Jan 10, 2021 - Baptist of the Lord
(Is 42:1-4, 6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Mk 1:7-11)
Baptism marks a beginning. For us, our baptism marks the beginning of a life of faith and of belonging. For Jesus, his baptism marked the beginning of his ministry. Up until that time, Jesus was living the life of a carpenter's son, most likely carrying on Joseph's occupation. But after his baptism, everything changed. He began speaking and healing, calling his disciples, and embarking on a three-year mission that would lead him to Calvary. For him, baptism was not just formality. It mattered, just as our baptism matters for us. The baptism of the Lord is also identified by Pope John Paul II as one of the Luminous Mysteries that we recall when we pray the rosary on Thursdays. That's because it “illuminates” who Jesus is. He is the beloved Son of God, as God Himself announced from the heavens on the occasion of his baptism. The first reading from Isaiah also tell us something about who Jesus is. He is the servant of the Lord. He is full of mercy, as we learn from “a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench.” He is a light to the nations, and hope for those in prison or in darkness.
The second reading from Acts takes place just after Peter's encounter with Cornelius, the first Gentile to be converted to the faith. The meeting took place only after God sent a message to Peter in a dream, to go to Cornelius and not to get hung up on Jewish dietary law when in the house of Cornelius. So when Peter says he sees no partiality, he is echoing what the message from God has taught him. Gentiles are welcome, which is a good sign for us!