by Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy
v21After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened, v22and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.” Luke 3:21-22
The Twelve Days of Christmas concluded on Thursday, January 6th, with the Feast of the Epiphany. More popularly celebrated as Feast of Three Kings, the feast brought us to the new liturgical calendar season of Epiphany. The feast reminds us of the three visitors of the newly-born Messiah. A preacher puts it this way, “The story of the Epiphany captures the imagination with its rich mixture of mystery and intrigue. Into the Holy Family’s impoverishment and temporary shelter come the MAGI from the East dressed in majestic robes bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They had travelled from unknown lands following a star and had experienced the deviousness of King Herod before they were filled with delight in finding the new-born child. After paying homage they left for home by a different route.” Indeed, the story of the Magi or ‘Three Kings’ is so colorful we may overlook its significance and fail to see its deeper meaning.
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Let me take you further. The wise men (magi) represent all of us. Their perilous journey through the desert and mountains following a star reflects our search for purpose and meaning of life, which is not possible unless we are guided by faith which enables us to see beneath the surface and appearances.
“We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star.”
At the center of it all is the innocence of the new-born-child, surrounded by adoration, wonder and mystery, who is able to stir the emotions, imagination and wills of all those drawn into his presence. The story is always relevant because God sees to it that people who really search will find him. He will shed light into our darkness and make us new.”
During this Epiphany season which commenced with the remembering of the gift-bringing of the ‘Three Kings’ before the newly-born King of kings, as we remember the visit of the magi and their gifts for the Christ child, let us follow the same star that led them, trusting that the God who lights up the heavens with the stars and sun and moon also illumines our path. Let us courageously follow Jesus, honor his teachings in our lives, stand in awe of his healing power, and go with him to the cross, the tomb, and eternal life.
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But the gift-giving gesture of the magi stands out for all and for all times especially this time of need and suffering due to COVID virus unabated infection and more. Let our hearts rapture and let us give until it helps our brothers and sisters in dire need due to various complications, natural and man-made.
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One of the odd things about the Church Calendar is that the baby Jesus grows up very fast after his birth on December 25, his circumcision into the Covenant on January 1, and the visit of the Wise Men to the stable in Bethlehem on January 6, the Epiphany. Here we are just a few days after the Epiphany, and here is Jesus all grown up, striding off into the wilds of the desert to find his cousin, John the Baptizer. This is his first adult decision, and his first adult appearance in public: presenting himself to John for the baptism of repentance. This is what we call this first Sunday after Epiphany: the Baptism of our Lord Sunday.
Putting aside the strict adherence to chronology in strict time standard, let us meditate on what happened during Jesus’ baptism and its implication to those who believe and follow him today.
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Jesus had no need of the ‘baptism of repentance’ by John as he himself was sinless and full of the Holy Spirit from the time he was born. By immersing himself in the waters of Jordan river he chose purposely to put himself on the side of sinners and to assume the burden of our sins. Desmond Knowles expounded it, “He came to share our way of life and die that we might live. The first act of his public ministry was one of humility and it launched his mission of living service to the despised, poor and spiritually crippled.” The seal of approval was put by God the Father upon the work which he was undertaking because as he came out of the water the heavens echoed with the acclamation, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” This was the outward sign that he was appointed Savior of the world – and he said “Yes!” He was now ready for a ministry which would generate divine life in others.
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For most of us our baptism happened when we were young and cannot even recall what happened during that time. However, our baptism is not merely and event of the past but a constant sharing of the divine life of the Risen Christ. It is a constant reminder and invitation to come closer to God and actively participate in proclaiming the good news. We are called to be servants of God in our own sphere of living and to make the world a better place. Jesus’ baptism is saying ‘yes’ to God the Father’s commission to save us and the whole world. Indeed, there are moments in our life when we are called to make a crucial decision. Jesus did his when he was baptized. God made it very clear to him what He wanted to do. God offered him a vocation on which Jesus said, “Yes.”
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This is what the baptism of Jesus which we observe this Sunday means – the decision to say ‘yes’ to his Father’s offer, to be at the service of the coming Kingdom. But the acquiesance to this penultimate ministry was done with bitter struggle in the man-Jesus but at the end submitted. The same is true with us believers. The commitment started at our baptism – to live the new life brought by Christ – needs to be affirmed by our personal decisions every day. Our being Christian becomes concrete and visible not at baptism but in the choices we make every day – for God or for our own.
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Fr Magdaleno Fabiosa puts it succinctly: “The feast of the Baptism of Jesus should remind us about our own baptism and what it means for us. It is our entrance into a special relationship with God our Father as His children. But oftentimes we resist this new reality of fulfilling God’s command to live as His children. So we make a choice, on a daily basis. We struggle to live up the consequences of our baptism. At times, the world around us, pulls us away from living up to our baptismal promises. But there is reason not to be discouraged and not to give up because at our baptism we were given the Spirit, the same Spirt that the Father gave Jesus at his baptism. The Spirit was given to us as a gift to accompany, guide, inspire, and help us in our journey towards becoming true sons and daughters of God.” What a gift! Just like the gifts given by the magi.
Let us pray.
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (ECP-BCP First Sunday After Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord). **
