A Baptism of Solidarity

HOMILY: Baptism of the Lord 

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22)

9 January 2022 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

This Sunday’s feast of the Baptism of the Lord signals the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of “Ordinary Time.” In the past, Christmas season would have ended last Sunday, on the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Why do you think today’s feast was added to the Christmas season?  It actually completes the celebration of three great divine revelations of the Christmas season — 1. There is Christmas when we celebrate the mystery of the Incarnation, that is, ‘the Word becoming flesh in Jesus’ (St. John) — God becoming one of us, ‘the Emmanuel’, ‘God-with-us’ (St. Matthew), or how God comes among us with Good News for the poor, the outcasts and  sinners (St. Luke); 2. The Epiphany, when we celebrate how God has revealed Himself to all peoples with the message of salvation for everyone; and finally; 3. The Baptism of Jesus when we see how God has entered into solidarity with humanity by virtue of Jesus being baptised by John the Baptist.  

Kinailangan ba ni Hesus na siya ay binyagan? (Did Jesus have to be baptised?) Kung tutuusin, pawang makasalanan na nagbabagong buhay ang nagpapabinyag kay San Juan. (We are told that those coming for baptism to John the Baptist were repentant sinners.) Baptism, after all, cleanses all sins — personal sin, original sin, and punishment for sin. Inaalis nito ang lahat ng hadlang para ang tao ay maaaring makapasok sa kaharian ng Diyos. (It removes whatever would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God.) During the rite we are called to be true to what we become — sons and daughters of God.) Nakapagtataka na si Hesus ay nagpabinyag samantalang di na Siya kailangan magpa-ampon dahil tunay na Siyang anak ng Diyos. (Jesus did not have to be baptised as adopted son because He is Himself the Son of God.)  Nakakapagtaka na Siyang walang sala ay sumailalim sa  isang ritwal para sa mga naligaw ng landas.  Jesus was sinless so He did not need to be repentant. Even John the Baptist knew this, almost refusing to baptize Jesus whom he acknowledged to be greater than he is. So, why did Jesus insist on undergoing something He did not need? 

Jesus did it for us. He subjected Himself to baptism as the very first step of identifying Himself with sinners. He takes on our weaknesses and shortcomings in order to elevate us to the glory of being children of God. Si Hesus ay Diyos pero kahit kailan ay hindi Niya ipinilit na Siya ay tratuhin bilang VIP.  He never required any claim of privilege for Himself. Mas pinili nyang maging ordinaryo tulad natin. (Instead, Jesus chose to be like everyone else.) So much so, that they underestimated Him and wouldn’t believe Him if not for His miraculous works and extraordinary insight. We note how Jesus has often been met with hostility even by His own familiars: “That’s just Jesus!”  “We know him.” He’s a local boy, nothing special.” “Sino ba siya para sabihan tayo kung paano tayo dapat mamuhay?  Saan niya nakuha ang lakas ng loob na magturo sa synagogue?” “Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?… Where did this man get all these things?” (Matthew 13:54-56) Jesus did not prove Himself but just did what He needed to do. As in the words of St. Paul, Jesus did not deem to be equal with God, rather, he made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Philippinas 2: 6-7) 

Kung tayo ay tagapagsunod ni Kristo, dapat sana ginagaya natin ang kanyang mga prinsipyo at sinusunod natin ang tinuturo Niya. Subalit, tila iba ang pinahahalagahan natin. Kamakailan, naisabalita na may isang dalaga na naniwalang siya ay angat sa kapwa niya —- na sobra niyang espesyal na di na niya kailangan sumunod sa batas na dapat mag-quarantine muna pagkarating mula sa ibang bansa. Dahil siya ay naging pabaya at makasarili, nakahawa sya ng COVID sa mga nagtatrabaho sa restaurant kung saan sya naki-party. Pati ang ilang mga bisitang walang kamalay-malay ay nahawahan. Nanganganib na rin ang kabuhayan ng mga taong nagtatarabaho sa hotel na tinakasan niya ng quarantine dahil ipinasara ito pansamantala.  Sometimes we think so highly of ourselves because we are either young, beautiful, rich or well-connected.  We want to cut corners or get ahead at the expense of others. O kaya iniisip natin na dahil magara ang kotse natin o branded ang suot o galing ka sa exclusive na paaralan ay mas importante tayo sa iba.  Bakit ba tayong mga ordinaryong nilalang ang mahilig maghari-harian sa mundong pag-aari ng Diyos Amang Tagapaglikha?

Jesus made of Himself the perfect example of humility. Tinuruan Niya tayo na sa pakikiisa sa aba, ay mas maiintindihan natin ang kanilang pangagailangan  at mas higit natin silang matutulungan. Recently, the team of Caritas Philippines led by Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo and Fr. Antonio Labiao made solidarity visits to areas affected by Typhoon Odette in Southern Leyte province.  Hinikayat nila na tumulong pa rin ang taongbayan sa pagbigay ng donasyon pero higit doon, pinahalagahan nila ang pagtungo sa mga nasalantang lugar para maitaguyod muli ang komunidad, ayusin ang mga nasirang tirahan, at magbigay ng emergency livelihood assistance. Nakiisa sila sa mga kababayan nating nagdurusa upang magbigay ng pag-asa. (They deem it fit to visit the victims of the typhoon to be in solidarity with them. They also wanted to see for themselves the situation on the ground so as to help accelerate the rebuilding efforts of the affected communities.)

As we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord (and also the Feast of the Black Nazarene), we acknowledge with gratitude the depth of God’s love for us and the extent to which He went to show us His sincerity. He became like us and chose to be counted among us in every way except sin. He shed the privilege of His divinity and Kingship to show us the value of humility and true service. Bilang binyagan, tayo’y nabibilang na sa pamilya ng Panginoon bilang kanyang mga ampon na anak. Nawa’y maging totoo tayo sa ating dignidad bilang mga anak ng Diyos at masundan natin ng wagas ang ehemplo ni Hesus para balang araw ay kalugdan din tayo ng Diyos Ama. (May we be true to what we have become through our baptism — God’s sons and daughters! Let us follow the example of Christ so that some day God may also be pleased with us.)