BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Over the last few weeks, I have been privileged to attend the funerals of several people who were faithful to their baptismal promises. Their baptisms were meaningful in defining who they became and how they lived. I had a personal relationship with the individuals over the last thirty years, so I had a long-term experience of their goodness and fidelity. I was inspired and encouraged by their witness.
Jesus comes to the Jordan to be baptized by his cousin John, even though John questions Jesus’ desire to be baptized. Jesus wants to acknowledge John’s ministry as a starting point before he sets about building God’s kin-dom on earth. John is baptizing with water but tells the people the one who follows him will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. What did the people understand a baptism with fire to be?
Our baptism brings us into communion with Jesus and the Christian community. Our baptism invites us to live a be-at-it-tude kind of life. It sets us on a path of holiness and determines, if we take it seriously, who we become. So, at some point in the future, when we die, those present at our funeral may be encouraged and inspired by our witness.
In the early days of the renewal of the RCIA process, I remember being captivated by adults who were making this significant life choice to be baptized. It reminded me that we are all invited to make choices to live our baptism everyday. Do people who see us living question our motivation for the ways we do ministry or the decisions we make? Or do we blend in with the culture and society around us?
Let us pray:
Jesus, you chose to be baptized by your cousin John.
Our parents may have chosen for us to be baptized and at our confirmation we may have chosen to have our baptism confirmed.
Spirit of God, inspire us to live our baptismal promises to be priest, prophet and sovereign in our world today.
May our witness continue to build God’s kin-dom on earth.
Amen.
Pat Carter, CSJ is a disciple, a teacher and an advocate for the poor. She has been a Sister of St. Joseph for more than half of her life and loves to use words to inspire faith and laughter. She is a cantor at her parish of St. Jerome’s in Sault Ste. Marie.
