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Baptism of the Lord (C)

January 12, 2025

Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

Introit

Collect

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 adoption,
reborn of water and the Holy Spirit,
may always be well pleasing to you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading Is 40:1-5,9-11

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” 10 See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25,27-28,29-30

Second Reading Ti 2:11-14, 3:4-7

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, 12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 14 He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. 4 For when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Alleluia Cf. Lk 3:16

Gospel Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

The word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Catena Nova

Jesus came to John, and received baptism at his hands. Could anything be more wonderful? The boundless river that gladdens the City of God is washed by a few drops of water. The source without limits that engenders life for all humanity and is beyond all understanding is covered by the poor waters of this world. He who is present everywhere and is absent nowhere, incomprehensible to the angels and withdrawn from the gaze of man, has come to baptism as was his good pleasure.... The Father of immortality sent his immortal Son and Word into the world. He came to human beings to wash them with the Spirit. To regenerate us to incorruptibility, of mind and body, he breathed into us the spirit of life, and clothed us with the armour of incorruptibility (St. Hippolytus of Rome).

The Father is the Spring, the Son is called the stream and we are said to drink the Spirit. (St. Athanasius of Alexandria)

Let us pay homage to Christ and to his baptism. This is the day to keep a Feast and celebrate. This is the day to dedicate ourselves to being wholly purified and to keeping ourselves pure. God delights in nothing so much as conversion with turning to his will. For our benefit every saving word is spoken and all the mysteries revealed. We are to be lights in the world and to receive power to give life to others. We first have to receive enlightenment ourselves. Then we have a clearer and fuller understanding of divine truth than ever before. It comes to us from the one Godhead who dwells in Jesus Christ. He is our Lord! Let us give him glory and love him for ever and ever (St. Gregory Nazianzen).

Christ had no need to be cleansed for he had never walked in any way but that of giving himself to the Heavenly Father. Yet he had to show us how to walk this way. Therefore he was baptized by John. As he came up from the water the heavens opened above him and the Father’s voice was heard: This is my beloved Son in who I am well pleased!” And the Spirit of God descended upon him like a dove. Thus was revealed to all who looked on or who heard of this happening, the significance of the person to whom Heaven and Heaven’s God had testified. Having believed, it was their task to walk in the same way. We are now called to be voices crying out to all the Way of the Lord. Are you doing that? Even if you seem to do very little, the simple effort to be a Voice for Christ’s coming testifies to the working of the Spirit in you. Rejoice and be glad. God’s gift is filling and transforming you (St. Gregory Palamas).

Christ shared features of all three states in which people have found themselves: the state of innocence, of guilt, and of glory. He shared the sight of God with the saints’ state of glory, immunity from sin with Adam’s state of innocence, and the necessity of suffering this life’s pains with our state of guilt. And because he himself suffered and was tried, he has the power to help others who are tried. It was fitting for the Son of God to take on a body subject to human weaknesses and failings....doing this buttressed our faith in his Incarnation: we know human nature only with such failings, and if he had taken a nature without them he would not have seemed real but imaginary. So he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, born in human likeness.... by courageously bearing human sufferings and failing, the Word of God gave us an example of patience (St. Thomas Aquinas).

Jesus came into the company of publicans, sinners, and Pharisees as if he were one of them, and waited his turn to be baptized. Whenever Christ humbled himself, he was glorified in some manner. He was born in a stable and praised with music from heaven; he was circumcised like any sinner and was given the name of Jesus, which means Savior of sinners; he would die on a cross between two thieves and the heavens would become dark, the earth would tremble, rocks would split, the dead would come to life, and all the elements would be affected. So also in this event; he is the Son of God. From this all his disciples can know that never again will they be humbled for the love of God without being glorified by the same God (Ven. Louis of Grenada).

Our life in Christ that began with our baptism has been renewed. Christ our God has led us from death to life. No matter how long ago the day of our baptism, time and space count for nothing in the sacred mystery. It has happened now; it is now that we have put on the new being (Aemiliana Löhr).

Homily

(Beatification of the Venerable Giovanni Merlini C.PP.S)

The feast of the Lord's Baptism, which brings the Christmas season to a close, offers us an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of our own baptism, whose promises we will renew come Easter. One of the most splendid descriptions I have heard to describe the sacrament was given in the Fourth Century by St. Gregory Nazianzen, one of the great teachers and bishops of the ancient church, whose feast day was January 2nd. Calling baptism "illumination," Gregory spoke as follows:

Illumination is the splendor of souls, the conversion of life, the aid to our weakness, the renunciation of the flesh, the following of the Spirit, the fellowship of the Word, the improvement of the creature, the overwhelming of sin, the participation of light, the dissolution of darkness. It is the carriage to God, the dying with Christ, the perfecting of the mind, the bulwark of faith, the key of the kingdom of heaven, the transformation of life, the removal of slavery, the loosing of chains, the remodeling of the whole person….Why should I go into further detail? Illumination is the greatest and most magnificent of the gifts of God. (Oration 40)

Hopefully, our own baptism means as much to us as those catechumens who first heard those words. But do we even know the date of our baptism and celebrate it as much as we do our birthday? Or honor the patron saint whose name we were given that day? As I look out on this congregation, I see a constellation of such patrons.

And today in Rome another is added to the canon with the title "blessed" — Giovanni Merlini, Missionary of the Precious Blood and second successor of its founder, St. Gaspar del Bufalo, and spiritual director of St. Maria de Mattias, founder of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, whom he guided and encouraged.

Merlini was born in Spoleto, Italy — famous for its chocolate — in 1795 and died exiting a Roman church in 1873, after he was struck by a carriage. The last thing he did was forgive the coachman who ran into him, no doubt deliberately.

Inspired by del Bufalo he joined the Missionaries two years after his ordination as a diocesan priest, joined in the preaching ministry of the community, oversaw the formation of new members, helped the founder navigate many early obstacles which threatened the community's future, and after Gaspar's death was elected his second successor thereby proving himself an able and prudent administrator who, among other things, encouraged the expansion of the Missionaries into the United States. He was a confidante and friend of Pope Pius IX, and succeeded in having the pope extend the Feast of the Precious Blood on July 1 to the universal church.

Evidence of heroic virtue, especially meekness, humility and charity — something challenging for a red-headed Italian with a temper he struggled to control — and, of course, a high degree of union with God, led to his beatification almost a century after his cause was introduced. At long last a miracle attributed to his intercession was approved by Pope Francis involving a man from Naples who in 2015 was hospitalized in critical condition with a severe gastric illness and, after having a relic of Merlini placed in his bed, experienced a prompt, complete and lasting healing, not scientifically explainable.

Now in addition to all that, I admire Merlini for being an "ordinary" saint. To my knowledge, there were no supernatural phenomena associated with him during his lifetime: no levitation or bilocation as with St. Gaspar; no visions or messages from heaven; no mystical treatises, and no miraculous feats. His holiness is found entirely in daily devotion to duty, fidelity to his vocation, and exemplary love of God and neighbor. In other words, within the reach of everyone.

In the words of his current successor, Fr. Emmanuele Lupi, “The secret of the holiness of Merlini is exactly that he was a regular person. Sometimes when we read the lives of the saints, we see that they performed many miracles during their lifetime. That’s not true with Merlini…. What he can teach us that it is possible to be saints, it is possible to be holy, in regular daily life. We can make extraordinary all the ordinary things that we do every day….The holiness of Merlini consists mainly in the commitments that he made. This tells me that I can be holy if I am faithful to what I have to do. His holiness comes from trying to do his level best in order to serve God. He didn’t heal any paralytic. He didn’t make any blind person see. But day after day, he was constant and faithful to God. He’s a regular saint for regular people, and he can teach us that if we are faithful and do what we are supposed to do, we can be saints.”

So there's hope for all of us, isn't there? And what better reminder than this feast day which reminds us there is a universal call to holiness, no one excepted, arising from our baptism when we were inwardly transformed through [Christ] whom we recognize outwardly as ourselves (Alt. Collect). Who lives and reigns, forever and ever. Amen.

Intercessions (Joe Milner; The Sunday Website))

For the Church: that we may recognize our calling to be daughters and sons of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit manifest God’s love and compassion through our words and deeds.

For the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, that inspired by the life and ministry of Blessed Giovanni Merlini, they might remain faithful to the charism bestowed on St. Gaspar del Bufalo for the good of the church and all whom they serve.

For courage: that God will strengthen us to bear the challenges of daily life and thus give witness to the faithfulness of God.

For all who need a shepherd’s care: that God will provide for those lacking food or heat, guide refugees and those fleeing violence, and bring freedom to those unjustly detained.

For all who have experienced abuse or discrimination: that they may hear God’s affirmation that they are beloved and experience healing for their bodies, minds, and spirits.

For all who are sick: that God will heal those who are ill and sustain all who care for the sick.

For all young adults: that they may respond to God’s invitations to build up the Christian community and participate in the mission of the church.

For a new dawning of peace and reconciliation: that those who strive for peace may not tire and that God will open new opportunities for opponents to recognize the good in one another.

For those affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles, for those who have lost life and property, for the safety of firefighters and other professional disaster relief workers.

Open the heavens, almighty Father, and pour out your Spirit upon your people gathered in prayer. Renew the power of our baptismal cleansing and fill us with zeal for good deeds. Let us hear your voice once again, that we may recognise in your beloved Son our hope of inheriting eternal life. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (ICEL; 1998)

Offertory Hymn

Listen, O heaven, and earth, dance for joy! Christ God is baptized, sin’s pow’r to destroy!

Thus He cleanses us from sin, And for us new life does win, Gift from above.

Jordan’s flood rushes on; cleansing, its flow, There John the Baptist in awe bows down low.

The Master before him stands: He dares not stretch out his hands, God thus to know.

Jesus, Creator, ere all times began, Tells John then, “Baptize me, fulfilling God’s plan!”

See John in fear retreat; “Ask it not – it is not meet, God washed by man!”

Then John baptizes the Master, the Lord; Shattered, the pow’rs of hell fall down, adore! By water Christ sets on fire

(Through the Cross) a fearsome pyre: Hell’s myriad host.

“This is the Lamb of God!” startled John cries. “On His strong shoulder our sin’s burden lies.

In Jordan He washes all Stained by father Adam’s fall; Satan destroys!”

See in dove’s likeness the Spirit descends, Over the head of Christ rests there, attends;

The heavens are opened wide And the Father’s loving voice Said of the Son:

“This is my Son beloved, listen to Him; On Him my favor rests, He is my own;

The Kingdom prepares for all, Earth renewing by His call;

Listen to Him!”

Communion Hymn

When you were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord,
the worship of the Trinity was revealed to the world.

For the voice of the Father witnessed to you
by calling you “His beloved Son,”
and the Spirit in the form of a dove
confirmed the truth of His word.

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