Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
Theme: “YOU ARE MY SON, THE BELOVED, MY FAVOR RESTS ON YOU”
By: Fr Cajetan Anyanwu
Homily for Sunday January 9 2022
On this Sunday the church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This Sunday also marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of ordinary time of the Church’s calendar. During Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan, something remarkable happened. The Blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit (all three Persons of the Trinity) were together. The Son was being baptized; the Holy Spirit came down upon him like a dove. The Father speaking from the heavens (Lk. 3:15-16. 21-22). In this event, the Father and the Holy Spirit confirm the divinity of Jesus. John heralded his coming and baptized him. He came to show us the way to the Father.
It is to give us life in abundance that Jesus accepted to be baptized by John. He did not come to be served but, to serve. He accumulated neither riches nor worldly power. Yet, today, many of His selfish followers seek and profess the very things He rejected. There is much craving among the followers of Jesus for higher positions. It’s hard to imagine that Jesus would encourage such. It is also impossible to believe that He would preach the ‘gospel of prosperity’ which has become popular today. He rather brought freedom from sin and death. For “God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race (Titus 2:11-14ff).
By accepting baptism from John, Jesus shows us that he is both divine and human. To be human means to come down to the level of the ordinary man. This involves suffering and pain. Jesus said the way to true greatness was the road of service and suffering. As the followers we must learn how to serve the Lord and how to serve each other. we must learn how to serve those around us. Let people see Jesus through our actions and in our words. Let the word of the Father resound again, “You are my Son, the Beloved, my favor rests on you.” Happy Sunday.
Fr Cajetan Anyanwu