:

Together with a historical-chronological reading of the passage, the episode of the baptism of Jesus and his meeting with John before he begins his public life, we need to keep in mind also a symbolical reading, assisted by the Fathers of the East, a symbolism that is the framework of this liturgical season of Christmas and which concludes with the full manifestation of God as man: a synthesis of the manifestation-epiphany of the Son of God in the flesh.

b) A commentary on the text:

Mt 13: 13 The adult Jesus
After John “appears” on the scene (13:1), Jesus of Nazareth, where he spent his childhood and early youth (Mt 12:23), goes to the river Jordan. As a good Israelite, he watches the authentic religious movements that spring up among the people. He shows that he approves of the work of John and decides to be baptised with water, not, of course, to receive forgiveness for sins, but to unite himself and share fully in the expectations and hopes of all men and women. It is not humankind that goes to Him, but He who goes towards humankind, according to the logic of the incarnation.

Mt 13:14-15 the dialogue of John with Jesus
John’s attempt to prevent the baptism of Jesus is his acknowledgement of the difference between the two and an awareness of the new (the New Covenant) making its appearance. “The one who follows me… will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire… his winnowing-fan is in his hand… will clear… will gather… will burn…” (vv.11-12). Jesus’ attitude is still one of submitting to God’s saving plan (in this way, do all that righteousness demands), respecting the manner (in humility-kenosis) and the times (the time-kairos). We also see the difference between the two from their families of origin (priestly for John), from the places (Jerusalem for John, Nazareth for Jesus) from the manner of conception (a proclamation to the father, Zachary, in the old style; a proclamation to the mother, Mary), the parents’ ages (those of John old). Everything points to the passage from the old to the new. Matthew prepares the readers for the newness of the Christ: “you have heard it said, but I say to you” (Mt 5).

Mt 13:16-17 the presentation of God the Father and the Holy Spirit

In Matthew’s Gospel we have the solemn “adoration of the Magi” in acknowledgement of the royalty and divinity of Jesus. Luke also adds the acknowledgement of Elisabeth (Lk 1:42-43), of the angels (Lk 2:13-14) of the shepherds (Lk 2:20), and of the old Simeon and Anna (Lk 2:30; 28). All the Evangelists record the proclamation of the divine identity of Jesus by God the Father and the Holy Spirit present in the form of a dove. Matthew says clearly “This is” not “you are” my Son, the Beloved. Jesus is divine by nature and also the new Adam, the beginning of a new humanity reconciled with God as well as nature reconciled with God by means of Christ’s immersion in the waters. The heavens are reopened after being closed for such a long time by sin, and earth is blessed.
The descent of Christ into the waters prefigures his descent into hell and the words of the Psalmist come true (Ps 74: 13-14), he crushes the head of the foe. The Baptism not only prefigures, but inaugurates and anticipates Satan’s defeat and the liberation of Adam.
However, it will not be easy to recognise the Messiah in his weakness. John himself has some doubts when in prison, and he sends his disciples to ask “are you the one who is to come or have we got to wait for someone else?” (Mt 11:3).

6. For those who wish to go deeper into the liturgical and ecumenical aspects

In the tradition of the Eastern churches, the Baptism of Jesus is the most important liturgical feast of the Christmas cycle. On 6 January they celebrate together the baptism, birth, visit of the Magi, the wedding feast of Cana, as one fact. Rather than the historical development of the life of Jesus, they stress his theological-saving relevance. They do not dwell on the sentimental aspect, but on the historical manifestation of God and his acknowledgement as Lord.
Cyril of Jerusalem says that Jesus gives the waters of baptism “the colour of his divinity” (III mystagogic catechesis, 1).
Gregory Naziazen writes that the creation of this world and the creation of the spiritual world, once foes, reunite in friendship, and we humans, united in one choir with the angels, partake of their praises (PG 46,599).
The descent into the waters corresponds to the descent into the bowels of the earth symbolised by the birth in a cave. The destructive waters become waters of salvation for the just.
The Old Testament readings of the liturgical Vespers recall the saving waters: the Spirit hovers over the waters at the time of creation (Gn 1), the waters of the Nile save Moses (Ex 2), the waters open for the people of Israel to go through (Ex 14), the waters of Mara become sweet (Ex 15), the waters of the Jordan open before the Arc (Jos 3), the waters of the Jordan heal Naaman the leper (2Kings 5) etc. Jesus then at the wedding feast in Cana transforms water into wine (Jn 2) as a sign that the time of salvation has come.
At this feast in the eastern liturgy, there is a tradition of blessing water in a spring or river by immersing the cross three times (the triple baptismal immersion). This recalls the prophet Isaiah: let the wilderness and the dry lands exult (Is 35:1-10), come to the water all you who are thirsty (Is 55: 1-13), draw water joyfully (Is 12:3-6).

7. Psalm 114 (113)

Alleluia!
When Israel came out of Egypt,
the House of Jacob from a people of foreign speech,
Judah became his sanctuary,
and Israel his domain.
The sea fled at the sight,
the Jordan turned back,
the mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like sheep.
Sea, what makes you flee?
Jordan, why turn back?
Why skip like rams, you mountains?
Why like sheep, you hills?
Tremble, earth, at the coming of the Lord,
at the coming of the God of Jacob,
who turns rock into pool, flint into fountain.

8. Closing prayer

Jesus, source of life, who comes to cancel Adam’s sentence, in the Jordan you killed hatred; grant us the peace that is beyond all thought. Resplendent Word sent by the Father, after you have uprooted the sins of mortals, come and dissipate the long and sad hours of the night, and by your baptism, let your children rise resplendent from the waves of the Jordan. May the human race clothe itself in white, come out of the waters as children of God and transform creation into the image of the creator. (From oriental liturgical “chants”)

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