"the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him"

"the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him"

By REV. FR. ANTHONY IGBEKELE

The Baptism of the Lord

Scripture

1st Reading: Is42:1-4,6-7
Resp. Psalm: Ps29:1-4,9-10
Gosp. Accl.: Mk9:6
Gospel: Mt3:13-17

"It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness"

John the Baptist baptized the people in the river Jordan as a sign of their readiness and preparedness to receive the Messiah. It was to be the final positive indication of the people's acknowledgement that the promised One was near. It was a rite of purification for the forgiveness of sins. The Lord Jesus, the promised Messiah, had not yet been manifested to Israel. He was in their midst, but they did not know Him. But John the Baptist, the prophet of God the Most High, who was to go ahead of the Lord to prepare His way before Him, knew who He was. Consequently, the crowd notwithstanding, when John the Baptist saw the Lord coming to him for baptism like others, he wanted to prevent Him. He told our Lord plainly that he was the one who should have come to our Lord for baptism. Our Lord gave John the reason why He came for baptism: to fulfill all righteousness. Despite who we are or think we are, how humble are we? Do we cooperate with the plan of God for our lives?

"the heavens were opened"

The humility of the Son of God and the model of life and attitude He showed us at the river Jordan are virtues we should emulate in our lives. But such attitudes and virtues were not to be unrewarded by His Father. In fact, the Father used the event of the Baptism of the Son to reveal the nature of the Godhead. At the baptism, we have the theophany, that is, the revelation of who God is. The word of God teaches us today that as "Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from e water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and behold, a voice from heaven, saying, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.' " Thus, by opening the heavens, God signified that the division and separation between divinity and humanity had been brought to an end. The voice of the Father identified the Lord as the Father's Son. The coming of the Holy Spirit revealed the Person of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Do we listen to the voice of God who speaks to us through His beloved Son? Do we realize that the Son with whom the Father is well pleased holds the key to any matter in our lives?

The servant of Yahweh

The Son did not count equality with God His Father as a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. The word of God from Isaiah's prophecy makes us understand that the Father's soul is delighted in the servant-Son. The Spirit of God the Father is put in Him so that He can bring forth justice to the nations. He would not be discouraged by the shenanigans of men and women. He would carry out the mandate given Him and become a covenant to the people and a light to the nations, "open the eyes that are blind,... bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." Do we accept the will and plan of God for us without complaint? Do we live out our mission in gratitude to God for counting us worthy to be used as His instruments?

The continuation of the liturgical year

With the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord today, we end the Season of the commemoration of the birth of the Lord that began with the season of Advent. From tomorrow, we enter into the Ordinary Time of the Year before Lent. Let us pay attention to the word of God. Let us be docile to what the Lord will say to us. May our lives be truly transformed by His word. Amen. 

Let us pray

"Almighty ever-living God, who when Christ had been baptized in the River Jordan, and as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, solemnly declared him your beloved Son, grant that your children by adoptiom, reborn of water and the Holy Spirit, may always be well pleasing to you." Amen.

May the Living Word of God find a true dwelling place within our hearts and souls today and always.

 

Rev. Fr. Anthony Igbekele

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