“I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit… He now anoints you with the chrism of Salvation. As Christ was anointed priest prophet and king, so may you live always.” These powerful words of life uniting us forever in the Trinitarian love, beyond all measure, are the linchpin of faith—foundational to our being. Although not always consciously, a major quest of our faith journey is seeking to understand what baptism by water, the Oil of Salvation, and into the Holy Spirit means for us. For we know that we can fail to live sinless.
However, Baptism reminds us that we are bound to the life of the Trinity by extending life-giving forgiveness—the same that we receive from the Lord. Forgiveness is such a key to life; it breaks the darkness and brings in light and joy. That is what Isaiah is telling us when he describes the coming of the Messiah in our first reading for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
“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.”
God wants us out of those dark dungeons of harboring, self-loathing, or a lack of mercy. God declares that forgiveness is the light in our baptism. Baptism becomes the hallmark of the beginning of his mission, the teachings and healings of Jesus’ ministry. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit releases us through the power of forgiveness of our sin. Our spiritual death is revived, our sight is regained, and we are cleansed and made whole. As we hear in the gospel of Luke for this Sunday—it was by baptism–just like us:
“After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying…” (Lk 3:21) But why was Jesus baptized, we know that he was not sinful? Jesus allowed John to push him under the water of the river as a sign of submission and witness to God-he never stops teaching us the way to love, peace and joy.
We cannot love unless we feel love and we can’t feel love unless we love. In other words, we have to continue to risk being vulnerable for the good of ourselves and others. Christ, His Church nor I are saying stay in an abusive relationship—that is not love. As St. John says, we can’t love God unless we love others. Our mission becomes striving to be less unworthy of His love in order to love like Him, which leads to peace/joy in our lives.
The meaning of OUR baptism into Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is based on reconciling forgiveness and the same submission to the Spirit of God as Jesus. We do so by going into the depth of our humanity and finding the goodness that is there within each one of us. It is God’s grace at work in our goodness as we extend forgiveness and accept forgiveness. Guilt, shame, and harboring resentment disappear by accepting God’s love in us; God’s mercy. Such love awaits us in the Sacrament of Reconciling forgiveness. It is a re-entry into our Baptismal innocence becoming less unworthy of His love. As you know, it feels wonderful, refreshing, and evokes hope as we encounter healing through HIM.
There is another dynamic to our Baptism into the Divine Life of the Lord. He teaches us to live beyond our biological family; we are baptized into a sacred heritage of a faith family community to care for one another. We look beyond personal needs and join in unity and love helping to build a healthy faith family and community. That is our mission as a sacred parish in the Lord named in honor of our patroness Saint Helena.
She sought to find the most holy reminder of Jesus Christ’s immense sacrificial loving forgiveness, His Cross of the Crucifixion. With such a gift to the world, the cross will forever be recognized and revered. The Cross of Christ provides us with hope through His great love and forgiveness he gives to us as God Crucified. In part He takes on our sins to prove to us that we are worthy of him and being loved by God. Yet, since we continue to sin and continue to rely on His forgiveness it is nearly impossible to believe we are worthy. However, I believe that is the point. If we pause every day and reflect on what Jesus Christ is doing for us and offer gratitude our lives would be more peaceful and joyful. Mercy and love is the hallmark of God; what we are to imitate.
Our mission in his love and mercy is magnified and more joyful as we experience together this New Year and a once in a lifetime sacred jubilee of 150 years. Our heritage is a legacy of hope and mercy in Christ. Our sacred legacy of welcome and inclusion is based on imitating Christ.
How wonderful it is that this is also the year that Pope Francis inaugurated this Jubilee Year of Mercy to remind us of what Christ offers us and how we offer Him to all people. Pope Francis offers us simple exercises to do so. Each day, give yourself one small goal of mercy, compassion, and love to journey toward—for example, being kind to a difficult coworker. Or be receptive to the message of mercy and love proclaimed in Scriptures you hear at Mass or read on your own. Prepare your mind and heart by entering into a quiet space and giving you time for reflection.
We are offering such a time for you every Saturday starting January 30 with a Holy Hour of Adoration and quiet before the Blessed Sacrament. Also private confession is available during the Holy Hour. WE will then have Benediction and Mass, and for those who are able to stay longer we will include the rosary. Ask God to open your heart to receive His words of love into your life so you may share a love we all crave to know. —so that, by those actions, you are able to walk closer to God and give witness to others while on the pilgrimage of Christian life.
God will declare about us—you are my beloved children with whom I am well pleased live in my merciful love.